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 accommodations.
Before they can put their properties on the market landlords must demonstrate that the pipework and appliances in their homes are safe. This can be done by having the gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must adhere to the law, whether you're a landlord, or a homeowner, when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good working in good working order. That's why every property owner must get their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What exactly is a gas safety certification? Who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a licensed Gas Safe engineer after carrying out a full inspection of all gas appliances and flues within your rental property. The engineer will also ensure that all ventilation passages are in good working order in your rental properties to prevent dangerous carbon dioxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your yearly inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were examined, along with their make and model, as well as the location of your property. The engineer will determine if the appliances are safe to use, and provide details on any work required to ensure your tenants' safety.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to give it to your tenants who are currently residing in your home within 28 days of receiving the service and provide it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. Failure to do this could result in fines, or even criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to take your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't need to have a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to obtain one annually. This will not only put your mind at ease about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but will help you identify any issues early. This will save you money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely beneficial to potential buyers when you're selling your house. They can show that you have taken care of all gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will speed up the conveyancing process as it will not require any additional checks.
Who requires a gas safety certificate?
As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that any gas appliances or flues that are in your rental home are safe for your tenants. This means that you'll need to schedule regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
You'll need to provide your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. It is recommended that this be done before your current tenants move in or at the beginning of any new tenancies. Keep a copy for yourself, as well as documentation of any maintenance you have done to the gas appliances in your property.
Landlords are required to have their properties checked for gas safety at least once every 12months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances that are owned by the landlord as well as any appliances provided for use by tenants.
If you're a landlord who doesn't have an official gas safety certificate you could be facing hefty fines (up to a maximum of PS6,000) and court actions from your tenants, or even a criminal charge. The greatest danger is that a tenant may be injured or even killed by defective appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform a Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to check, service and test appliances and installations safely. Landlords can verify the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, which has a unique hologram on it.
Although it's not common for a tenant to deny access to their rental property to allow an Gas Safety Check, it can happen. In these cases it's crucial for the landlord to explain to them the legal requirement and that carbon monoxide could be extremely hazardous if not discovered promptly.
If the tenant is refusing to allow an engineer in the property, then the landlord could be tempted to issue a Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This should be followed by an explanation as to why they're being evicted. For instance the non-payment of rent, or significant damage to the property.
How do I obtain an gas safety certification?
Landlords require gas safety certificates to ensure their rental properties comply with the laws of the government. However, some tenants might refuse to let a gas engineer into their homes for this reason - which is frustrating and unfair to landlords. Landlords must try to communicate to their tenants that gas engineers aren't agents of the state and require access only to complete an important, legally required piece of documentation. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who refuse to allow access for gas inspections.
Once the gas engineer has carried out the necessary checks and is sure that all appliances are safe to use, they will issue a 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 provide their current tenants with a copy the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the check being completed. They must also give a new tenant an original copy when they sign the Tenancy agreement. The landlord should also make sure that a carbon dioxide detector is installed in every room that has fixed combustion appliances, but not gas cookers. Smoke alarms must be installed on each floor of the property. The HSE website provides more information for landlords, including free leaflets along with an Approved Code of Practice to Manage Gas Installations and Appliances within a Rental Property.
If a landlord is not able to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they can use the section 21 notice if necessary to expel tenants. It is important to note that a section 21 notice is only served when the landlord has made at least three attempts to gain entry for the gas safety inspection and has kept records of these attempts. If the landlord does not adhere to the proper procedure and attempts to evict their tenants unlawfully and is accused of harassment and face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must be issued an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers should conduct regular checks to ensure that all appliances are safe to use. gas safety certificate check means that they must to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working condition.
This will stop any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning which could result from faulty equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to ensure they are up-to-date. They can be fined when they don't.
Landlords must be able to show proof that they completed their annual gas safety checks in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or get a copy from the engineer that visited the property. The landlord has to fix any appliances that are unsafe or faulty immediately to protect tenant's safety.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to allow them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. This could be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they feel it's an invasion of privacy, or they are currently in dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is a good idea to ask the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are necessary and what they will entail. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant is unwilling to allow access to the landlord, they must take further steps. This could include a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. However, this is a serious step that should only be considered as a last resort.