Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to remember that it's only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety checks. This is true for landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who rent rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords need to prove that the pipework, appliances and flues in their properties are safe before they put them on the market. Gas safety certificates can help you achieve this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you must to adhere to the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in good working order. That's why every property owner must get their gas safety certificate at least once per year. But what exactly is a gas safety certification? Who needs one?
next page , also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document that is issued by a certified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive inspection of all gas appliances and flues in your rental property. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation pathways are in good working order in your rental property to avoid dangerous carbon dioxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. It will list all of the gas appliances and installations, including their make, model and location within your property. The engineer will also state whether they found the appliances to be safe to use or not, and provide details of any work that must be done to ensure the security of your tenants.
When landlord gas safety certificates receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to give it to your current tenants within 28 days of the service and also give it to any new tenants at the start of their tenancy. If you don't follow the rules, you could face fines or criminal prosecution.
While homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to get one annually. This will not only put your mind at ease about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but help you spot any issues in advance. This can help you save time and money in the long run.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful for potential buyers when you're selling your house. They can prove that you've taken care of all your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds the process of conveyancing since it doesn't require additional inspections.
Who requires an attestation of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. You'll need to schedule regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning correctly.
After the inspection has been completed You'll need the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. This should be done ideally prior to the time your tenants move into the property or at the beginning of a new lease. Keep a copy of the document for yourself as well as records of any maintenance carried out on gas appliances in your property.
The landlords' properties must be checked for gas safety at a minimum once every 12months. This includes all properties with gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, and any appliances provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord with a valid certificate of gas safety, you could be subject to massive fines (upto PS6,000) or legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The biggest danger, however, is that one of your tenants could be injured or killed as a result of defective appliances in your rental property.
The only people who can conduct a Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. This is because they have been properly trained to examine gas appliances and installations. Landlords are able to check if an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It is unique. Hologram.
It is not common for a tenant not to permit access to the rental property in order to perform an Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these situations it is essential that the landlord explains to the tenant why this is a legal obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if not detected on time.
If a tenant continues to refuse to allow an engineer to enter their home the landlord should think about serving them with the Section 21 notice to end their lease. This should be accompanied by an explanation as to why they are being forced out. For instance the non-payment of rent, or significant damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is necessary for landlords to show that their properties are in compliance with the requirements of the government. However, some tenants may not allow gas engineers enter their homes for this reason which can be frustrating and unfair for landlords. Landlords should try to communicate to their tenants that gas engineers are not agents of the state and require access only to complete an essential legally-required document. This will help reduce 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. It is also referred to 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 this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the check being completed and give the new tenant an original copy when they sign the Tenancy agreement. The landlord should ensure that a carbon dioxide detector is installed in every room with fixed combustion appliances, except for gas cookers. Smoke alarms must be installed on every floor of the property. Landlords can find more information on these requirements, including free brochures 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 their property to perform the necessary gas safety inspections, they may use the section 21 notice if necessary to expel 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 the attempts. If the landlord does not adhere to the proper procedure and tries evicting tenants without a valid reason and is found guilty of harassing and face heavy fines.
What is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have a gas safety certification to ensure the property they rent out is safe for tenants to reside in. This means they must 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 pipes, appliances and flues are in good working order.
This will stop any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning which could result from faulty equipment. It is crucial that landlords keep up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined for not doing so.
Landlords must be able to prove that they have completed their annual gas safety checks in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer that visited the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are dangerous or faulty immediately to protect the safety of tenants.
Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to grant them access to the property in order to conduct gas safety checks. It could be because they believe that it violates their privacy, or they are fighting with their landlord. If this is the case, it is a good idea to ask the landlord to write a strongly worded letter explaining why the gas safety checks are required and what they'll mean. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant is still refusing to let the landlord access then they should consider taking another step. This might include writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction to compel them to allow access. This is a serious measure that should only be considered only as a last resort.