Home from Home manage the premises at 2-100 Wolsey Street, Ipswich.
The verdict was returned at Colchester on Thursday June 6 following a two-week trial, having been referred there from Ipswich Crown Court.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place at Ipswich Crown Court in July.
The court heard that in July 2017 it was identified the premises had aluminium composite material, similar to that found to be the cause of the dramatic fire spread at the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in London the previous month.
A fire risk assessment had been undertaken of the building, but it did not take into account the high fire risk posed to the residents by the cladding.
It was established that Home from Home had commissioned a fire risk assessor but had given inaccurate information in connection with the level of risk.
When it became apparent, the risk assessor invalidated the fire risk assessment they had produced.
In 2019 officers from SFRS attended the premises and identified that the fire risk assessment had not been reviewed and updated as required by the legislation.
Other areas of non-compliance with the legislation were identified, relating to fire safety measures provided to protect the means of escape and allow the residents to exit safely in event of fire.
In August 2021, Home from Home appointed the services of a new fire risk assessor who corroborated the findings of SFRS in respect of the ongoing risk to residents.
The new fire risk assessor has worked to ensure that there is no longer a significant risk to life and Home from Home are working towards the removal of the cladding with government funding support.
A spokesperson for SFRS said: “The actions by Home from Home regarding the existence of the cladding has prolonged the potential risk of harm to residents had a fire occurred.
“This is a clear message to all managing agents that fire safety is important, and as an enforcing authority Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service will not hesitate in prosecuting where lives are placed at risk.”
