Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is vital to remember that it's 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 other holiday accommodation.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that the pipework as well as the flues, appliances and appliances within their properties are safe prior to putting them on the market. Gas safety certificates can help in achieving this.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
Whether you're a landlord or homeowner, you must to follow the law when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good operating condition. Every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once a calendar year. But what exactly is a gas safety certification? Who is the one who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is a legal document issued by a licensed Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive examination of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental property. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages in your property are free of obstruction to prevent the build-up of carbon monoxide, which is a danger.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your yearly inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your annual inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations that were inspected and their manufacturer and model, as well as the location of your home. The engineer will state whether the appliances are safe to use and provide information about the work required to ensure the safety of your tenants.
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 tenancy. 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 do not require a Gas Safety Certificate to live in peace, it's a good thing to get one each year. Not only will this make you feel more comfortable regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but it can also help you spot any issues early. This can save you lots of time and money in the long in the long.
If you're considering selling your house and are thinking of selling it, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove extremely useful to potential buyers because it will show that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds up the conveyancing as it does not require any 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 a Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning properly.
You'll need your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. This should be done ideally before your tenants move in or at the beginning of a new tenancy. You should also keep the certificate for yourself along with any records of any maintenance work that you have performed on your home's gas appliances.
Landlords are legally obliged to have their homes inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances as well as any appliances provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord without a valid certificate of gas safety, you could face massive penalties (upto PS6,000) and legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The most significant risk is that one of your tenants could be injured or killed as a result of malfunctioning appliances in your rental property.
The only people who are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe professionals 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 for their ID card, that has unique holograms on it.
Although it's not uncommon for a tenant to deny access to their rental property in order to permit an Gas Safety Check, it could happen. In these cases it's crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant the legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide could be extremely hazardous if not discovered at the right time.
If the tenant is unwilling to allow an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might consider giving them the option of a Section 21 notice that ends their tenure. This should be followed by an explanation of why they're being evicted. For example rent arrears, non-payment or severe damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need gas safety certificates 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 reason which is a source of frustration and unfair to landlords. Landlords should try to communicate to their tenants that gas engineers are not agents of the state and require access only to complete an important, legally required document. This will help reduce the number of tenants who refuse access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer after they have completed the necessary checks. It is also referred to as a CP12 which stands for CORGI Proforma 12 CORGI was once the Council for Registered Gas Installers However, it was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord has to give an original copy to current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check has been completed. A new tenant will be provided with one when they sign the tenancy contract. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector has been installed in each room used as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are fitted to each floor of the property. Landlords can obtain more information on these requirements, including free leaflets and an Approved Code of Practice for the management of gas Installations and Appliances in a 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 make use of a section 21 notice to expel tenants, if necessary. It is important to note, however, that a section 21 notice is only served when the landlord has made at least three attempts to gain access to conduct the gas safety inspection and has maintained records of the attempts. If a landlord fails follow the correct procedure for entry and tries to expel tenants using unlawful means, they could be accused of harassment and could face substantial fines from regulators.
Why do I need a gas safety certificate ?
Landlords require an official 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 to use. Also, they must make sure the gas pipework, appliances and flues are in good working order.
This will help to prevent any accidents, fires or carbon monoxide poisoning which could result from faulty equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to be current. They can be fined when they don't.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety inspections in a timely manner. They can do this by looking up their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining an original copy of the most recent certificate from the person who visited the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are unsafe or faulty immediately to protect tenant's safety.
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 variety 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 recommended for the landlord to send an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are required and what they'll mean. how often gas safety certificate can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant continues to refuse to give access to the landlord then they should consider taking further action. This might include writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction to compel them to allow access. This is a serious action that should only be taken only as a last resort.