Fire Precautions Act 1971 (repealed)

[F1 5A Powers for fire authority to grant exemption in particular cases. E+W+S

(1) A fire authority may, if they think fit as regards any premises which appear to them to be premises qualifying for exemption under this section as respects any particular use, grant exemption from the requirement to have a fire certificate covering that use.

(2) Exemption under this section for any premises as respects any use of them may be granted by the fire authority, with or without the making of an application for the purpose,—

(a) on the making of an application for a fire certificate with respect to the premises covering that use; or

(b) at any time during the currency of a fire certificate with respect to the premises which covers that use.

(3) In deciding whether or not to grant exemption under this section for any premises the fire authority shall have regard to all the circumstances of the case and in particular to the degree of seriousness of the risk in case of fire to persons in the premises.

(4) For the purpose of making that decision the fire authority may—

(a) require the applicant or, as the case may be, the occupier of the premises to give such information as they require about the premises and any matter connected with them; and

(b) cause to be carried out an inspection of the relevant building.

(5) The fire authority shall not grant exemption under this section for any premises without causing an inspection to be carried out under subsection (4) above unless they have caused the premises to be inspected (under that or any other power) within the preceding twelve months.

(6) The effect of the grant of exemption under this section as respects any particular use of premises is that, during the currency of the exemption, no fire certificate in respect of the premises is required to cover that use and accordingly—

(a) where the grant is made on an application for a fire certificate, the grant disposes of the application or of so much of it as relates to that use; and

(b) where the grant is made during the currency of a fire certificate, the certificate shall wholly or as respects that use cease to have effect.

(7) On granting an exemption under this section, the fire authority shall, by notice to the applicant for the fire certificate or the occupier of the premises, as the case may be, inform him that they have granted exemption as respects the particular use or uses of the premises specified in the notice and of the effect of the grant.

(8) A notice of the grant of exemption for any premises as respects a particular use of them may include a statement specifying the greatest number of persons of a description specified in the statement for the purposes of that use who, in the opinion of the fire authority, can safely be in the premises at any one time.

(9) Where a notice of the grant of exemption for any premises includes a statement under subsection (8) above, the fire authority may, by notice served on the occupier of the premises, direct that, as from a date specified in the notice, the statement—

(a) is cancelled; or

(b) is to have effect as varied by the notice;

and, on such a variation the statement shall be treated, so long as the variation remains in force, as if the variation were specified in it.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 5A and 5B inserted by Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 (c. 27, SIF 50), s. 1(4), 50(2)