An agent had been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of more than £16,500 after pleading guilty to four offences over fire safety.

The firm, named in a local newspaper report as Bridgeford & Co (not Bridgfords, part of Countrywide), managed a property in Cliftonville, Margate, Kent.

Kent Fire and Rescue was called to the property just before 5am on April 22, 2012. Firefighters had to lead a man to safety from a top-floor flat of the four-storey building.

Fire safety officers carried out an investigation and discovered a number of deficiencies. The fire alarm did not work and the officers said that the agent’s arrangements for inspecting and maintaining fire safety measures were inadequate.

After the case, senior fire safety officer John Robertson said: “The outcome sends out a very clear message to those responsible for managing residential property.

“They must have a risk assessment and make sure that the fire safety measures in their buildings are kept in good working order so people’s lives are not put at risk.”

Here is the local paper report