Housing Company Fined £900,000 for Legionella Outbreak in Sheltered Accommodation

Sanctuary Housing Association has been fined £900,000 following a serious legionella outbreak at its sheltered housing facility in Birkenhead. The incident, which occurred in 2018, put vulnerable residents at risk of contracting the potentially deadly Legionnaires' disease.

The Housing Association pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on the 22 October 2024.

Key points of the case:

• The Housing Association had carried out testing and detected legionella bacteria in water samples taken from communal areas and flats in July 2018. Residents were written to advising works would be carried out on the water system.

• Further testing in August 2018, confirmed legionella was still present as work to fix the water system was carried out.  The residents were evacuated towards the end of August 2018 and allowed to return in October and November after a chlorination unit was installed.

• The HSE investigation revealed poor management of legionella risk in the water system.

• Staff were found to be inadequately trained and supervised.

• The housing association failed to properly warn residents about the risks, particularly regarding shower use.

There was no evidence that any of the residents became ill but they were allowed to continue use the contaminated water but were from a vulnerably group of residents due to their age and underlying health issues putting them at a higher risk.

Forbes Comments:

The case highlights the critical importance of proper water system management being implemented by landlords. The incident serves as a stark reminder for housing associations to ensure rigorous safety protocols and staff training are in place to prevent such potentially life-threatening incidents.  It also highlights the need for ensuring that there is regular checks undertaken on the water system by way of testing by specialist providers and by having in place appropriate risk assessments.  The HSE provide comprehensive guidance and Approved Code of Practice aimed at duty holders and their responsibilities.   Legionella and Legionnaires' disease - HSE