Landlords were educated on issues including fire proofing and electrical safety when they attended the lastest Gwent Landlord Forum in Llantarnam, Cwmbran.

The free event, sponsored by Cwmbran-based Rubin Lewis O’Brien and Green & Co Accountants and Tax Advisors, saw three guest speakers educating local landlords on issues such as fire proofing the home and preventing electrical faults. The forum was aimed at informing landlords in the wake of the tragic events of Grenfell Tower.

The first speaker was Adrian Moyse, group manager of Business Fire Safety at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who spoke about the legislation behind fire safety including HMOs, the importance of risk assessments and the likely impact Grenfell Tower will have on shaping rules and regulations across the next five years.

The second talk was also delivered by South Wales Fire and Rescue, this time by Tony Redman.

Mr Redman discussed the statistics behind fires in the home, with 2,027 Accidental Dwelling Fires occurring in Wales between 2014-2017. A total of 63 per cent of these fires started in the kitchen, 51 per cent involved appliances and 37 per cent of cases involved people under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The evening was wrapped up by Robert Jervis-Gibbons, public affairs manager at Electrical Safety First; a national charity which lobbies the government on the dangers of house fires and electrical household items.

Mr Jervis-Gibbons spoke to the attendees regarding the 350,000 serious injuries sustained every year in the UK as a result of fires caused by electrical faults in the home, which result in 52 deaths. Another topic covered was that of the mandatory checks coming into force via the Renting Home Wales Act.

Ed Gooderham, director of Green & Co Accountants and Tax Advisors, said: “We would like to thank all three speakers for providing an informative insight into a very serious issue. Fire safety is paramount to all homeowners, landlords and tenants alike. I know our attendees got a great deal of value from all three fantastic talks.”

Managing partner at Rubin Lewis O’Brien, Sam George, said: “We aim to cover pressing and topical issues for our guests at every event. This was a perfect way to kick off our new season, and we urge all landlords in the area to visit us at our next event in November.”

The next forum will take place at the Parkway Hotel in Cwmbran on Tuesday, November 28, from 6pm to 8pm. For more information, please contact Rubin Lewis O’Brien or Green & Co.