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Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that only landlords are accountable for the gas safety check. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings and those who rent out rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their homes for sale landlords must demonstrate that the plumbing and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. Gas safety certificates can help you achieve this.
What is a gas safety certificate?
You must comply with the law, regardless of whether you're a landlord or a homeowner, when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in a good condition. This is why every property owner needs to get their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who is the one who 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 extensive examination of all gas appliances and flues in your rental home. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation channels are in good working order in your rental property to prevent the risk of carbon dioxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations that were examined and their manufacturer, model and location within your property. The engineer will state whether the appliances are safe to use, and provide details on any work needed to ensure your tenants' safety.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to present it to your current tenants within 28 days of the service and provide it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. Failure to do this could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to take your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still an excellent idea to obtain one each year. This will not only put your mind at ease about the state of your gas and heating appliances, but it will aid in identifying any problems early on. This could save you money and time in the long run.
Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely useful to prospective buyers when you're selling your house. They will show that you've taken good care of all of your gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can accelerate the process of selling because it won't require any additional checks.
Who needs an official certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that any gas safety certificate what is checked appliances and flues within your rental property are safe for your tenants. This means you'll have to schedule regular inspections with an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
You'll need your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. It is recommended to do this before your tenants move in or at the start of a new lease. You should also keep a copy of the certificate for yourself along with any records of the maintenance that was done on your property's gas appliances.
Landlords must have their properties inspected for gas safety at least once every 12months. This includes the landlord's gas appliances as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you're a landlord and don't have a valid gas safety certificate replacement safety certification and you're not licensed, you could be subject to huge fines (up to a maximum of PS6,000) and court actions from your tenants or even the possibility of a criminal charge. The greatest chance is that a tenant could be injured or even killed by faulty appliances in your rental home.
The only person who can carry out the gas safe certificate check Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to inspect, service and test appliances and installations in a safe way. Landlords can verify the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, that has a unique hologram on it.
Although it's not common for a tenant to deny access to their rental property to permit the Gas Safety Check, it can happen. In these situations it is crucial that the landlord explain to the tenant the reason why this is a legal requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide can be if not detected on time.
If the tenant is refusing to let an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might decide to issue a Section 21 notice that ends their tenure. This is to be accompanied by a written explanation of the reason for being forced out for non-payment of rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certificate?
Landlords need a gas safety certificate to ensure their rental properties are in compliance with government regulations. Some tenants are reluctant to let a gas engineer into their residence for this reason which can be frustrating for landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spying, and they only need to enter their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who are unable to grant access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer once he has completed the necessary checks. It is also known as a CP12 that 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 has to give a copy to their existing tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check is completed. A new tenant will receive an original copy of the check when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is installed in each room used for living accommodation that is equipped with fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to each storey 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 the rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website.
If a landlord is not able to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas security checks, they can apply for a section 21 notice to evict tenants, if necessary. It is important to keep in mind that a notice under section 21 is only served when the landlord has had at least three attempts to gain entry for the gas safety inspection and has kept records of the attempts. If the landlord fails to adhere to the proper procedure and then tries to expel their tenants unlawfully they could be found guilty of harassment and could face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have a gas safety certificate to ensure that the property they lease out is safe for tenants to live in. This means that they must get regular checks done by a registered gas engineer to make sure that all appliances are safe to use. This means they have to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good in good working order.
This helps to prevent any accidents or fires that may result from faulty appliances, while also helping to reduce the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen when appliances aren't properly maintained or installed. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to ensure they are up-to-date. They can be fined when they don't.
Landlords must be able to prove that their annual gas safety check was carried out in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or request a copy from the engineer that visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as dangerous or defective the landlord has to get them fixed immediately to protect the health and safety of the tenants.
Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to allow them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as the fact that they believe it's an invasion of privacy or that they are currently in dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is an ideal idea for the landlord to send an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are required and what they'll entail. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant still refuses to let the landlord access the landlord should think about taking another step. This could be a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious measure that should only be taken only in the case of a last resort.
