Decision details

Following up on a housing complaint revealed deficiencies to an external metal staircase serving a first floor flat on Victoria Road, Netherfield. The deficiencies involved an imminent risk of serious harm to the health and safety of the occupants of the flat.

Following a revist to the flat it was noted that a handrail adjacent to the entrance door had broken off. Also welds to the handrail along the length of both sides of the stairs were weak or broken.There was a risk of falling over the rail, the rails breaking off or slipping therough the gaps in the handrails onto the communal yard below. Julie Jones made the decision to serve an Emergency Prohibition Order on the joint owners of the flat requiring repairs and upgrading to the staircase to ensure that it complied with current Building Regulations. As a result, the tenant of the flat requires emergency accommodation from Nottingam City Council, until the Order is revoked.

To comply with the Housing Act 2004 section 43

Consideration was given to:
Dangerous structures legislation enforced by the Building Control department, but the legislation did not apply.

The Housing Act 2004 Emergency Remedial Action Notice (ERA) in which the Council would arrange for the works to be carried out, however the tenants and any visitors to the flat would be at risk whilst the works were arranged.