Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that only landlords are accountable for the gas safety inspection. This is true for landlords of residential dwellings and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their property for sale, landlords must be able show that the plumbing and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be done by obtaining a gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must abide by the law, whether you are a landlord or homeowner in keeping your gas appliances and installations in a good in good working order. That's why every property owner must obtain their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What is a gas certificate? And who is the person who requires one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is a legal document issued by a certified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home. The engineer will also ensure that the vents in your property are free of obstruction to prevent dangerous carbon monoxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list all the inspected gas appliances and installations, including their model, brand and the location of your property. The engineer will inform you if the appliances are safe to use and provide details on any work required to ensure your tenants' safety.
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 give it to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy. If you fail to comply you could face charges or fines.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still a good thing to get one each year. This will not just put your mind at rest about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but will help you spot any issues in advance. This could save you money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely beneficial to potential buyers when selling your home. They will show that you've taken care of all your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds the process of selling as it does not require any additional inspections.
Who needs an attestation of gas safety?
As a landlord, it's your duty to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. You'll need to schedule regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is working correctly.
You'll need your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. It is best to have this done before your new tenants move in, or at the start of any new tenancies. You should keep a copy for yourself as well as records of any maintenance carried out on gas appliances in your home.
Landlords are required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at minimum once every 12months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances owned by the landlord and any appliances provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord who does not have a valid gas certificate safety, you may face massive penalties (upto PS6,000) and legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The biggest risk, however, is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed due to faulty appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct a Gas Safety check. They are the only ones who are trained to safely examine and service gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card with unique holograms on it.
It is very rare for a tenant to not let access to the rental property in order to perform an Gas Safety Check. However how to get gas safety certificate happens. In these situations it's crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant the legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide could be extremely hazardous if not discovered promptly.
If a tenant is still refusing to let an engineer into their home The landlord should consider giving them an Section 21 notice to end their tenure. This should be accompanied by an explanation as to why they're being removed. For example the non-payment of rent, or serious damage to the property.
How can I obtain a gas safety certification?
Landlords require gas safety certificates to prove their rental properties meet government regulations. However, some tenants may refuse to let a gas engineer into their homes for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair for landlords. Landlords should try to get the word out to their tenants that gas technicians are not spying and are only required to complete a vital legally-required document. This will decrease the number of tenants who deny access to gas inspections.
Once the gas engineer has completed the necessary checks and is satisfied that all appliances are safe to use They will issue a Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also referred to 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 has to give an original copy to current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the inspection is completed. A new tenant will be provided with a copy when signing the tenancy contract. The landlord must also make sure that a carbon monoxide detector is installed in each room used for living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to every storey of the property. The HSE website has more details for landlords, including free leaflets along with an Approved Code of Practice to manage gas Installations and Appliances within a Rental Property.
If a landlord is unable to gain access to the property in order to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they can apply for a section 21 notice to expel tenants. A section 21 notice 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 records of those attempts. If a landlord fails to adhere to the proper procedure for entry and tries to evict their tenants by unlawful means, they could be accused of harassment and face hefty fines from regulators.
What is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have a gas safety certificate to ensure the property they lease out is safe for tenants to reside in. Gas engineers must conduct regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe for use. This means that they need to ensure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good in good working order.
This helps prevent fires or accidents that could be caused by defective appliances, as well as helping to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur if an appliance isn't properly maintained or installed. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to ensure they are up-to-date. They could be fined when they don't.
Landlords need to prove that their annual gas safety test was completed on 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 visited the property. The landlord has to fix any appliances that are unsafe or malfunctioning immediately to ensure the safety of the tenant.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to allow them access to their property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This could be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they believe it's an invasion of privacy or that they are currently in dispute with their landlord. It is recommended that the landlord write a letter which he explains the reason why the gas safety inspection is required and what it will entail. The letter can be delivered by recorded delivery and the tenant will have 14 days to reply.
If the tenant is unwilling to give the landlord access they should take further action. This might include writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force them to grant access. This is a serious step that should only be considered only in the case of a last option.