Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that only landlords are accountable for ensuring the safety of gas. This applies to landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or other holiday accommodation.
Landlords must be able to prove that the pipework and flues, as well as appliances, within their properties are safe before putting them up for sale. Gas safety certificates can assist you achieve this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If you're a tenant or homeowner, you need to adhere to the law when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installation in good operating condition. Every property owner should get their gas safety certificates at least once a calendar year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who really needs one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also called Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by an official Gas Safe engineer who has completed a thorough inspection of the rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also ensure that all ventilation channels are free of obstructions within 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 the inspected gas appliances and installations, along with their model, brand and location within your property. The engineer will inform you if the appliances are safe to use, and will provide information on the work required to ensure your tenants' safety.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to give it to your tenants who are currently residing in your home within 28 days of receiving the service and give it to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenure. Failure to do so could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to be aware of your obligations.
While homeowners don't require an Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to obtain one every year. This will not only put your mind at ease regarding the condition of your heating and gas appliances, but it could aid in identifying any problems early on. This will save you time and money in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely useful to prospective buyers when you're selling your house. They will show that you've taken good care of all of your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it can accelerate the process of selling since it doesn't require any additional checks.
Who needs a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. You'll have to arrange for regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered technician to make sure that everything is operating correctly.
After the inspection has been completed You'll need an 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 in or at the beginning of a new lease. Keep an original copy for yourself and keep the records of any maintenance that was carried out on gas appliances in your property.
Landlords are legally required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This includes all properties with gas appliances owned by the landlord, as well as any appliances that are provided for use by tenants.
If you are a landlord without an official certificate of gas safety, you could face severe penalties (upto PS6,000) or legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest chance is that a tenant may be injured or even killed due to defective appliances at your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety check. They are the only ones who are trained to safely inspect, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords can verify an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, with a unique hologram on it.
It is not common for a tenant to not allow access to the rental property to perform an Gas Safety Check. However, it does happen. In these instances it is crucial that the landlord informs the tenant the reason why it is a obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if not detected in time.
If the tenant is unwilling to allow an engineer into the property and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might be tempted to issue a Section 21 notice that ends their tenure. This should be accompanied by an explanation as to why they're being removed. For instance the non-payment of rent, or serious damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certification?
A gas safety certificate is essential for landlords to prove that their rented properties meet government regulations. Some tenants will refuse to allow a gas engineer in their residence for this reason, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords should ensure tenants know that gas engineers aren't spies and only need to enter their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will decrease the number of tenants who deny access to gas inspections.
After the gas engineer has conducted the necessary checks and is satisfied that all appliances are safe to use they will issue a Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to 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 is required to provide their existing tenants with a copy of this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the check being completed. They must also give a new tenant an original copy when they sign the Tenancy agreement. The landlord should ensure that a carbon dioxide detector is installed in each room that has fixed combustion appliances, except for gas cookers. Smoke alarms should be installed on each floor of the property. Landlords can find more information about these requirements, including free leaflets and an Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Gas Installations and Appliances in the rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website.
If gas safe building regulations compliance certificate is not able to gain access to their property in order to conduct the required gas safety checks, they can apply for a section 21 notice to evict tenants, if necessary. can i get a copy of my gas safe certificate is important to remember, however, that a notice under section 21 is only valid when the landlord has had at least three attempts to gain entry for the gas safety check and has kept records of the attempts. If the landlord does not follow the correct procedure and attempts to evict their tenants unlawfully they could be found guilty of harassing and could face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
gas safety certificate cp12 need to have an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they rent is safe for tenants. This means they must regularly check with an approved gas engineer to make sure that all appliances are safe to use. This also means that they must make sure the gas pipework, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This can help prevent accidents or fires that could be caused by defective appliances, as well as aiding in reducing the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning, that can happen when appliances aren't properly maintained or installed. It is essential 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 show proof that they completed their annual gas safety checks on time. You can check your Gas Safe Register online or request a copy from the engineer who visited the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are dangerous or faulty immediately to protect tenant's safety.
Some landlords may be having difficulty persuading tenants to allow them access the property for gas safety inspections. This could be due to a number of reasons, such as the fact that they feel it's an invasion of privacy, or they are currently in a dispute with their landlord. It's recommended that the landlord write a letter in which he explains the reason why the gas safety inspection is required and what it will involve. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant is still refusing to allow the landlord access the landlord should think about taking further action. This could be a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. This is a serious step which should only be used in the last option.