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Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is essential to keep in mind that only landlords are responsible for ensuring the safety of gas. This is the case for landlords of residential dwellings and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodations.
Landlords must prove that the pipework and flues, as well as appliances, within their properties are safe before they put them up for sale. Gas safety certificates can help in achieving this.
What is a gas safety certificate?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you need to comply with the law in regards to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good operating condition. Every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who 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 ensure that the ventilation passages in your property are free of obstruction to avoid 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 inspected gas appliances and installations, along with their model, make and the location of your home. The engineer will determine if the appliances are safe to use, and provide information about the work required to ensure your tenants' safety.
You must provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days after the service. You should also provide it to new tenants when they start their tenancy. Failure to do this could result in fines, or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to consider your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't need an Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to have one on an annual basis. This will not only put your mind at rest about the condition of your heating and gas appliances, but will help you spot any issues early. This can save you money and time in the long-term.
If you're thinking of selling your home If you're thinking of selling your home, you should get a 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 can also speed the process of conveyancing since it does not 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 a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure that everything is in good working order.
You'll need to give your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection is completed. It is recommended to do this prior to your tenants moving in or at the beginning of a new lease. Keep the certificate for yourself, and any documentation of maintenance performed on your home's gas appliances.
Landlords are required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at minimum once every 12months. This includes all properties with gas appliances owned by the landlord and any appliances that are provided for use by tenants.
If you are a landlord without a valid gas certificate safety, you could face massive fines (upto PS6,000), legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest chance is that a tenant could be injured or even killed by faulty appliances in your rental home.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform the Gas Safety check. They are the only ones who are trained to safely examine, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check the engineer's gas safety certificate price Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, that has a unique hologram on it.
It is not common for a tenant to allow access to the rental property to conduct a Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these situations it is crucial for the landlord to explain to them why this is a legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide could be extremely hazardous if not discovered promptly.
If the tenant is unwilling to let an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might be tempted to issue the option of a Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This should be accompanied by a written explanation of the reason they're being forced out in the first place, such as not paying rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certificate?
Landlords require gas safety certificates to ensure their rental properties are in compliance with the laws of the government. Some tenants will refuse to allow a gas engineer in their residence for this reason which can be frustrating for landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spies and only need to enter their homes in order to fill out a legally required document. This will reduce the number of tenants who are unable to give access to gas inspections.
After the gas safe installation certificate engineer has conducted the necessary checks and is sure that the appliances are safe for use they will issue a Landlord Gas Safety Record document. This is also commonly 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 date that the check is completed and give an applicant one upon signing the lease. The landlord must also make sure 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 fitted to each storey of the property. Landlords can obtain more information on these requirements, including free brochures 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 cannot gain access to their property in order to perform the necessary gas safety checks, they may make use of a section 21 notice to expel the tenants, if appropriate. It is important to note, however, that a section 21 notice is only served when the landlord has attempted at least three times to gain entry for the gas safety check and has kept a record of the attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the correct procedure and then tries to expel tenants without a valid reason, they may be found guilty of harassing and face heavy fines.
what is gas safety certificate is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords require a gas safety certificate to ensure that the home they rent out is safe for tenants to live in. Gas engineers must perform regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe for use. This means that they must to make sure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working condition.
This helps to prevent any fires or accidents that may be caused by defective appliances, as well as aiding in reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen when appliances aren't properly installed or maintained. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to keep current. They can i get a copy of my gas safe certificate be penalized for not doing so.
Landlords must be able to prove that their annual gas safety inspection was completed on time. You can check your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer that visited the property. The landlord has to fix any appliances that are dangerous or malfunctioning immediately to ensure the safety of the tenant.
Some landlords may have difficulty persuading tenants to allow them access to the property for the gas safety certificate check safety checks. It may be because they feel that it is an invasion of their privacy, or are fighting with their landlord. If this is the case, it is a good idea for the landlord to send a strongly worded letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are required and what they will entail. This letter could be sent via recorded delivery, and the tenant should be given 14 days to respond.
If the tenant still refuses to give access to the landlord the landlord should think about taking additional steps. This could be the issue of a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. However, this is a serious step which should be used only as an option last resort.