Posted By Pete48 Martin, I leave aside any issue about fie risk assesment and focus on your question about rsloving difficulties with the hire contract. Ideally you need to review the details of the contract, preferably with your purchasing or contracts people who accepted the hire agreement, what is their take on what they agreed to buy.(that is if you have them.) If not get a copy of the contract/hire agreement and read it carefully. Contracts have to be reasonable. I would expect to find some form of cancellation terms at less than the ten year period. Often, long term contracts have annual reviews and other opt out clauses. Who has the right to determine the level of provision of kit, if it is them then I would expect that the determination would be limited by compliance to identified standards. If they are providing in excess of that standard and charging you, why?? Having said that, it is usually better to sit down with the company and try to find an amicable solution to the issue, it is in both parties interests to do so, is it not? I do not know how competent you are re fire protection, if you are not you need to remember that they may actually be correct and you may be wrong about the level of provision

Posted By Ashley Wood Good idea about the fire service if you could turn the clocks back to last month. Unfortunately, as of October 1st the fire service no longer provide that level of assistance. They are only an enforcer. However, if your site is the subject of special interest to them i.e explosive factory, buncefield etc then they will still be approachable. My advice would be to check your small print on the contract, there should be a 'get out clause'. You could appoint a consultant to carry out a detailed fire audit of all your fire measures, this would high-lite problems. Alternatively, invite a couple of companies in to look at your site and give there opinions with a view to offering a contract up for tender. make sure that the companies are FETA approved. Alternatively, get the existing company to prepare a report advising you on what grounds they have supplied equipment and what standards they refer to. You could then give that to a consultant and ask them to comment as to its validity.

Posted By Tomek Sladden Hi Martin, that sounds like good advice although the mention that the authority acts as an enforcer only is not true in all cases. As a fire service employee my authority will bend over backwards to help it's local business. Give them a call and ask for their advice. I am sure they will be more than happy to help.

Posted By Martin Taylor Thanks for all of the responses everybody. Other than the fire brigade are there any other independent fire groups who could help me out if I need to gather evidence that the contract is unreasonable? Martin

Posted By Tommy Cooper You need to review the details of the contract, preferably with your purchasing or contracts people who accepted the hire agreement, what is their take on what they agreed to buy. If not get a copy of the contract/hire agreement and read it carefully. Contracts have to be reasonable. I would expect to find some form of cancellation terms at less than the ten year period. Often, long term contracts have annual reviews and other opt out clauses. Who has the right to determine the level of provision of kit, if it is them then I would expect that the determination would be limited by compliance to identified standards.

Posted By TBC That is one long contract - did you get special rates? I once had a problem with a supplier which I inherited. Luckily the contract had only a year to run. They tried to over prescribe, badly prescribe and when supposedly doing the checks spent more time at the coffee machine, I had a chat and nothing improved so they didn't get the business again. Some good advice given my the others. Good luck.

Posted By JohnMc It would be interesting to know whether the rental contract customer is a Limited Company or not. If not, there are provisions within the Consumer Credit Act which allow early termination of such a contract without penalty. In relation to fire extinguisher companies being members of the BAFE club... oops did I say that out loud... oh well never mind... many independant fire protection companies have taken the option NOT to join the BAFE club, you will probably find that the company supplying the equipment on the rental contract in question is one of the founder members of the BAFE club. If you would like further information on the get out clause within the Consumer Credit Act, please email me for further details. info@redpointlimited.com Regards to all, JohnMc