Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is essential to keep in mind that only landlords are accountable for the gas safety inspection. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords must be able to prove that the pipework as well as the flues, appliances and appliances in their properties are safe before they put them on the market. Gas safety certificates can assist you achieve this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you must to follow the law in regards to maintaining your gas appliances and installation in good functioning order. Every property owner must obtain their gas safety certificates at least once in a calendar year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, 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 within your rental property. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages in your home are clean to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. It will list each of the inspected gas appliances and installations, along with their model, brand and the location of your home. The engineer will determine if the appliances are safe to use and will provide information on the work required to ensure the safety of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to give it to your current tenants within 28 days of receiving the service and provide it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. Failure to do so could result in fines, or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to consider your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners do not require a Gas Safety Certificate to live in safety, it's an excellent idea to obtain one every year. This will not only set your mind at ease about the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but will also help you detect any problems early. This can save you a lot of money and hassle in the long term.
If you're planning to sell your house, you should get a Gas Safety Certificate will prove an invaluable asset to prospective buyers as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will expedite the process of conveyancing because it won't require additional checks.
Who needs homeowner gas safety certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your obligation to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. This means you'll have to arrange regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is in good working order.
You'll need your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection is completed. This should be done ideally prior to the time your tenants move in or at the beginning of any new lease. You should also keep the certificate for yourself and any documentation of maintenance carried out on your property's gas appliances.
Landlords must have their properties checked for gas safety at a minimum once every 12months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, and any appliances provided for use by tenants.
If you're a landlord that doesn't have a valid gas safety certificate, you could face hefty penalties (up to a maximum of PS6,000) or court action from your tenants or even an indictment. The biggest chance is that a tenant might be injured or even killed by defective appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct an Gas Safety check. They are the only ones who have been properly trained to examine, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, that has an exclusive hologram.
It is very rare for a tenant to not permit access to the rental property in order to conduct a Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these situations, it is important that the landlord explains to the tenant why this is a mandatory obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if not detected on time.
If the tenant refuses to allow an engineer into the property, then the landlord may consider giving them the option of a Section 21 notice that ends their tenure. This should be accompanied by an explanation as to why they're being evicted. For instance rent arrears, non-payment or serious damage to the property.
How can I obtain an gas safety certification?
Landlords need a gas safety certificate to ensure their rental properties comply with government regulations. However, some tenants may not allow a gas engineer into their homes for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair to landlords. Landlords need to make sure 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 once they have 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 existing tenants with a copy this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the check being completed. They must also give an applicant one upon signing the lease. The landlord should also make sure that a carbon dioxide detector has been installed in every room with fixed combustion appliances, excluding gas cookers. gas safety certificate homeowner should be installed on every floor of the property. The HSE website provides more information for landlords, including free brochures along with 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 perform the necessary gas safety inspections, they can make use of the section 21 notice to evict tenants. A section 21 notice is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept records of those attempts. If the landlord fails to follow the correct procedure and attempts to evict their tenants unlawfully and is found guilty of harassing and face heavy fines.
What is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must be issued an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they rent is safe for tenants. This means they have to regularly check with a registered gas engineer to ensure that any appliances are safe to use. It also means that they should ensure that the gas pipework, appliances, and flues are all in good working order.
This can help prevent fires or accidents which could be caused by defective appliances, in addition to reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning that can happen when appliances aren't properly maintained or installed. It is important that landlords keep current with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety inspections on time. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or request a copy from the engineer that visited the property. If any of the appliances show as unsafe or inoperable, the landlord must get them repaired immediately to ensure the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords may have trouble convincing their tenants to let them access the property for gas safety checks. This could be due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that they believe it's an invasion of privacy or they are currently in a dispute with their landlord. It is an ideal idea to request the landlord write a letter in which he explains why a gas safety check is necessary and what it's going to involve. This can be sent by recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant still refuses to give access to the landlord the landlord should think about taking additional steps. This might include writing a Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force them to grant access. This is a serious step which should only be used in the last option.