A fire safety assessor at the centre of an unfolding scandal, Tri Fire’s Adam Kiziak, has been accused of forging another assessor’s signature on EWS1 forms.

As reported in The Neg, Surrey MP Alasdair Pinkerton had already raised concerns that as a result of the forms being filled in ‘incorrectly’ by Kiziak, significant numbers of properties had become difficult to sell and are said to be ‘unmortgageable’. Accusations of forgery, though, had yet to emerge.

But Awwal Salisu, a Saudi-based fire engineer, has now approached the BBC claiming that Kiziak used his signature without permission to enable the company to continue issuing safety certificates.

Salisu, who previously had a contract with Tri Fire to carry out 100 assessments, has shown the BBC several EWS1 forms with his signature and his IFE membership number, which he claims do not relate to the ones he had inspected, saying he is ‘very angry’ the situation.

He has now written to the fire assessment industry body the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) outlining what has happened, although Kiziak is already suspended.

Claims refuted

Kiziak’s lawyer, however, refutes the claims: “Any allegation of fraudulent activity is strenuously denied.”

RICS has now issued a statement on the matter, saying it is: “Aware of consumer issues relating to a fire engineer Mr. Adam Kiziak and his firm Tri Fire, who has been subject to disciplinary sanctions by the IFE”.

And RICS recommends that anyone who is concerned should contact the IFE and, where appropriate, appoint an independent professional for advice on their EWS1 forms.

The IFE says that as there is an ongoing investigation, it won’t comment but says it is: “unprecedented in its seriousness for the Institution and is the first case of its kind where a member has been issued a sanction of this nature”.