Client Ignoring Unsatisfactory Building Safety - Who Do We Turn To Now?

As the competent person it's our duty to inform our client of any deviations from the current British Standards. However what if the client chooses to ignore the advice you give? Who do you discuss the matter or report it to if you feel the advice that is being ignored is potentially dangerous to others? We found ourselves in this very dilemma not that long ago with a London restaurant.

We got asked to carry out a periodic inspection for this restaurant initially which was condemned as having many code 2's and few code 1's. Our client was notified of this immediately and at the same time advised that a new fire alarm and emergency lighting system was strongly recommend as both were in a very bad way. The client never instructed us to perform any remedial work on that occasion though we were asked to install a new fire alarm panel, relocate it in a new position and make alterations to the existing system.

Very shortly afterwards we got asked to be involved with our clients Architect, as there was talk of refurbishment works in the restaurant. We were involved in many meetings, designed and priced for a new fire alarm and emergency lighting system as well as the general electrics and even filled out the application to request a larger incoming supply. However though we were in constant contact with the client and the Architect for a number of weeks and had been told the job was ours, we only found out that we had been undercut by another electrician though still using our design, when one day we had drove past and saw that the works had started. Apparently the chosen electricians were ones the Architect has used before and that is how they came to obtain our design details.

6 months later we returned for the first routine maintenance on the fire alarm system and found that the Architects electricians had made alterations and extended the fire alarm system we had installed, none of the details were recorded in the right documentation or certified. We also noticed that the new installed air con units had been installed over smoke detectors and emergency lights and the fire alarm panel had been turned off and left to discharge on its battery. Many faults were evident on the system when we reenergised it.

We made our client aware of the deviations from the BS Standards and raised questions of the competence of the electricians involved in the refurbishment and if any certificates were issued once work was complete? No instructions or answers to our questions were given.

It's been over a year since our first findings of these deviations and we have emailed the client on a number of occasions with our concerns. In some ways we would like to think that they decided to use another company but we know they haven't as they still call us when they have a fault on their fire alarm panel. Each time they call we tell them again but still no instructions.

We have now decided not to maintain the fire alarm system going forward and have advised them to use another company and we are fearful of being associated with such a restaurant.

This leads me again back to my first question, who do you speak to when your concerned about a buildings safety systems in a property and about an owner who is ignoring safety issues and BS Standards, NICEIC? The local Council? Neither appear to have a department that deals with these concerns currently so we would be interested to know what other companies do in situations like this?