FIRE safety regulations are there for a reason. That reason has nothing to do with petty red tape, and it isn’t a health-and-safety box-ticking exercise. It is about saving lives. York landlord Lawrence Stephenson has now found to his cost that failing to comply with fire regs can be an expensive business.

Mr Stephenson owns two flats above York’s renowned Blue Bicycle in Fossgate. Six people were living in the flats when a fire broke out in April last year. It started in a towel left on a storage heater, was quickly put out by a bucket of water, and no one was injured.

But solicitor Karen Galloway told York magistrates that the fire probably would not have started had Mr Stephenson carried out fire safety improvements he had been told were needed by fire officers.

Mr Stephenson has now been fined £7,000 and ordered to pay more than £1,500 prosecution costs by after admitting failing to comply with fire safety regulations.

Miss Galloway said fire officers who inspected the flats had believed there was a risk of death or serious injury. Mr Stephenson’s solicitor, Nick Darwin, said his client had learned his lesson.

We have no doubt that he has. Other properties he owns are properly protected against fire, magistrates heard. But we hope that other landlords in the city take note of this case.

Ensuring properties you let out to tenants are protected against fire is your responsibility.

Failing to do so could be expensive. Much more importantly, it could also put lives at risk. No one would want a tragedy on their conscience.