Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that only landlords are responsible for the gas safety check. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who rent out rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords must demonstrate that the pipes and flues, as well as appliances, within their properties are safe before they put them up for sale. This can be accomplished by obtaining a gas safety certificate (www.Mkgassafety.co.uk).
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If you're a tenant or homeowner, you must to follow the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installation in good functioning order. That's why every property owner needs to get their gas safety certificate at least once per year. What is a gas safety certificate? And who needs 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 exhaustive examination of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental property. The engineer will also test that the vents in your properties are clear to prevent 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 each of the gas appliances that were inspected and installations, including their model, brand and location within your property. The engineer will determine whether the appliances are safe to use and provide information about any work needed to ensure your tenants' safety.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll have to provide it to your tenants who are currently residing in your home within 28 days of receiving the service and provide it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. If you fail to comply, you could face charges or fines.
While homeowners don't require to have a Gas Safety Certificate, it's still a good idea to obtain one annually. This will not only put your mind at ease regarding the condition of your heating and gas appliances, but it could aid in identifying any problems early on. This could help you save money and stress in the long term.
If you're considering selling your home and are thinking of selling it, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove an invaluable asset to prospective buyers since it can prove that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It will also speed up the conveyancing as it doesn't require additional inspections.
Who requires a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord it is your obligation to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. You'll have to arrange for regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered technician to make sure that everything is operating properly.
You'll need to provide your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. This should be done before your tenants move in or at the start of any new tenancy. Keep an original copy of the document for yourself and keep documentation of any maintenance you have performed on the gas appliances in your home.
The landlords' properties must be inspected for gas safety at minimum every 12 months. This applies to all homes with gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, as well as any appliances provided for use by tenants.
If you're a landlord who doesn't possess a valid gas safety certificate and you're not licensed, you could be subject to huge fines (up to PS6,000) and court actions from your tenants or even a criminal charge. The biggest risk is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed due to malfunctioning appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform the Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to inspect, service and test appliances and installations in a safe manner. Landlords can check the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card that has unique holograms on it.
It is rare for a tenant to not let access to the rental property in order to conduct a Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these instances it is crucial that the landlord explain to the tenant the reason why this is a mandatory obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if not detected in time.
If a tenant continues to refuse to allow an engineer to enter their home the landlord should think about serving them with an Section 21 notice to end their tenure. This should be accompanied by an explanation of the reason they're being evicted for non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is essential for landlords to prove their rented properties meet the regulations of the government. Some tenants will refuse to allow a gas engineer in their house for this purpose which can be frustrating for landlords. Landlords must try to get the word out to their tenants that gas engineers are not spying and are only required to complete an important, legally required piece of documentation. This will decrease the number of tenants who are unable to access gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer once they have completed the necessary checks. This is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to CORGI Proforma 12 CORGI was previously the Council for Registered Gas Installers, but was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must give copies to their current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the inspection is completed. A new tenant will receive one when they sign the tenancy contract. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is equipped in each room used as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to each floor of the property. Landlords can obtain more information about these requirements, including free leaflets 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 perform the necessary gas safety checks, they can use a section 21 notice to expel the tenants, if appropriate. It is important to note that a notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord has had at least three attempts to gain access for the gas safety check and has kept records of the attempts. If a landlord fails to adhere to the proper procedure for entry and then tries to evict their tenants by illegal means, they may be found guilty of harassment and face hefty fines from regulatory bodies.
Why do I require 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 that they must have regular checks performed by an approved gas engineer to make sure that the appliances are safe to use. It also means that they must make sure the gas pipes, appliances and flues are in good working order.
This helps prevent accidents or fires that may result from faulty appliances, as well as helping to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen when an appliance isn't properly installed or maintained. It is essential that landlords keep up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords must prove that their annual gas safety inspection was carried out on time. You can check your Gas Safe Register online or get a copy from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances show as unsafe or inoperable the landlord has to get them repaired immediately to ensure the tenant's health and safety.
Some landlords may have trouble persuading tenants to let them access the property for gas safety checks. It may be because they feel that it violates their privacy, or they are having a dispute with their landlord. It's a good idea to have the landlord write a letter which he explains why a gas safety check is needed and what it's going to involve. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and the tenant should have 14 days to respond.
If the tenant is unwilling to give the landlord access they should take further steps. This could be a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious measure that should only be considered only as a last resort.