Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords

It is important to keep in mind that it is only landlords that are accountable for gas safety inspections. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who lease rooms or holiday accommodations.

Landlords need to prove that the pipework and flues, as well as appliances, within their properties are safe prior to putting them up for sale. This can be done with an official gas safety certificate.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate?

You must adhere to the law, whether you’re a landlord, or homeowner, when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in a good in good working order. Every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certificate? Who really needs one?

A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a certified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive inspection of all gas appliances and flues within your rental home. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages in your home are clean to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home.

The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list all of the gas appliances that were inspected and installations, including their make, model, and location in your home. The engineer will then indicate whether they believe the appliances to be safe to use or not, and will give details of any work that needs to be done to ensure the security of your tenants.

When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you’ll have to provide it to your current tenants within 28 days of the service and also give it to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenure. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines or criminal prosecution, so it’s vital to consider your responsibilities seriously.

Although homeowners do not require a Gas Safety Certificate to live in safety, it’s a good thing to get one every year. This will not only set your mind at ease about the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but can also help you detect any issues early. This will save you money and time in the long-term.

If you’re planning to sell your home and are thinking of selling it, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove very beneficial to potential buyers as it will demonstrate that you’ve taken care of your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will expedite the process of conveyancing since it doesn’t require additional checks.

Who is in need of a gas safety certificate?

As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe. This means you’ll have to schedule regular inspections with an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure that everything is working properly.

After the inspection has been completed and you’re ready to get the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. It is recommended that this be completed prior to when your current tenants move in or at the beginning of any new tenancies. Keep a copy of the certificate for yourself and any documentation of maintenance done on your property’s gas appliances.

Landlords are required to 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 as well as any appliances provided to tenants.

If you are a landlord without a valid gas certificate safety, you could face heavy fines (upto PS6,000) or legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest risk is that a tenant could be injured or even killed by defective appliances in your rental home.

The only ones who are qualified to conduct a Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. They are the only ones who are trained to safely examine gas appliances and installations. Landlords can verify the engineer’s Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, which has unique holograms on it.

Although it’s not uncommon for a tenant to deny access to their rental property to allow an Gas Safety Check, it is possible to do so. In these situations it is crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant the legal requirement and that carbon monoxide could be extremely dangerous if not detected at the right time.

If a tenant still won’t allow an engineer to enter their home the landlord should think about giving them a Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This should be followed by an explanation of why they’re being removed. For example the non-payment of rent, or severe damage to the property.

How do I obtain a gas safety certification?

A gas safety certificate is necessary 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 and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords must try to convey to their tenants that gas engineers aren’t spying and are only required to complete an important, legally required piece of documentation. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who refuse to allow access for gas inspections.

The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer after they have completed the necessary checks. It is also referred to as a CP12, which stands for 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 must 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 an applicant an original copy when they sign the lease. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is installed in each room used for living space that has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are installed to every storey of the property. The HSE website has more information for landlords, including free brochures and 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 their property in order to conduct the required gas safety checks, they can apply for a section 21 notice to expel tenants, if needed. A notice of 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 does not adhere to the proper procedure and attempts to evict their tenants unlawfully, they may be found guilty of harassing and may be fined a significant amount.

What is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?

Landlords must have an official gas safety certificate to ensure that the property they rent out is safe for tenants to live in. This means they have to get regular checks done by a registered gas engineer to make sure that any appliances are safe to use. This means they have to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working condition.

This helps prevent fires or accidents that could result from faulty 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 are current with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for not doing so.

Landlords need to be able show proof that they carried out their annual gas safety checks in time. They can do this by reviewing their Gas Safe register online, or by getting an original copy of the most recent certificate from the engineer who visited the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are unsafe or defective immediately to ensure the safety of the tenant.

Some landlords may have trouble persuading tenants to allow them access the house for gas safety inspections. This could be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they feel it’s a violation of privacy or that they are currently in dispute with their landlord. It is recommended that the landlord write a letter which he explains why a gas safety check is needed and what it’s going to involve. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to respond.

If the tenant still refuses to allow the landlord access then they should consider taking another step. This could be the use of a Section 21 Notice or applying to the court for an Injunction. This is a serious measure that should only be considered in the last option.