Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is essential to keep in mind that only landlords are accountable for ensuring the safety of gas. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords need to demonstrate that the pipes and flues, as well as appliances, in their properties are safe prior to putting them on the market. Gas safety certificates can help you achieve this.
What is a gas safety certification?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you need to comply with the law in regards to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good functioning order. This is why every property owner needs to get their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who is the one who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document that is issued by a licensed Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive inspection of all gas appliances and flues within your rental home. The engineer will also ensure that the vents in your home are clean to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations, along with their model, make and location within your property. The engineer will then state whether they found the appliance to be safe for use or not, and provide details of any work that needs to be done to ensure the security of your tenants.
gas safe installation certificate will have to give your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days of the service. You should also provide it to tenants who are new when they start their lease. Failure to do this could result in fines, or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to consider your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live in safety, it's a good thing to get one every year. This will not only put your mind at rest about the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but will also help you detect any issues early. This can save you lots of money and stress in the long in the long.
If you're planning to sell your house and are thinking of selling it, a Gas Safety Certificate will prove an invaluable asset to prospective buyers since it can prove that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds the process of selling as it doesn't require additional checks.
Who needs a certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that any gas appliances or flues that are in your rental home are safe for your tenants. You'll need to schedule regular inspections from a Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is working properly.
After the inspection has been completed and you're ready to get a copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. Ideally, this will be done before your tenants move in or at the start of any new tenancies. Keep an original copy for yourself and keep records of any maintenance done to the gas appliances that are in your property.
Landlords must have their properties inspected for gas safety at a minimum once every 12months. This includes the landlord's gas appliances as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you're a landlord that doesn't have a valid gas safety certificate you could be facing massive penalties (up to a total of PS6,000) or court action from your tenants or even an indictment. The biggest risk, however, is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed due to defective appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform the Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to check and service appliances and installations in a safe manner. Landlords can verify if an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It has a unique Hologram.
It is not common for a tenant to not permit access to the rental property in order to perform a Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these situations it's crucial for the landlord to explain why this is a legal requirement and that carbon monoxide could be extremely dangerous if not detected in time.
If the tenant refuses to allow an engineer in, then the landlord may be tempted to issue a Section 21 notice that ends their lease. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason for being forced out, such as non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How can I obtain a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need a gas safety certificate to prove their rental properties are in compliance with the regulations of the government. Some tenants will refuse to let a gas engineer into their house for this purpose and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords should make sure to get the word out to their tenants that gas technicians are not agents of the state and require access only to complete an essential legally required piece of documentation. This will decrease the number of tenants who refuse access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer once he has completed the necessary checks. This is also known as a CP12 which stands for CORGI Proforma 12 CORGI was the Council for Registered Gas Installers until it was replaced by the Gas Safe Register in April 2009.
The landlord must provide their current tenants with a copy of the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the date that the check is completed. They must also give the new tenant an original copy when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord should also make sure that carbon dioxide detectors are installed in every room with fixed combustion appliances, but not gas cookers. Smoke alarms must be installed on every floor of the property. Landlords can find more information about these requirements, including free leaflets and an Approved Code of Practice for the management of gas Installations and Appliances in a rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website.
If a landlord is not able to gain access to the property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they may use the section 21 notice if necessary to evict tenants. A section 21 notice is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept a record of the attempts. If a landlord does not follow the correct procedure for entry and tries to expel tenants using illegal means, they may be accused of harassment and face heavy fines from regulatory bodies.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have a certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers must conduct regular checks to ensure that all appliances are safe for use. This means that they need to make sure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good condition.
This will help stop any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning which could be caused by faulty equipment. It is essential that landlords are up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be penalized if they don't.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that their annual gas safety inspection was carried out in a timely manner. They can prove this by reviewing their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining a copy of the latest certificate from the person who visited the property. The landlord has to fix any appliances that are unsafe or faulty immediately to protect the safety of the tenant.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to grant access to their property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as the fact that they feel it's a violation of privacy or they are currently in dispute with their landlord. It is an ideal idea to request the landlord write a letter which he explains why a gas safety check is needed and what it will entail. This letter could be delivered by recorded delivery and the tenant will be given 14 days to respond.
If the tenant is unwilling to give access to the landlord, they must take additional steps. This could be the issue of a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. This is a serious step that should only be taken as an option last option.