Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that it is only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety inspections. This is the case for landlords of residential dwellings and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their properties on the market landlords must prove that the pipes and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be accomplished by obtaining an official gas safety certificate.
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 working order. gas safety certificate how often should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certification? And who is the person who requires one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also known by the name Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by an official Gas Safe engineer who has completed a thorough inspection of your rental's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also verify that the ventilation passages of your properties are clear to avoid dangerous carbon monoxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your yearly inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will outline the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were inspected and their manufacturer and model as well as their location within your property. The engineer will also state whether they believe the appliances to be safe to use or not, and give details of any work that must be done to ensure the safety of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to present 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 beginning of their tenancy. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines or criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to be aware of your obligations.
Although homeowners do not need a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to have one on an annual basis. This will not only set your mind at ease about the condition of your heating and gas appliances, but can also help you detect any problems early. This will help you save money and time in the long-term.
If you're considering selling your house and are thinking of selling it, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove extremely useful to potential buyers since it can prove that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It can also speed up the conveyancing as it doesn't require any additional inspections.
Who needs an attestation of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe. You'll need to arrange for regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning correctly.
You'll need to give your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. It is recommended to do this prior to the time your tenants move into the property or at the beginning of a new tenancy. You should keep a copy of the document for yourself, as well as records of any maintenance done to the gas appliances that are in your property.
The landlords' properties must be checked for gas safety at least once every 12months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances owned by the landlord as well as any appliances provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord who does not have a valid certificate of gas safety, you could face severe fines (upto PS6,000) or legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest chance is that a tenant might be injured or even killed due to defective appliances at your rental property.
The only person who can carry out the Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to examine and service appliances and installations in a safe way. Landlords can verify an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, which has an exclusive hologram.
While it's uncommon for tenants to deny access to their rental property to permit the Gas Safety Check, it could happen. In these situations it is crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant the legal requirement and how carbon monoxide is extremely hazardous if not discovered in time.
If the tenant is refusing to let an engineer in the property, then the landlord could be tempted to issue an Section 21 notice that ends their lease. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason why they're being evicted for non-payment of rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I obtain an gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is required for landlords to show that their properties that they rent meet the requirements of the government. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer in their home for this purpose, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords should ensure tenants know that gas engineers aren't spies and only need to access their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who are unable to grant access to gas inspections.
After the gas engineer has conducted the necessary checks and is confident that the appliances are safe for use They will issue a Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also referred to as a CP12 that stands for CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI was previously the Council for Registered Gas Installers, but was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must provide their existing tenants with a copy this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the check being completed. The landlord must also provide a new tenant an original copy when they sign the Tenancy agreement. The landlord must ensure that carbon dioxide detectors are installed in every room with fixed combustion appliances, except for gas cookers. Smoke alarms should be installed on every floor of the property. Landlords can get 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 unable to gain access to their property to perform the necessary gas safety inspections, they can apply for a section 21 notice if necessary to expel tenants. A section 21 notice is only valid if the landlord made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept a record of those attempts. If the landlord fails to follow the proper procedure and attempts to evict their tenants unlawfully they could be accused of harassment and could face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certification?
Landlords need to have an official gas safety certificate to ensure the property they lease out is safe for tenants to reside in. This means that they must have regular checks performed by a registered gas engineer to ensure that any appliances are safe to use. This means they have to ensure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good working condition.
This will help avoid any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning which could be caused by defective equipment. It is crucial that landlords are up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined if they don't.
Landlords have to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety inspections in a timely manner. They can prove this by looking up their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining an original copy of the most recent certificate from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as dangerous or defective the landlord has to get them fixed immediately to protect the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords may have trouble persuading their tenants to let them access the house for gas safety checks. This could be due to a number of reasons, such as the fact that they believe it's an invasion of privacy or they are currently in dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is recommended to ask the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are necessary and what they'll mean. This letter can be delivered via recorded delivery, and the tenant should have 14 days to reply.
If the tenant continues to refuse to allow the landlord access the landlord should think about taking additional steps. This could be the use of a Section 21 Notice or applying to the court for an Injunction. This is a serious step that should only be considered as an option last resort.