Multi occupied buildings and the RRO

[kurnal]

Many former textile mills have been converted into innovation centres and business parks, the accommodation subdivided into multiple lock up units and let out as small individual units or larger suites.

These units are often owned by the private sector but some are also owned/managed by a consortium of local authorities and government regional development authorities and other business promotion groups, and managed by estate agents.

In both cases there may be very little presence on site by the landlord, an occasional visit by the agent in the worst case, in the better cases there may be an on site security office. Rarely does the landlord, agent or security office have access to the individual units.

Does anybody have any advice on how emergency evacuation procedures can be managed and controlled in such cases, and looking forward to the RRO  whether it is acceptable for the landlord to discharge his duties to co-ordinate   by delegating this role to a major tenant?

[Thebeardedyorkshireman]

If there is no 'central' presence on site in the way of a security lodge, then you could design the evacuation alarm on a fully automatic 'cascade' basis using software timers.
Dave

[jokar]

Kurnal,  I have had this difficulty before and eventually the landlord discharged the duties for control of evacuation to the major tenant as you indicated.  In this case, a number of crown premises over a large site with other occupiers.  It still was not brilliant though as the major tenant was the Inland Revenue and their staff get moved on and the hand over process was poor.  I think under RR(FS)O the FRS service would just give an enforcement notice to the "Person in Control" and allow them to sort it out.  As a consultant, best advice would be to manage the situation before it got that far, perhaps by writing something into the lease agreement for the major tenant or a minor one if they want the responsibility.  Perhaps a discount onthe rent would encourage Companies to be proactive in that role.

[novascot]

I have just had the owner (Local Authority) tell me they want risk assessments done for the areas they are responsible for. ie final exits incl outside  emergency  light. They say they can't afford to pay for a full FRA of the buildings. I told them they have obligations whether multi occ or not but they say they took legal advice on this. I suggested they co-ordinate with and charge the occupiers for costs incurred because as employers they must carry oput a risk assessment anyway.
This is for hundreds of properties. Assessments won't take place until October so fall under the New Regs.
Any comments?

[fred]

My understanding is that each occupier will have a Responsible Person and they will be responsible for producing an FRA covering the part of the premises they occupy - together with any common areas they use for means of escape.  The owner, or Responsible Person who has overall control of the building produces a FRA for the common areas - and the RRO requires them all to co-operate and co-ordinate with each other ....

... the resulting FRA for a decent sized shopping mall will probably need its own building - and a truck to retrieve it for inspection purposes.