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Who is reponsible for a fire under building control

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  • 23-04-2019 11:35am
    #1
    ralc
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭


    Hello,
    There was a small fire in a rubbish collection area on the site of where my house was built. The site was under building control of my contracted builder. The fire was small caused no damage but a neighbor called the fire brigade and myself and so when I showed up to site the firebrigade did also and put out the fire. I've no issue with what the firebrigade did or indeed being paid for their services however I am getting the bill and repeated threats by the fire department threatening debt collectors if I don't pay. I have explained to them in several letters that i had nothing to do with the fire and that the site was in the legal responsibility of the building contractor who has taken responsibility for the fire and said he will pay the bill if he has to. However they still keep pursuing me for the bill of 800euro with debt collector threats and have don't seem to even want to builders details. I just wanted to ask does anybody know the legal situation?


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    #2
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    ralc wrote: »
    Hello,
    There was a small fire in a rubbish collection area on the site of where my house was built. The site was under building control of my contracted builder. The fire was small caused no damage but a neighbor called the fire brigade and myself and so when I showed up to site the firebrigade did also and put out the fire. I've no issue with what the firebrigade did or indeed being paid for their services however I am getting the bill and repeated threats by the fire department threatening debt collectors if I don't pay. I have explained to them in several letters that i had nothing to do with the fire and that the site was in the legal responsibility of the building contractor who has taken responsibility for the fire and said he will pay the bill if he has to. However they still keep pursuing me for the bill of 800euro with debt collector threats and have don't seem to even want to builders details. I just wanted to ask does anybody know the legal situation?

    I would imagine the builder as the site was under his control.


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    #3
    selfbuild17
    Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭selfbuild17


    If you had a main contractor in place at the time, it would usually be their responsibility unless otherwise noted in the contract between you. His insurance may cover the fire brigade call out bill.


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    #4
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,437 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    Regardless, my understanding is that the person who calls the fire brigade is the person liable for the charge?


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    #5
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    antodeco wrote: »
    Regardless, my understanding is that the person who calls the fire brigade is the person liable for the charge?

    No that’s incorrect and pub talk/hear say.

    I’ve called the fire brigade on countless occasions over the years and I’ve never been asked for any form of payment.


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    #6
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,913 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    antodeco wrote:
    Regardless, my understanding is that the person who calls the fire brigade is the person liable for the charge?

    This is the case in Dublin for certain. DCC or Dublin fire department brought this rule in a few years ago. They had a representative doing a tour of the radio shows explaining the rules. If my neighbour has a chimney fire and I phone it in then I get the bill not the house with the fire.


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    #7
    mad m
    Registered Users Posts: 9,002 ✭✭✭mad m


    OP would you not give bill to contractor as you stated he will pay for it?


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    #8
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,074 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    This is the case in Dublin for certain. DCC or Dublin fire department brought this rule in a few years ago. They had a representative doing a tour of the radio shows explaining the rules. If my neighbour has a chimney fire and I phone it in then I get the bill not the house with the fire.

    thats weird... as DCC website clearly says:
    Who is billed in the case of a domestic fire/false alarm/chimney fire?

    The owner of the premises will be billed    .

    http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services/dublin-fire-brigade-and-ambulance-service


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    #9
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    This is the case in Dublin for certain. DCC or Dublin fire department brought this rule in a few years ago. They had a representative doing a tour of the radio shows explaining the rules. If my neighbour has a chimney fire and I phone it in then I get the bill not the house with the fire.

    Very strange as it’s only Dublin city DFB I’ve rang before and I’ve never got a bill.


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    #10
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,913 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    I can only tell you what they said when they rolled out the charge about 5 or 6 years ago.

    OP your insurance will cover this. If the builder agreed to pay for it you need to give him the invoice. The fire department won't chase him or invoice him.


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    #11
    DOCARCH
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 17,743 Mod ✭✭✭✭DOCARCH


    At the end of the day, the builder should pay. His site/his responsibility (including securing the site).

    As the OP is, I assume, the registered owner of the property, it's no surprise that the OP received the bill.

    The OP should pay the bill and recoup from the builder, either in advance or after.


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    #12
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,913 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    DOCARCH wrote:
    The OP should pay the bill and recoup from the builder, either in advance or after.

    I agree. OP is wasting their time asking the fire department to chase a third party. That's not the way things work


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    #13
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    I agree. OP is wasting their time asking the fire department to chase a third party. That's not the way things work

    Exactly, they bill the home owner, not the person that made the phone call to report it (unless the home owner made the call also).

    http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services/dublin-fire-brigade-and-ambulance-service
    Who is billed in the case of a domestic fire/false alarm/chimney fire?

    The owner of the premises will be billed.

    Who is billed in the case of a road traffic accident?

    The registered owner of the vehicle(s) concerned will be billed.

    Is the caller charged?

    The caller will not be charged unless they are the owner of the premises or the vehicle.


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    #14
    C3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 3,742 ✭✭✭C3PO


    Sleeper12 wrote:
    This is the case in Dublin for certain. DCC or Dublin fire department brought this rule in a few years ago. They had a representative doing a tour of the radio shows explaining the rules. If my neighbour has a chimney fire and I phone it in then I get the bill not the house with the fire.

    I'm sorry but that just defies logic! Are you seriously suggesting that if my neighbour's house is on fire I would be liable for a €800 bill because I alerted the Fire Brigade? I would be better off letting it just burn away? I really struggle to believe that that is policy!


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    #15
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,913 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    C3PO wrote:
    I'm sorry but that just defies logic! Are you seriously suggesting that if my neighbour's house is on fire I would be liable for a €800 bill because I alerted the Fire Brigade? I would be better off letting it just burn away? I really struggle to believe that that is policy!


    When DCC where first flying the kite off charges or were about to bring them in they were going to charge the caller. They particularly mentioned false alarms. If I call in a fire report on my next door neighbour and its a false alarm they were talking about charging me, the caller. Their site says that the homeowner pays for false alarms but this isn't the case. In reality no one pays for a false alarm


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    #16
    C3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 3,742 ✭✭✭C3PO


    Sleeper12 wrote:
    If my neighbour has a chimney fire and I phone it in then I get the bill not the house with the fire.
    Sleeper12 wrote:
    When DCC where first flying the kite off charges or were about to bring them in they were going to charge the caller. They particularly mentioned false alarms. If I call in a fire report on my next door neighbour and its a false alarm they were talking about charging me, the caller. Their site says that the homeowner pays for false alarms but this isn't the case. In reality no one pays for a false alarm

    Very different thing to charge people for false alarms rather than your initial quote above!


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    #17
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,913 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    C3PO wrote:
    Very different thing to charge people for false alarms rather than your initial quote above!

    I was wrong. I made a mistake. I based my comments on the kite flying from DCC. You have to remember that DCC didn't just bring in these charges overnight. They were years trying to get them in. Fire fighters threatened to go on strike. The original proposals were tweaked over & over again.


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    #18
    Wildly Boaring
    Registered Users Posts: 3,631 ✭✭✭Wildly Boaring


    OP

    Talk to builder.

    Agree that you pay and he knocks does some €800 or so extra for free.

    Put in writing. Done


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