A tribunal has ruled the owners of a block of flats should pay a council the money it spent providing tenants with emergency accommodation.
Fifty one tenants at One The Brayford in Lincoln were told to leave in April 2025 by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service after it found they were likely to not escape a fire in time due to combustible external walls and insufficient fire detection systems.
Accommodation, costing just under £80,000, was then supplied for the tenants by the City of Lincoln Council, costs which the authority has since tried to get back.
A tribunal held on 12 May and published this week decided the building's freeholder, Plantview Ltd, should pick up the bill.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the tribunal ruled the city council could recover the direct housing costs, although it would not be able to seek money for its legal and staffing costs.
Residents of the development at Brayford Wharf North were able to return to their homes in October 2025 after the fire service was satisfied safety changes had been made.
During the tribunal hearing, Plantview Ltd argued residents had not been legally forced to leave the building, with some staying behind.
It claimed the prohibition notice served by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue was a "recommendation or advisory".
Both parties agreed there were fire safety problems with the building, although Plantview Ltd claimed they did not pose an imminent risk.
Judge Sian Westby ruled the residents had been decanted from One The Brayford, meaning the council was entitled to compensation.
During the tribunal, Westby stated "the financial consequences of building safety defects fall on those connected with the building, rather than on public authorities or leaseholders".
City of Lincoln Council did not wish to comment and the BBC has made efforts to contact Plantview Ltd.
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