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 as well as those who rent rooms or other holiday accommodation.
Before landlord gas safety certificate uk can put their properties on the market landlords must demonstrate that the pipes and appliances they have installed 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 have to comply with the law in regards to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good working order. That's why every property owner should get their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who really needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a certified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive examination of all gas appliances and flues within your rental property. The engineer will also check that all ventilation pathways 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 each of the gas appliances that were inspected and installations, including their model, make, and location in your home. The engineer will then indicate whether they found the appliance to be safe for use or not, and give details of the work that needs to be completed to ensure the security of your tenants.
You will need to provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days of the service. It is also required to provide it to new tenants when they start their lease. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines, or even criminal prosecution, so it's vital to take your responsibilities seriously.
Even though homeowners don't need 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 regarding the state of your heating and gas appliances, but also help you detect any issues early. This could help you save money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful for potential buyers when you're selling your house. They can prove that you've taken good care of all of your gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can speed up the conveyancing process 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 for your tenants. This means that you'll need to arrange regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
You'll need to provide your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection is completed. This should be done prior to your tenants moving in or at the start of any new lease. You should keep an original copy of the document for yourself, as well as the records of any maintenance that was carried out on gas appliances in your home.
Landlords must have their properties checked for gas safety at least every 12 months. This includes all properties with gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, and any appliances provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord who does not have a valid certificate of gas safety, you may face massive penalties (upto PS6,000), legal action from your tenants or even criminal charges. The greatest chance is that a tenant might be injured or even killed due to defective appliances at your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct a Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to examine and service appliances and installations in a safe way. Landlords can check the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, which has a unique hologram on it.
Although it's not uncommon for tenants to deny access to their rental property in order to permit the Gas Safety Check, it can happen. In these situations it is crucial that the landlord explain to the tenant why this is a mandatory obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if not detected in time.
If a tenant is still refusing to allow an engineer to enter their home the landlord should think about giving them the Section 21 notice to end their tenure. This should be accompanied with an explanation as to why they're being evicted. For example, non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certification?
A gas safety certificate is essential for landlords to prove that their properties are in compliance with government regulations. Some tenants will not let a gas engineer into their home for this purpose and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords should try to convey to their tenants that gas engineers are not agents of the state and require access only to complete a vital, legally required piece of documentation. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who are unable to allow access for gas inspections.
Once the gas engineer has completed the necessary checks and is sure that the appliances are safe for use they will issue the Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also referred to as a CP12 which stands for 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 the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the date that the check is completed. They must also give the new tenant an original copy when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon dioxide detector has been installed in each room that has fixed combustion appliances, but not gas cookers. Smoke alarms should be installed on every floor of the property. Landlords can find more information on these requirements, including free brochures 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 unable to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they can apply for a section 21 notice if necessary to evict tenants. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept a record of the attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the correct procedure and attempts to evict tenants without a valid reason, they may be accused of harassment and may be fined a significant amount.
Why do I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have an official gas safety certificate to ensure the property they rent out is safe for tenants to reside in. This means they have to get regular checks done by a registered gas engineer to ensure that the appliances are safe to use. This means that they must to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good condition.
This will help to prevent any accidents, fires, or carbon monoxide poisoning that can result from faulty equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to be current. They could be fined when they don't.
Landlords must show that their annual gas safety inspection was carried out on time. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or request a copy from the engineer that visited the property. If any of the appliances show as dangerous or defective, the landlord must get them repaired as soon as possible to protect the safety and health of the tenant.
Some landlords may be having difficulty convincing their tenants to let them access the property for the gas safety checks. This could be due to a variety 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 send an extremely clear letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are necessary and what they'll mean. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant still refuses to give access to the landlord the landlord should think about taking another step. This could include drafting an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force them to allow access. But, this is a very serious option that should only be considered as a last resort.