Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is vital to keep in mind that it is only landlords that are accountable for gas safety inspections. This applies to both landlords who own residential properties as well as those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords need to prove that the pipework, appliances and flues in their homes are safe before they put them up for sale. Gas safety certificate s can help you to achieve this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must adhere to the law, regardless of whether you are a landlord or a homeowner in maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good in good working order. This is why every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificate at least once per year. But what exactly is a gas safety certification? Who needs one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also called Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by a Gas Safe engineer who has completed a full inspection of your rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages of your properties are clear to prevent the build-up of carbon monoxide, which is a danger.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list each of the inspected gas appliances and installations, including their model, brand and the location of your property. 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 once they start their tenancy. If you fail to comply with the requirements, you could be subject to fines or criminal prosecution.
Even though homeowners don't need a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still an excellent idea to obtain one every year. Not only will this put your mind at ease about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but it can also help you spot any issues before they become serious. This can save you money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful to prospective buyers when selling your home. They can show that you've taken care of all of your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds the process of selling as it doesn't require additional inspections.
Who requires a certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that any gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe for your tenants. You'll need to arrange for regular inspections from a Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning correctly.
After the inspection is completed, you'll need an original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. This should be done prior to your tenants moving in or at the beginning of any new tenancy. It is also recommended to keep a copy of the certificate for yourself, along with any records of maintenance performed on your home's gas appliances.
Landlords are legally obliged to have their properties inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord who does not have an official certificate of gas safety, you may face heavy fines (upto PS6,000) and legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest danger is that a tenant could be injured or even killed by faulty appliances in your rental property.
The only people who are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. This is because they have been properly trained to inspect gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card which has unique holograms on it.
Although it's not uncommon for tenants to deny access to their rental property in order to permit a Gas Safety Check, it is possible to do so. In these instances, it's important for the landlord to explain the legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide could be extremely dangerous if it is not detected promptly.
If a tenant is still refusing to allow an engineer to enter their home, the landlord should consider giving them the Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason they're being evicted, such as non-payment of rent or causing serious damage to the property.
How do I obtain an gas safety certification?
A gas safety certificate is necessary for landlords to prove their properties are in compliance with the regulations of the government. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer in their home for this purpose and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords should ensure tenants know that gas engineers aren't spies and only need access to their homes in order to complete a legally required document. This will reduce the number of tenants who refuse to grant access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer when the required checks. This is also commonly known as a CP12, which stands for CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI was previously the Council for Registered Gas Installers However, it was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord has to 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 must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is installed in every room used as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are fitted to each storey of the property. The HSE website has more details for landlords, such as free leaflets as well as an Approved Code of Practice to Manage Gas Installations and Appliances in a Rental Property.
If a landlord is unable to gain access to the property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they can make use of the section 21 notice if necessary to evict tenants. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept records of those attempts. If the landlord does not follow the correct procedure and attempts to evict tenants without a valid reason and is found guilty of harassment and face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have a gas safety certificate to ensure that the property they lease out is safe for tenants to reside in. This means that they must regularly check with a registered gas engineer to make sure that any appliances are safe to use. This means that they need to ensure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good condition.
This will help to avoid any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning which could be caused by defective equipment. It is important that landlords stay up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords have to prove that they have completed their annual gas safety checks in a timely manner. You can check your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances show as dangerous or defective the landlord should have them repaired as soon as possible to protect the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to grant access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as the fact that they feel it's a violation of privacy or they are currently in a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is an ideal idea to ask the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are necessary and what they'll entail. This can be sent by recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant continues to refuse to let the landlord access then they should consider taking another step. This could be a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious step that should only be considered in the last option.