Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is essential to remember that only landlords are accountable for ensuring the safety of gas. This is true for landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords need to demonstrate that the pipes as well as the flues, appliances and appliances in their properties are safe prior to putting them up for sale. Gas safety certificates can assist in achieving this.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
You must adhere to the law, regardless of whether you're a landlord, or a homeowner in maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good condition. This is why every property owner needs to obtain their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What is a gas certificate? Who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document that is issued by a qualified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation channels are free of obstructions within your rental property to prevent dangerous carbon dioxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list each of the gas appliances and installations, along with their make, model, and location in your home. The engineer will determine if the appliances are safe to use, and provide information about the work required to ensure the safety of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to present it to your current tenants within 28 days of receiving the service and provide it to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy. If you don't comply you could face penalties or fines.
Although homeowners don't need to have a Gas Safety Certificate, it's an excellent idea to get one every year. Not only will this make you feel more comfortable regarding the health of your heating and gas appliances, but it could also help you catch any issues before they become serious. This can help you save money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely beneficial to potential buyers when selling your home. They can prove that you've taken good care of all your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds up the conveyancing as it doesn't require additional checks.
Who is in need of a certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure that all flues and gas appliances in your rental property are safe. This means that you'll need to schedule regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure that everything is working properly.
After the inspection is completed You'll need the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. It is recommended to do this prior to the time your tenants move into the property or at the start of any new lease. Keep a copy of the certificate for yourself as well as any records of the maintenance that was performed on your home's gas appliances.
Landlords are legally required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at least once every 12 months. This includes the landlord's gas appliances as well as 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 most significant risk, 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 carry out the Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to check and service appliances and installations in a safe manner. what is a landlord gas safety certificate can verify the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, with a unique hologram on it.
It is very rare for a tenant not to permit access to the rental property to perform a Gas Safety Check. However, it does happen. In these situations it is essential that the landlord explains to the tenant why this is a mandatory obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide may be if not detected on time.
If the tenant is refusing to let an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might consider giving them the option of a Section 21 notice that ends their lease. This is to be accompanied by a written explanation of the reason for being removed in the first place, such as not paying rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is essential for landlords to show that their properties are in compliance with government regulations. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer to enter their house for this purpose, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords must try to convey to their tenants that gas technicians are not spies and only need access to complete an essential, legally required document. This will decrease the number of tenants who refuse access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer when the required checks. This is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to CORGI Proforma 12 CORGI used to be 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 date that the check is completed. The landlord must also provide the new tenant a copy on signing the Tenancy agreement. The landlord should ensure that a carbon dioxide detector is installed in each room with fixed combustion appliances, but not gas cookers. Smoke alarms must be installed on every floor of the property. The HSE website has more details for landlords, including free brochures as well as an Approved Code of Practice to manage gas Installations and Appliances in a Rental Property.
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. It is important to keep in mind, however, that a notice under section 21 can only be served when the landlord has attempted at least three times to gain access for the gas safety check and has kept a record of these attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the correct procedure for entry and attempts to evict their tenants by illegal means, they could be found guilty of harassment and face hefty fines from regulatory bodies.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have an official gas safety certificate to ensure that the property they lease out is safe for tenants to reside in. Gas engineers must conduct regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe for use. This means that they need to make sure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good in good working order.
This helps prevent fires or accidents that may be caused by faulty appliances, in addition to aiding in reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning that can happen when appliances aren't properly installed or maintained. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to ensure they are up-to-date. They could be penalized for not doing so.
Landlords must be able to prove that their annual gas safety test was completed in a timely manner. This can be done by checking their Gas Safe register online, or by getting an original copy of the most recent certificate from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances show as dangerous or defective, the landlord must get them repaired as soon as possible to protect the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to grant them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as the fact that they believe it's a violation of privacy or that they are currently in dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is recommended for the landlord to send 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 is unwilling to allow access to the landlord, they should take additional steps. This could include the issue of a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. This is a serious measure which should only be used only as a last option.