Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is crucial to remember that it's only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety inspections. This applies to both landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their homes for sale, landlords must be able prove that the plumbing and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be accomplished by having the gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must adhere to the law, whether you are a landlord or homeowner, when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good condition. That's why every property owner must be issued a gas safety certificate at least once a year. But what exactly is a gas safety certificate? Who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document that is issued by a qualified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home. The engineer will also verify that the ventilation passages in your properties are clear to avoid dangerous carbon monoxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were inspected and their manufacturer and model as well as their location within your home. The engineer will then indicate whether they found the appliance to be safe to use or not, and detail 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 tenants who are currently residing in your home within 28 days of the service and give it to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines or criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to take your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't need to have a Gas Safety Certificate, it's an excellent idea to get one annually. landlord gas safety certificate how often will not only put your mind at ease about the state of your gas and heating appliances, but it will aid in identifying any issues before they become serious. This will save you money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely useful for potential buyers when you're selling your house. They can prove that you've taken good care of all gas appliances and installations. gas safety certificate replacement can also speed up the conveyancing as it doesn't require any additional inspections.
Who requires a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord it is your obligation to ensure that all flues and gas appliances in your rental property are safe. You'll need to schedule regular inspections from an Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is working correctly.
You'll need to provide 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 beginning of a new lease. Keep the copy of the document for yourself as well as records of any maintenance performed on the gas appliances that are in your property.
Landlords must have their properties checked for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This includes the landlord's gas appliances, as well as any appliances provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord without an official certificate of gas safety, you could face massive penalties (upto PS6,000), legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The most significant danger is that a tenant might be injured or even killed by faulty appliances in your rental property.
The only person who can conduct an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. They are the only ones who have been trained to safely examine, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords are able to check whether an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It has a unique Hologram.
It is rare for a tenant not to let access to the rental property to conduct a Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these situations it is essential that the landlord explain to the tenant why it is a obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide may be if not detected in time.
If a tenant is still refusing to let an engineer into their home The landlord should consider serving them with an Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This should be accompanied by a description of the reason why they're being removed, such as non-payment of rent or causing serious damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certificate?
Landlords require an official gas safety certificate to ensure that their rental properties meet the laws of the government. However, some tenants may refuse to allow gas engineers enter their residences for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair for landlords. Landlords should try to convey to their tenants that gas engineers aren't spies and only need access to complete an essential, legally required document. This will reduce the number tenants who refuse access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer when he has completed the necessary checks. It is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI used to be the Council for Registered Gas Installers, but was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord is required to provide their existing tenants with a copy this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the time the check is completed. They must also give the new tenant one upon signing the Tenancy agreement. 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 get more information on 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 a landlord is unable to gain access to the property to conduct the required gas safety checks, they can make use of the section 21 notice to evict tenants. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept records of those attempts. If the landlord fails to follow the correct procedure and then tries to expel their tenants illegally they could be accused of harassment and could face heavy fines.
What is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have an official certificate of gas safety to ensure that the house they lease is safe for tenants. This means they must have regular checks performed by an approved gas engineer to ensure that any appliances are safe to use. This also means that they must make sure the gas pipes, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This will help prevent any accidents, fires or carbon monoxide poisoning that can be caused by defective equipment. It is essential that landlords stay up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be penalized if they don't.
Landlords need to demonstrate that their annual gas safety test has been carried out in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer that visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as dangerous or defective, the landlord must get them repaired immediately to ensure the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords have trouble convincing their tenants to grant them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. It may be because they feel that it violates their privacy or are fighting with their landlord. If this is the case, it is a good idea to ask the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are required and what they'll entail. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant refuses to allow access to the landlord, they should take further steps. This could include drafting an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction to compel them to allow access. This is a serious step which should only be used only as a last option.