It is important to keep in mind that it is only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety checks. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who rent rooms or holiday accommodations.
Landlords must be able to prove that the pipes and flues, as well as appliances, in their properties are safe before putting them on the market. This can be done by having a gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must adhere to the law, whether you're a landlord, or homeowner gas safety certificate, when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in good working in good working order. That's why every property owner should be issued a gas safety certificate at least once per year. What is a gas certificate? Who is the one who needs one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also called Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by an official Gas Safe engineer who has completed a full inspection of the rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also verify that the ventilation passages in your properties are clear to avoid dangerous carbon monoxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations, along with their model, make, and location in your home. The engineer will inform you if the appliances are safe to use and provide information about any work required to ensure the safety of your tenants.
You must provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days after the service. You must also give it to new tenants when they start their lease. If you don't comply, you could face penalties or fines.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still a good thing to get one each year. Not only will this give you peace of mind regarding the health of your heating and gas appliances, but it will also help you spot any issues before they become serious. This could save you a lot of money and stress in the long in the long.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely beneficial to potential buyers when you're selling your house. They can show that you have taken care of all your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds the process of selling as it doesn't require any additional inspections.
Who is in need of an attestation of gas safety?
As an owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe for your tenants. You'll need to schedule regular inspections from a Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is working correctly.
After the inspection is completed, you'll need the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. Ideally, this will be completed prior to when your tenants move in or at the beginning of any new tenancies. Keep a copy of the certificate for yourself, along with any records of any maintenance work that you have done on your property's gas appliances.
The landlords' properties must be checked for gas safety at minimum every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's own gas appliances, as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord with an official certificate of gas safety, you could face severe fines (upto PS6,000) and legal action from your tenants or even criminal charges. The most significant risk, however, is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed as a result of malfunctioning appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety check. This is because they are trained to safely inspect, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords can verify an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, that has a unique hologram on it.
Although it's not common for tenants to deny access to their rental property in order to permit a Gas Safety Check, it can happen. In these situations it is crucial for the landlord to explain the legal requirement and how carbon monoxide can be very dangerous if not detected in time.
If the tenant refuses to allow an engineer in the property, then the landlord could consider giving them an Section 21 notice that ends their lease. This is to be accompanied by an explanation of the reason they're being removed, such as non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
Landlords require an official gas safety certificate to ensure that their rental properties comply with the regulations of the government. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer in their house for this purpose and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords should try to get the word out to their tenants that gas technicians are not agents of the state and require access only to complete a vital legally-required document. This will reduce the number of tenants who are unable to grant access to gas inspections.
After the gas engineer has completed the necessary checks and is confident that all appliances are safe to use they will issue the Landlord Gas Safety Record document. This document is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to CORGI Proforma 12 CORGI was once the Council for Registered Gas Installers however, it was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must give copies to their current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the inspection is completed. A new tenant will receive an original copy of the check when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector has been installed in each room used for living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are installed to every storey of the property. Landlords can find more information on these requirements, including free leaflets and an Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Gas Installations and Appliances in the rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website.
If a landlord cannot gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety checks, they may make use of a section 21 notice to remove tenants, if necessary. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept a record of those attempts. If a landlord fails to adhere to the proper procedure for entry and tries to evict their tenants by illegal means, they may be accused of harassment and face heavy fines from regulatory bodies.
What is the reason I need a gas safety certification?
Landlords need to have an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they rent is safe for tenants. This means they have to have regular checks performed by a registered gas engineer to make sure that any appliances are safe to use. It also means that they must ensure that the gas pipework, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This helps to prevent any fires or accidents that may result from faulty appliances, as well as aiding in reducing the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen if an appliance isn't properly installed or maintained. It is crucial that landlords are up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined if they don't.
Landlords have to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety certificate duplicate safety checks in time. They can prove this by reviewing their Gas Safe register online, or by getting a copy of the latest certificate from the person who visited the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are dangerous or defective immediately to ensure the safety of the tenant.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to allow them access to the property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. It could be because they believe that it is an invasion of their privacy or are having a dispute with their landlord. It is an ideal idea to request the landlord write a letter which he explains the reason why the gas safety check is necessary and what it's going to involve. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and the tenant should have 14 days to respond.
If the tenant is still refusing to let the landlord access then they should consider taking additional steps. This could involve writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force the tenant to allow access. This is a very serious option that should only be taken as an option last option.