Following discussions with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) about a number of concerns regarding Arlington House, All Saints Avenue, Margate, Thanet District Council will serve a Hazard Awareness Notice on the owner.
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) notified the relevant local authority, in this case Thanet District Council, of its concerns which relate to the structure and fire safety arrangements for the building.
Arlington House is an 18 storey high-rise tower block which contains 142 residential flats. The property is privately owned by Metropolitan Property Realization Limited (MPRL). As the owner, MPRL is responsible for the structure and fire safety arrangements for Arlington House.
Under the Building Safety Act, owners of high rise residential buildings must submit a safety case report to the BSR upon request. Specifically, the Principal Accountable Person (PAP) for Arlington House was required to apply for a Building Assessment Certificate (BAC). The BSR checks these applications to ensure legal duties regarding fire safety and structural integrity are met, as mandated by the Building Safety Act 2022.
The submission by MPRL to the BSR raised concerns, which resulted in the council, BSR and the Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) working together to further investigate issues.
A joint site visit was undertaken on Friday 7 March 2025, involving Thanet District Council and KFRS, which is supporting the Building Safety Regulator on the fire safety arrangements. The building owners (MPRL) also attended.
As the Local Housing Authority, the council has regulatory powers which can require MPRL to take action to address health and safety hazards. The council has written to MPRL raising the shared concerns of the three regulatory agencies and setting out some initial mitigating actions, which include a full structural survey of the building and the erection of scaffolding around the building.
The scaffolding around the building is to protect residents. Additionally, the council has asked MPRL to ensure that residents are properly informed about the condition of the building and safety arrangements in place.
The council has also conducted a formal inspection of the shared areas of the building on Wednesday 2 April 2025 and is in the process of drafting a Hazard Awareness Notice that will be served on MPRL.
Following a meeting with KFRS, MPRL reviewed and changed the fire strategy for the building in conjunction with the findings of a recent structural report. As a result, MPRL, responsible for managing an effective evacuation of all residents in the event of a fire, has implemented a revised approach supported by a 24-hour waking watch service. This service is already in place to alert residents in an emergency and assist with a safe evacuation if necessary.
The BSR has taken enforcement action, requiring MPRL to undertake a full structural survey by 14 July 2025 and a full fire safety compartmentation survey by 14 August 2025. The Building Safety Act requires that these notices are displayed prominently within the building.
Cllr Helen Whitehead, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing said: “The safety of residents in all sectors, including private sector housing, is our priority as a council. We will continue to ensure that MPRL does everything that is required to protect and support the residents, and we will continue our direct dialogue with Arlington House Residents’ Association to provide independent support.”
Residents at Arlington House have been contacted by MPRL about the change of fire strategy and waking watch service and the council is pressing MPRL to ensure regular communication with residents is issued. If residents need any further information, in the first instance they should contact MPRL directly.
