Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to remember that only landlords are responsible for the gas safety inspection. This is true for landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or other holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their homes for sale, landlords must be able prove that the pipework and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be accomplished by obtaining the gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
Whether you're a landlord or homeowner, you must to adhere to the law when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good working order. Every property owner should get their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. But what exactly 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 property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation pathways are in good working order within 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. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were inspected and their manufacturer and model as well as their location within your home. The engineer will inform you if the appliances are safe to use and provide details on any work required to ensure the safety of your tenants.
You must provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days following the service. It is also required to provide it to new tenants once they start their lease. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's vital to consider your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still a good thing to get one every year. Not only will this put your mind at ease regarding the health of your heating and gas appliances, but it will aid in identifying any issues before they become serious. This will save you money and time in the long-term.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful for potential buyers when you're selling your home. They will show that you've taken good care of all of your gas appliances and installations. It can also speed the process of conveyancing since it does not require any additional checks.
Who needs an official certificate of gas safety?
As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe for your tenants. This means that you'll need to schedule regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
Once the inspection is complete and you're ready to get the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. Ideally, this will be completed before your current tenants move in or at the start of any new tenancies. It is also recommended to keep the certificate for yourself, as well as any records of any maintenance work that you have carried out on your property's gas appliances.
Landlords are legally required to have their homes inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This includes the landlord's gas appliances, as well as any appliances provided to tenants.
If you're a landlord that doesn't have a valid gas safety certification you could be facing hefty fines (up to a maximum of PS6,000), court action from your tenants or even an indictment. The most significant risk is that a tenant could be injured or even killed due to defective appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to inspect and service appliances and installations in a safe way. Landlords can verify an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, that has unique holograms on it.
It is rare for a tenant not to permit access to the rental property in order to perform a Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these situations it's crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant why this is a legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide can be very dangerous if not detected in time.
If the tenant refuses to allow an engineer in the property, then the landlord could decide to issue a Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This should be accompanied by a written explanation of the reason for being forced out, such as non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certification?
Landlords must have a gas safety certificate to ensure their rental properties comply with the laws of the government. However, some tenants may refuse to allow a gas engineer into their homes for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair to landlords. Landlords should ensure tenants know 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 refuse to give access to gas inspections.
After 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 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 must provide their current tenants with a copy this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the date that the check is completed. They must also give an applicant a copy on signing the tenancy agreement. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector has been installed in each room used for living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are fitted to each storey of the property. The HSE website has more information for landlords, including free leaflets as well as an Approved Code of Practice to manage gas Installations and Appliances within a rental Property.
If gas safety certificate replacement cannot gain access to their property to conduct the required gas security checks, they can make use of a section 21 notice to remove the tenants, if appropriate. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept records of the unsuccessful attempts. If the landlord does not follow the proper procedure and attempts to evict tenants without a valid reason and is found guilty of harassing and may be fined a significant amount.
Why do I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have an official certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they rent is safe for tenants. Gas engineers should conduct regular checks to ensure that all appliances are safe to use. Also, they should ensure that the gas pipework, appliances and flues are in good working order.
This helps prevent accidents or fires that may be caused by faulty appliances, in addition to aiding in reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen when appliances aren't properly installed or maintained. It is important that landlords stay up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined for not doing so.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety checks in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or get a copy from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances show as being dangerous or faulty, the landlord must get them repaired immediately to ensure the health and safety of the tenants.
Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to grant them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. This could be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they feel it's an invasion of privacy or that they are currently in dispute with their landlord. It's a good idea to have the landlord write a letter which he explains why the gas safety check is necessary and what it's going to involve. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant refuses to give the landlord access they must take additional steps. 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 which should only be used only in the case of a last option.