The former owner of a Bayswater hotel has been hit with London ’ s biggest ever fine for an individual for violating fire safety rules . London Fire Brigade said guests ’ lives were put in jeopardy due to the shoddy conditions which were discovered inside The Radnor Hotel during an inspection in 2011 . It brought charges against then-owner Salim Patel , who was fined £200,000 this week after a successful prosecution . London Fire Brigade said fire doors were missing ( right ) or tied open with electrical cords or string ( left ) In addition to the six-figure fine , Mr Patel was ordered to pay nearly £30,000 in court costs after pleading guilty to seven offences under the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005 . He was also handed a four-month prison sentence , suspended for 18 months , the London Fire Brigade said . Fire safety officers were stunned when they toured the six-floor , 18-room hotel , on Inverness Terrace , to carry out a routine inspection . They discovered numerous fire safety breaches , including inadequate fire detection systems , blocked emergency exits and inadequate emergency lighting . Fire doors were missing or tied open with extension cords or string , there was evidence the basement store room was used for sleeping , and the owner had not conducted a fire risk assessment . A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said the hotel , on Inverness Terrace , is under new ownership . Mr Patel was given an enforcement notice , which required him to address the safety concerns to make the hotel safer for guests , but follow-up visits found that no action had been taken , the London Fire Brigade said . The hotel continued to operate without a working fire detection system , so court proceedings were launched against the hotelier . When Mr Patel was sentenced Judge Kennedy said the public expected ‘ absolute attention ’ to fire safety when occupying sleeping accommodation . The judge told court that Mr Patel did not provide that protection and , as a business owner , he was where the ‘ buck stopped ’ , the London Fire Brigade said in a statement . Hotel owner Salim Patel received a record £200,000 fine this week after a successful prosecution . Neil Orbell , head of fire safety regulation , said he hopes the penalty serves as a deterrent for other hoteliers . He said : ‘ Our fire safety officers carry out around 16,000 inspections every year to help ensure the capital 's buildings are safe from fire . ‘ This is the biggest fine we have ever secured against an individual for breaking fire safety laws and it should send a message to all business owners that if they are shirking their fire safety responsibilities and putting the public at risk we won ’ t hesitate to prosecute . ‘ The size of the fine should also serve as a stark reminder that the court ’ s take fire safety just as seriously as we do. ’ A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said Mr Patel no longer runs the hotel and it is under new ownership . Guests complained about the conditions in a series of scathing reviews on TripAdvisor , where The Radnor Hotel had a rating of two stars before it closed . Of 92 reviews , 59 were filed under ‘ terrible ’ . Helen , from Australia , wrote in August 2012 : ‘ We were a little alarmed at the fire emergency plan which was printed straight off the internet and put up without being filled in . We drew comfort from the fact the place has not burned down yet . ’
Salim Patel received a fine this week after a successful prosecution . He was also handed a four-month sentence , suspended for 18 months . Fire safety violations were discovered during a routine inspection . Court proceedings began after Mr Patel ignored an enforcement notice . The fire department said it would not be able to respond in time and the building had to close down until repairs could be made.