The rising cost of negligence.

Fines for fire safety breaches have risen sharply since Grenfell.

The average fine handed down for breaches of the Fire Safety Order has increased since the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017.

A review of 200 fire safety legislation cases handled by fire safety solicitor, Warren Spencer, found that the average fine since the Grenfell is now £27,519. This is more than a 35% higher than the average across 2014-2019, which is £20,375. 

Warren Spencer's research, published to mark the 13th anniversary of the Fire Safety Order coming into force, also found that three fire services have not brought a single prosecution under the order.

The most enforced part of the order relates to emergency routes and exits. The ground-breaking study reveals that the most enforced part of the order is Article 14, which relates to emergency routes and exits. And of Spencer’s 200 cases only nine defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges brought.

The research might be the most detailed analysis yet of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, to give it its full name.

“All of the data relating to sentencing comes from my own records as I am not aware that there has been any other analysis relating to this since the Fire Safety Order came into effect,” said Spencer. “There are some interesting patterns and a sharp increase in the average fine imposed since Grenfell.”

Spencer, who has prosecuted and defended fire safety cases for over 12 years, has written the first in a series of articles examining his findings across four areas: breaches prosecuted, premises prosecuted, prosecuting fire services and sentencing. He also considers enforcement notices, defences typically deployed by defendants, the Grenfell effect and why so many defendants plead guilty.

The most enforced part of the order relates to emergency routes and exits.... of Spencer’s 200 cases only nine defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges brought.

The standout numbers
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• Out of 200 cases only nine defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges brought
• Article 14 relating to emergency routes and exits is the most enforced
• The most prosecutions by a single fire service is 120
• Three fire services have not brought any prosecutions since the order came into force 13 years ago
• A total of £1,230,879 has been handed out in fines
• The average fine between 2014-2019 was £20,375
• Average fine Post Grenfell was £27,519