Property owners holding landlord insurance policies are being encouraged to ensure they are complying with health and safety recommendations as the second outbreak of a deadly disease hits the UK.
After an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Edinburgh earlier this month, which affected over 100 people and claimed three lives, an outbreak in Stoke-on-Trent has now moved the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to request residential landlords to implement a risk assessment on their properties in a bid to stop the disease affecting their tenants. An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease can usually be traced to artificial water systems such as cooling towers in large buildings but the bacteria can also entrench itself in showers, taps, pipework carrying water and water storage tanks that can be typically found in blocks of flats and houses of multiple occupation.
People can inhale the Legionella bacteria via tiny water droplets, and, once in their lungs the bacteria go to work. Victims usually display flu-like systems at first but the bacteria can soon develop into pneumonia and other serious lung infections. The disease can prove fatal in 10% of cases especially to victims who have other underlying health problems.
The HSE website reminds landlords: “As an employer, or a person in control of the premises, you are responsible for health and safety and need to take the right precautions to reduce the risks of exposure to legionella.” The website then goes on to explain how landlords can best protect their tenants from Legionnaires’ disease and further information can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/what-you-must-do.htm. It is just one more facet of being a landlord that people coming into the business for the first time will not be aware of.