Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that only landlords are responsible for the gas safety inspection. This is true for landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who rent rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their homes on the market landlords must prove that the plumbing and appliances in their homes are safe. Gas safety certificates can help in achieving this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If you're a tenant or homeowner, you have to follow the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in good operating condition. Every property owner should get their gas safety certificates at least once a calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certification? And who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is a legal document issued by a qualified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive inspection of all the gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages in your property are free of obstruction to prevent dangerous carbon monoxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your annual inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were examined and their manufacturer, model and location within your property. The engineer will also state whether they believe the appliances to be safe to use or not, and will detail the work that needs to be completed to ensure the safety of your tenants.
You must provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days of the service. You should also provide it to new tenants when they start their lease. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to take your responsibilities seriously.
While homeowners don't require to have a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to have one every year. This will not only make you feel more comfortable regarding the health of your heating and gas appliances, but it can also help you spot any issues before they become serious. This could save you a lot of time and money in the long term.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely useful to prospective buyers when you're selling your home. They can show that you've taken care of all gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it can accelerate the process of selling as it will not require additional checks.
Who needs a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord it is your obligation to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. You'll have to arrange for regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered technician to make sure that everything is operating properly.
check it out 'll need to provide your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection is completed. This should be done ideally prior to your tenants moving into the property or at the beginning of a new tenancy. You should keep an original copy of the document for yourself, as well as documentation of any maintenance you have performed on the gas appliances that are in your property.
Landlords are legally required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at least once every 12 months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances owned by the landlord as well as any appliances that are available for use by tenants.
If you are a landlord who does not have a valid gas certificate safety, you may face heavy penalties (upto PS6,000) or legal action from your tenants or even criminal charges. The biggest risk is that a tenant could be injured or even killed due to defective appliances at your rental property.
The only ones who can carry out an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe engineers are certified to check and service appliances and installations in a safe manner. Landlords can verify the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, that has unique holograms on it.
Although it's not common for a tenant to deny access to their rental property in order to allow the Gas Safety Check, it can happen. In these situations it is essential that the landlord explain to the tenant why it is a requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide may be if not detected in time.
If a tenant continues to refuse to let an engineer into their home The landlord should consider giving them the Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This should be accompanied with an explanation of the reason they're being evicted. For example, non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is required for landlords to prove that their properties are in compliance with the requirements of the government. Some tenants will refuse to allow a gas engineer in their residence for this reason which can be frustrating for landlords. Landlords must try to convey to their tenants that gas engineers aren't agents of the state and require access only to complete a vital legally required piece of documentation. 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 when he has completed the necessary checks. This document is also known as a CP12 which stands for 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 is required to provide their existing tenants with a copy of the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the time the check is completed. They must also give the new tenant an original copy when they sign the lease. The landlord must also ensure that carbon dioxide detectors are installed in each room with fixed combustion appliances, except for gas cookers. Smoke alarms must be installed on each 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 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. It is important to note that a notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord has had at least three attempts to gain entry to conduct the gas safety inspection and has kept a record of these attempts. If a landlord does not adhere to the proper procedure for entry and attempts to evict tenants through illegal means, they may be found guilty of harassment and face heavy fines from regulatory bodies.
Why do I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers must conduct regular checks to ensure that all appliances are safe for use. This also means that they must make sure the gas pipework, appliances, and flues are all in good working order.
This will stop any fires, accidents or carbon monoxide poisoning that can be caused by faulty equipment. It is essential that landlords keep current with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined for not doing so.
Landlords need to prove that their annual gas safety check was completed 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 must fix any appliances that are dangerous or malfunctioning immediately to ensure tenant's safety.
Some landlords have trouble convincing their tenants to grant them access to the property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This can be due to a number of reasons, including 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 a good idea for the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are required and what they will entail. This can be sent by recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant is still refusing to let the landlord access, they should consider taking another step. This could include the use of a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious action that should only be considered only as a last resort.