Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to remember that only landlords are accountable for the gas safety inspection. This applies to landlords who own residential properties and those who rent rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their homes for sale landlords must prove that the pipework and appliances in their homes are safe. Gas safety certificates can help you achieve this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you need to follow the law when it comes to maintaining 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 is the person who requires one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also called Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by a Gas Safe engineer who has completed a thorough inspection of the rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation channels are free of obstructions in your rental property to prevent the risk of 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, make, and location in your property. The engineer will then state whether they found the appliances to be safe to use or not, and will provide details of the work that needs to be done to ensure the safety of your tenants.
You will need to provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days after the service. gas safety certificate price is also required to provide it to new tenants once they begin their lease. Failure to do so could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to consider your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live in peace, it's recommended to obtain one every year. This will not only make you feel more comfortable regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but it will aid in identifying any issues before they become serious. This could help you save time and money in the long term.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful to prospective buyers when you're selling your house. They will show that you've taken care of all gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can expedite the process of conveyancing because it won't require additional inspections.
Who is in need of a gas safety certificate?
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 arrange regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is in good working order.
You'll need your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. This should be done ideally prior to your tenants moving in or at the start of any new lease. You should keep the copy for yourself as well as documentation of any maintenance you have done to the gas appliances that are in your property.
The landlords' properties must be checked for gas safety at minimum every 12 months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, and any appliances that are available for use by tenants.
If you are a landlord without an official certificate of gas safety, you could face massive fines (upto PS6,000), legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The biggest danger, however, is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed as a result of defective appliances in your rental property.
The only people who can carry out an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only talking to are certified to inspect, service and test appliances and installations in a safe manner. Landlords can verify an 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 to not permit access to the rental property in order to perform the Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these instances it's crucial for the landlord to explain why this is a legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous if not detected at the right time.
If landlord gas safety certificates won't let an engineer into their home, the landlord should consider giving them a Section 21 notice to end their lease. This must be accompanied by an explanation of the reason they're being forced out, such as non-payment of rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is required for landlords to prove their properties are in compliance with the regulations of the government. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer in their house for this purpose, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants know that gas engineers aren't spies and only need access to their homes in order in order to fill out a legally required document. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who are unable to grant access to gas inspections.
Once the gas engineer has completed the necessary checks and is sure that the appliances are safe for use, they will issue an Landlord Gas Safety Record document. This 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 must provide their existing tenants with a copy of this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the check being completed. The landlord must also provide the new tenant an original copy when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord should ensure that carbon dioxide detectors are installed in every room that has fixed combustion appliances, except for gas cookers. Smoke alarms should be installed on each floor of the property. The HSE website has more information for landlords, including free leaflets along with 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 in order to perform the necessary gas safety inspections, they may make use of 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 entry for the gas safety check and has kept a record of these attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the proper procedure for entry and attempts to expel tenants using unlawful means, they could be accused of harassment and face heavy fines from regulators.
Why do I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must be issued a certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers must perform regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe to use. Also, they should ensure that the gas pipework, appliances and flues are in good working order.
This will help avoid any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning that could be caused by faulty equipment. It is crucial that landlords are up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for not doing so.
Landlords must be able to show that their annual gas safety check has been carried out in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as unsafe or inoperable the landlord should have them repaired immediately to ensure the safety and health of the tenant.
Some landlords may have trouble persuading tenants to let them access the property for gas safety inspections. 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 a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it's an ideal idea for the landlord to write an explicit letter stating the reasons why gas safety checks are necessary and what they will entail. The letter can be delivered via recorded delivery and the tenant will have 14 days to respond.
If the tenant is unwilling to allow access to the landlord, they should take further action. This could include a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. However, this is a very serious option that should only be considered as an option last resort.