Three health and safety improvement notices were issued to the New County Hotel in Perth two weeks before the fire that killed three people.
The Courier can reveal Perth and Kinross Council served the notices on the owner on December 19.
These addressed concerns over night-time safety, windows and flooring in the building.
That was just a fortnight before three people and a dog perished in a blaze at the venue.
The hotel had been given until January 31 to make improvements.
It has not been confirmed whether any work had been carried out between the notices being issued and the fire.
News of the health and safety issues come after The Courier also revealed a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service audit called for 21 separate improvements to be carried out at the New County Hotel earlier in December.
Guests at hotel ‘did not feel safe at night’
The council’s improvement notices were served on owner Rashid Hussain, trading as Perth Hospitality Ltd, whose address was listed as London.
It followed a visit by a council environmental health officer.
They claimed the hotel was in contravention of various health and safety regulations.
Among the issues highlighted in one of the improvement notices was that “guests do not feel safe within the hotel during the night as the front door is left unlocked”.
The notice said Mr Rashid, as the owner, had “failed to properly assess the risks associated with the hotel” being left with no “competent” staff overnight, given its city centre location.
He was told he must “properly assess” the risks to safety of guests, any staff that may be present, and to the hotel itself, through people who are not guests being able to access the building at night.
Windows ‘presented risk to health and safety’
Meanwhile, a further notice raised concerns about windows in the hotel.
It stated that there were a number of broken window units, including in rooms 203, 106 and 101.
The officer also said a risk assessment for the premises identified that window restrictors should be fitted to all windows at first floor level and above.
It said: “A number of the windows do not have restrictors fitted and are capable of being fully opened.
“It is considered that when fully open, the windows present a risk to health and safety.”
A third notice addressed the condition of flooring in communal areas and guest rooms in the hotel.
Issues included:
- Uneven flooring in room 107
- Raised carpets on the stairs presenting trip hazards
- Loose tape being used as a temporary repair on one stair carpet needing to be removed and a permanent repair carried out
- The edge of the step into the bathroom in room 101 being damaged
- Areas of torn and split carpet in communal and guest areas
It said that failure to comply with the notices by the date set was an offence.
It also told Mr Hussain he had the right to appeal within 21 days of the notices being served.
Mr Hussain has not responded to repeated requests for comment from The Courier in recent days.
Council: Inappropriate to comment
A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “It would be inappropriate for us to comment given the police investigation under way.”
Earlier this week, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said he was “concerned” to hear about online reviews from guests in the months before the fire detailing safety concerns and complaining about the condition of the hotel.
A joint police and fire investigation into the fire is continuing.
