Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords It is important to remember that it's only landlords that are accountable for gas safety checks. This is true for landlords of residential dwellings and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodations. Before they can put their homes on the market, landlords must be able show that the plumbing and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be done with an official gas safety certificate. What is a Gas Safety Certificate? You must abide by the law, whether you're a landlord or homeowner in keeping your gas appliances and installations in a good condition. Every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once a calendar year. But what exactly is a gas safety certification? Who really needs 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 your rental's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation passages are clear in your rental property to prevent dangerous carbon dioxide build-up. The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list all of the gas appliances and installations, along with their make, model, and location in your property. The engineer will then state whether they found the appliance to be safe to use or not, and will give details of any work that needs to be completed 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 each year. This will not only put your mind at ease regarding the health of your gas and heating appliances, but it will also help you catch any problems early on. This will save you time and money in the long-term. If you're planning to sell your home If you're thinking of selling your home, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove an invaluable asset to prospective buyers because it will show that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds up the conveyancing as it doesn't require any additional inspections. Who requires a gas safety certificate? As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that any gas appliances or flues that are in your rental home are safe for your tenants. This means that you'll need to schedule regular inspections with an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly. After the inspection is completed You'll need the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. It is best to have this completed before your current tenants move in or at the start of any new tenancies. You should keep the copy for yourself as well as records of any maintenance carried out on gas appliances in your property. Landlords are legally required to have their properties checked for gas safety at least once every 12 months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, and any appliances that are provided for use by tenants. If you're a landlord who doesn't have a valid gas safety certificate you could be facing massive fines (up to a total of PS6,000) or court action from your tenants, or even an indictment. The most significant chance is that a tenant might be injured or even killed due to defective appliances at your rental property. The only person who are qualified to conduct an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. This is because they are trained to safely examine, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card which has an exclusive hologram. Although it's not uncommon for a tenant to deny access to their rental property to permit an Gas Safety Check, it is possible to do so. In these instances, it is important that the landlord explains to the tenant the reason why this is a legal requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide may be if it is not detected on time. If the tenant is refusing to allow an engineer in, then the landlord may decide to issue an Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This should be accompanied with an explanation of the reason they are being forced out. For example, non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property. How do I obtain an gas safety certification? Landlords require a gas safety certificate to prove their rental properties are in compliance with government regulations. However, some tenants might refuse to allow gas engineers into their homes for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair to landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spying and only need access to their homes in order to complete a legally required document. This will reduce the number of tenants who are unable to allow access for gas inspections. After the gas engineer has completed the necessary checks and is satisfied that the appliances are safe for use, they will issue the Landlord Gas Safety Record document. This is also commonly known as a CP12 which is a reference to 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 has to give a copy to their existing tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check has been completed. A new tenant will be provided with one when they sign the tenancy contract. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector has been installed in each room used for living space that has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to each storey of the property. Landlords can obtain 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 not able to gain access to their property in order to conduct the required gas safety checks, they can make use of a section 21 notice to evict the tenants, if appropriate. A notice under section 21 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 the unsuccessful attempts. If the landlord fails to adhere to the proper procedure and tries evicting their tenants unlawfully they could be accused of harassment and may be fined a significant amount. Why do I require a gas safety certificate? Landlords need to have an official certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers should conduct regular checks to make sure that all appliances are safe to use. This means that they must to ensure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good working in good working order. This helps prevent fires or accidents that may be caused by faulty appliances, as well as reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, that can happen when appliances aren't properly installed or maintained. It is important that landlords keep current with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be penalized for failing to do so. Landlords need to be able demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety inspections in time. They can do this by looking up their Gas Safe register online, or by getting a copy of the latest certificate from the engineer who inspected the property. If any of the appliances are identified as dangerous or defective, the landlord must get them repaired immediately to ensure the health and safety of the tenants. Some landlords have trouble convincing their tenants to grant them access to the property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. It could be because they feel that it violates their privacy, or they are fighting with their landlord. If this is the case, it's recommended for the landlord to send an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are necessary and what they'll entail. homeowner gas safety certificate could be sent via recorded delivery and the tenant should be given 14 days to respond. If the tenant refuses to allow access to the landlord, they must take additional steps. This could be the use of a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious measure that should only be taken only as a last option.
homeowner gas safety certificate
