Building owner fined after workers found sleeping in dangerous office block

The owner of a derelict office block in Peterlee has been fined £48,000 after fire safety officers discovered nine men sleeping inside the premises during an inspection

The sentencing, delivered at Durham Crown Court on 24 February, underscores what County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) described as a “serious disregard for fire safety”.

As previously reported by the FPA, Tarlochan Singh, 48, of Coventry, was the Director of 5th Capital Limited, the company that owned Ridgemount House on Bede Way. Fire safety concerns were first raised in 2022, prompting CDDFRS officers to carry out an evening visit. Upon arrival, they found a shutter partially open and made contact with an individual inside. Officers then discovered eight further men sleeping on makeshift beds constructed from chairs and blankets on the third floor.

Inside the property, fire officers reported multiple serious breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. These included a lack of fire risk assessment, the absence of working fire detectors and alarms, obstructed and compromised emergency exits, inadequate emergency lighting, and a significant lack of functional fire doors. The alarm system was found to be completely disconnected from its power supply, and key exit routes were in darkness.

Prosecutors told the court that Singh was aware of both the state of the building and the fact that workers were being housed inside. “He knew the state of the building and knew the workers were being housed in it. He must have seen the risk but he chose to take it,” they said. The court also heard that the building was located in an area with high levels of anti-social behaviour and arson, with 10 deliberate fires recorded within 100 metres of the property over the previous 10 months.

Judge Joanne Kidd described Ridgemount House as “fundamentally derelict”, adding that “nobody could have thought they were suitable for anyone to spend any period of time in them.” She said the premises were “derelict and dangerous” and that the men were “camping out” there because Singh was attempting to reduce his expenses. In the event of a fire, she said, “the nine men would have been very much at risk of not being able to get out of the building”, adding that “he must have seen the risk but he chose to take it.”

In addition to the £48,000 fine, Singh was ordered to pay £45,711.48 in costs. He must pay the total sum—nearly £94,000—within 12 months or face a year in prison. During proceedings, Judge Kidd criticised Singh for attempting to mislead the court regarding his financial circumstances, calling his behaviour “mendacious from the outset.”

Ben Cairns, Director at CDDFRS, welcomed the outcome of the case. “Our primary aim is to keep the people of County Durham and Darlington safe from fire,” he said. He added that the breaches “were so serious that there was an immediate risk to life” and that the case demonstrated the Service’s commitment to safety enforcement. “I welcome today’s outcome as this demonstrates our commitment to keeping the people of Durham and Darlington safe,” he said.

CDDFRS is urging property managers and landlords to ensure full compliance with the Fire Safety Order and to act promptly on all risk assessments and enforcement notices.