Suspended engineer accused of forging fireplace security certificates for high-rise flats

An knowledgeable has been accused of signing off fireplace security certificates for residences in high-rise blocks utilizing the credentials and signature of one other engineer with out permission, the BBC has been informed.

Adam Kiziak has been below investigation for potential malpractice by the Establishment of Fireplace Engineers (IFE) – which suspended him in August 2024.

Nevertheless, Mr Kiziak’s firm is known to have continued to log off security certificates since then.

Lenders, together with NatWest and Nationwide, are actually withdrawing mortgage presents to folks hoping to purchase flats with fireplace security certificates issued by Mr Kiziak’s firm, Tri Fireplace.

Mr Kiziak’s lawyer informed the BBC: “Any allegation of fraudulent exercise is strenuously denied.”

Tri Fireplace carries out security surveys and points fireplace security certificates for residences in high-rise blocks throughout the UK. These certificates, generally known as EWS1s, had been launched in 2019 after the Grenfell Tower fireplace, which killed 72 folks.

The shape charges the hearth danger of a constructing based mostly on its total building and an evaluation of any cladding. Nearly all of banks and constructing societies require EWS1 certificates when deciding whether or not to lend cash on flats in residence blocks.

There is no such thing as a official register of EWS1 certificates, however evaluation by the Constructing Security Register has discovered 410 of the 1,139 EWS1s signed off between March 2020 and the top of 2021 had been issued by Tri Fireplace.

Mr Kiziak, who continues to be allowed to work, cannot log off security certificates whereas he’s suspended by the IFE.

Awwal Salisu, a professional fireplace engineer based mostly in Saudi Arabia, informed the BBC he entered into an settlement with Tri Fireplace by way of a recruitment company to evaluate as much as 100 buildings.

He believes Mr Kiziak used his signature with out his data to permit him to proceed issuing security certificates.

Within the majority of instances, Mr Salisu alleges there was inadequate info to have the ability to situation security certificates and returned the varieties to Mr Kiziak’s firm for additional work.

However the BBC has seen various EWS1 varieties carrying Mr Salisu’s signature and utilizing his IFE membership quantity, which Mr Salisu says weren’t among the many 100 he was requested to evaluation and which he knew nothing about.

“I’m very indignant about it,” says Mr Salisu. “I’ve had sleepless nights – my status is at stake.”

Mr Salisu says he makes use of a novel digital signature on paperwork that may be traced again to him utilizing the IP tackle on his laptop computer

He added: “The one benefit of all of that is each report that’s submitted with my initials, none of them will even have my digital signature.”

He has written to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the IFE and UK Finance – which oversees the mortgage lending market – to alert them to what he believes has occurred.

Some main lenders say that they’ve now stopped providing mortgages on properties signed off as protected by Mr Kiziak, leaving consumers in limbo.

First-time purchaser Sam Eire informed the BBC his mortgage provide was retracted when his lender found the hearth security evaluation of the property he hoped to purchase had been issued by Tri Fireplace.

“You are feeling utterly powerless,” says Sam, who now has to begin in search of one other flat to purchase and organize one other mortgage. “It is simply scuppered the entire thing.”

The BBC has additionally realized of different folks whose purposes have been rejected by different lenders the place Mr Kiziak’s agency was concerned.

Mr Kiziak’s lawyer informed the BBC they had been unable to supply any additional element as there’s a pending investigation, however added their shopper was “very sorry for any misery and the difficulties that the present scenario could have brought on”.

The IFE declined to remark additional whereas its investigation is ongoing.

The federal government lately introduced plans to hurry up the method of getting the 1000’s of tower blocks with flammable cladding and fireplace security defects fastened.

A Freedom of Info request by Building Information discovered greater than 60 blocks accepted into the federal government’s taxpayer-funded Cladding Security Scheme had been carried out by Tri Fireplace, throwing into doubt if they’ve been accurately assessed.