Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is vital to keep in mind that it is only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety inspections. This applies to landlords who own residential properties as well as those who rent rooms or holiday homes.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that the pipes as well as the flues, appliances and appliances in their properties are safe before they put them up for sale. landlord safety certificate can assist in achieving this.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you must to follow the law in regards to keeping your gas appliances and installations in good working order. Every property owner must obtain their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certification? And who is the person who requires one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also known by the name Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by an official Gas Safe engineer who has completed a thorough inspection of your rental's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also test that the vents in your property are free of obstruction to avoid the build-up of carbon monoxide, which is a danger.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. It will list all the inspected gas appliances and installations, including their make, model and the location of your property. The engineer will then indicate whether they found the appliance to be safe to use or not, and will provide details of the work that needs to be done to ensure the security of your tenants.
You will have to give your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days of the service. You must also give it to new tenants when they begin their tenure. If you don't follow the rules, you could face penalties or fines.
While homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate, it's still a good idea to have one annually. This will not only set your mind at ease regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but help you identify any problems early. This will save you time and money in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely beneficial to potential buyers when you're selling your home. They can show that you've taken good care of all of your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will accelerate the process of selling as it will not require any additional checks.
Who needs 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 by an Gas Safe registered engineer to make sure everything is working properly.
You'll need your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection is completed. Ideally, this will be done before your current tenants move in or at the start of any new tenancies. Keep an original copy of the document for yourself and keep the records of any maintenance that was done to the gas appliances in your home.
Landlords are legally required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances that are owned by the landlord as well as any appliances provided for use by tenants.
If you're a landlord and don't have a valid gas safety certificate you could be facing huge penalties (up to PS6,000) and court actions from your tenants or the possibility of a criminal charge. The biggest chance is that a tenant could be injured or even killed due to defective appliances in your rental property.
The only ones who can conduct an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. This is because they are trained to safely examine gas appliances and installations. Landlords can verify an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, with unique holograms on it.
It is not common for a tenant to not allow access to the rental property in order to conduct the Gas Safety Check. However, it does happen. In these cases it's crucial for the landlord to explain to them the legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide can be very hazardous if not discovered in time.
If a tenant continues to refuse to let an engineer into their home, the landlord should consider serving them with a Section 21 notice to end their lease. This should be accompanied with an explanation of the reason they're being removed. For instance the non-payment of rent, or severe damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certification?
Landlords must have an official gas safety certificate to ensure that their rental properties are in compliance with the laws of the government. However, some tenants may not allow gas engineers into their homes for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair to landlords. Landlords need to make sure tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spies and that they are only required to enter their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will decrease the number of tenants who refuse access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer when the required checks. 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 must provide their existing tenants with a copy of this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the time the check is completed. They must also give a new tenant a copy on signing the Tenancy agreement. The landlord must also make sure that a carbon monoxide detector is equipped in every room used as living space that has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are fitted to each storey of the property. The HSE website provides more information for landlords, including free leaflets and 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 may make use of the section 21 notice if necessary to expel tenants. 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 those attempts. If a landlord does not adhere to the proper procedure for entry and then tries to expel tenants using unlawful means, they could be accused of harassment and face heavy fines from regulatory bodies.
What 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. This means they have to regularly check with a registered gas engineer to ensure that all appliances are safe to use. Also, they should ensure that the gas pipework, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This helps prevent fires or accidents which could result from faulty appliances, in addition to helping to reduce the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur if an appliance isn't properly maintained or installed. It is essential that landlords keep up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords need to be able prove that they have completed their annual gas safety checks on time. You can check your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as being dangerous or faulty the landlord should have them repaired immediately to ensure the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords may be having difficulty persuading tenants to allow them access to the property for gas safety checks. This can be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they feel it's a violation of privacy or they are currently in a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it's recommended for the landlord to write a strongly worded letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are necessary and what they will entail. This can be sent by recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant refuses to allow access to the landlord, they must take additional steps. This could involve writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction to force them to grant access. However, this is a serious step that should only be taken as a last option.