Birmingham Magistrates' Court has ordered the owner of a Birmingham apartment block to pay more than £250,000 after fire safety failures left 160 residents at risk. Middlesex-based Avamore Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an improvement notice that required the installation of a National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) L5 Fire Alarm System at Solihull Heights in Coventry Road.
Court hearing details
The improvement notice was issued in May 2025 and required compliance by November last year. However, the necessary work was not completed until six months after the deadline. At a hearing in May this year, the company pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to comply with the notice.
At sentencing on Friday, October 16, District Judge David Wain fined Avamore Ltd £240,000 and ordered it to pay a surcharge of £2,000 and prosecution costs of £9,153.30. The court heard that the company had carried out the required works in two of the three blocks at Solihull Heights but not in the third.
Council response
Coun Harris Khaliq, Cabinet Member for City Services and Digital, said: "Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home. Residents should never be left worrying whether building owners are taking fire safety seriously or acting when risks are identified."
Khaliq added: "This case sends a clear message. If landlords, developers or building owners ignore legal notices designed to protect residents, Birmingham City Council will take action and hold them to account. For too long, too many people have felt powerless when serious issues affecting their safety were ignored. Our job is to stand on the side of residents, not those who cut corners. That is exactly what we are doing."
He also thanked council officers, saying: "I want to thank our specialist officers for their determination and professionalism. They are leading important work across the city to ensure that safety comes before profit and that those responsible for these buildings meet their obligations."
Defence and judge's remarks
The court was told that Avamore Ltd had stopped communicating with Birmingham City Council housing officers for a period before the notice was due to be complied with. Mohammed Khan, defending, said fire protection measures were installed in the block but not the L5 system as required. He said the company accepted responsibility, adding that delays were caused by difficulties in gaining access to three of the apartments in the block.
District Judge Wain asked if the company could provide evidence that it had carried out works on the apartments Avamore had access to, but it could not. Judge Wain said: "The company had the assets to undertake the work and had the time to do so. They have not notified the council with any issues. There is no explanation for the company's failure to complete the work in a timely manner."
