Who pays for Fire Service callout

paddygouge

Hi all
Hope someone can help me find out who pays for Fire service call out? Is it the owner of the building or the person who called?

Why I'm asking is last night the fire alarm went off around 5 am :eek: we are in an apartment block and as my place was OK I was not sure about others.
After some investigating with neighbors we could safely say there was no fire but not 100% but also the alarm was still going off and its a deafening noise.:mad:

So as the main Fire control panel is in another building that was vacant and locked and nobody had any idea what to do so I called 999 and explained the situation and the Fire Service came. After spending much time on the phone to the Guards trying to find out who can open the building to get to the Fire control panel they ended up breaking to and silence the alarm.

Now will I end up paying for the call out???????
Look forward to reading reply's thanks..

dfbemt

The owner of the property gets the bill.

Obviously you didn't make the phone call. Somebody else did and gave your name !!!!!

wicklaman83

dfbemt wrote: »

The owner of the property gets the bill.

Obviously you didn't make the phone call. Somebody else did and gave your name !!!!!

and when the number is checked in exchange it will be seen that someone rang off his phone aswell:rolleyes:

Zambia

paddygouge wrote: »

Hi all
Hope someone can help me find out who pays for Fire service call out? Is it the owner of the building or the person who called?

Why I'm asking is last night the fire alarm went off around 5 am :eek: we are in an apartment block and as my place was OK I was not sure about others.
After some investigating with neighbors we could safely say there was no fire but not 100% but also the alarm was still going off and its a deafening noise.:mad:

So as the main Fire control panel is in another building that was vacant and locked and nobody had any idea what to do so I called 999 and explained the situation and the Fire Service came. After spending much time on the phone to the Guards trying to find out who can open the building to get to the Fire control panel they ended up breaking to and silence the alarm.

Now will I end up paying for the call out???????
Look forward to reading reply's thanks..

Looks to me as if you did not request the fire service just advice. So no I cant see how anyone can charge you personnally.

TheNog

IMO it would have to be the owner of the building who would have to pay as that is the scene they attended to. Imagine if the caller was the one did get charged for the call-out then no one would ring for the fire brigade if they saw a building on fire with people in it!!!!

Sleipnir

In the event of a call-out for a house, it's usually covered by your house insurance.
In the case of apartment blocks, it can only be the management company.

civdef

Are you in a county that charges for fire brigade callouts?
The charge is made to the beneficial recipient of the service, in the case of an issue with the common parts of an apartment building, that will be the management company as has been stated.

As to the alarm system itself, it's not ideal that the panel is in a different building - there should be a control panel available in each building. You need to talk to your management company.

paddygouge

Hi guys

Thanks for the info it was a strange situation to find myself in but im working on sorting it out. It must be against Fire Regs to have the control panel in another building that is not manned 24/7 nor have we acess to it.

many thanks again.

Who would i report a breech in fire Regs too. County Council or Fire Service?

dfbemt

darren254 wrote: »

and when the number is checked in exchange it will be seen that someone rang off his phone aswell:rolleyes:

You're joking aren't you ?!?!

Phone numbers are only 'checked' when the call is made and the term checked is used loosely.

The council will not go looking for the caller based on the phone number.

Have you worked in an emergency control room Darren254?

dfbemt

paddygouge wrote: »

Hi guys

Thanks for the info it was a strange situation to find myself in but im working on sorting it out. It must be against Fire Regs to have the control panel in another building that is not manned 24/7 nor have we acess to it.

many thanks again.

Who would i report a breech in fire Regs too. County Council or Fire Service?

The Fire Service is a County Council department. Report it to the Fire Section by asking to speak with a Fire Prevention Officer.

It is not against Fire Regs not to have a control panel in your building. Once the alarm sounds and there is a management system in place that says all should evacuate and where the assembly point is, all is in order.

Apartment buildings are usually the pits in these matters.