Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to remember that only landlords are accountable for the gas safety inspection. This applies to landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or other holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their property on the market, landlords must be able prove that the pipework and appliances in their homes are safe. Gas safety certificates can assist in achieving this.
What is a gas safety certification?
You must adhere to the law, whether you're a landlord or a homeowner in maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good in good working order. Every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. What is a gas safety certificate? 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 the rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also verify that the vents in your properties are clear to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your annual 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 then indicate whether they believe the appliances to be safe to use or not, and will provide details of the work that needs to be completed to ensure the safety of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to present it to your tenants who are currently residing in your home within 28 days of receiving the service and give it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. Failure to do so could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to take your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners don't need to have a Gas Safety Certificate, it's an excellent idea to get one annually. This will not only set your mind at ease about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but will help you identify any issues in advance. This can save you lots of money and hassle in the long run.
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 as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it can accelerate the process of selling because it won't require any additional checks.
Who requires a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord, it's your duty to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. This means you'll have to schedule regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
You'll need to give your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. It is best to have this completed prior to when your tenants move in or at the start of any new leases. 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 required to have their properties checked for gas safety at least every 12 months. More methods includes both the landlord's own gas appliances as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you're a landlord that doesn't have an official gas safety certificate and you're not licensed, you could be subject to huge penalties (up to a maximum of PS6,000), court action from your tenants or even a criminal charge. The most significant chance is that a tenant could be injured or even killed by defective appliances in your rental property.
The only ones who can carry out an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to inspect and service appliances and installations safely. Landlords can verify the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, which has unique holograms on it.
It is rare for a tenant to not allow access to the rental property in order to conduct a Gas Safety Check. However it happens. In these instances it is essential 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 in time.
If a tenant is still refusing to allow an engineer to enter their home, the landlord should consider serving them with a Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This should be followed by an explanation as to why they're being removed. For example, non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have a gas safety certificate to ensure their rental properties are in compliance with the laws of the government. However, some tenants might refuse to let 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 spying and only need to enter their homes in order to fill out a legally required document. This will reduce the number of tenants who are unable to allow access for gas inspections.
Once the gas engineer has completed the necessary checks and is satisfied that the appliances are safe for use They will issue a Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI used to be the Council for Registered Gas Installers however, it was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must provide their current tenants with a copy this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the time the check is completed. They must also give an applicant a copy on signing the tenancy agreement. The landlord must also make sure that a carbon monoxide detector is equipped in each room used as living accommodation that is equipped with fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to every storey of the property. Landlords can get 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 in order to carry out the necessary gas safety checks, they may apply for a section 21 notice to remove the tenants, if appropriate. It is important to remember, however, that a section 21 notice can only be served when the landlord has had at least three attempts to gain entry to conduct the gas safety inspection and has maintained records of the attempts. If the landlord fails to follow the correct procedure and then tries to expel their tenants unlawfully they could be found guilty of harassing and face heavy fines.
Why do I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have a certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers must conduct regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe for use. This means they have to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good condition.
This will help to prevent any accidents, fires, or carbon monoxide poisoning that can result from faulty equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to keep current. They could be penalized for not doing so.
Landlords need to be able show proof that they completed their annual gas safety checks on time. They can do this by reviewing their Gas Safe register online, or by getting an original copy of the most recent certificate from the person who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as dangerous or defective the landlord should have them fixed immediately to protect 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. If this is the case, it's recommended to ask the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are required and what they'll mean. This can be sent by recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant does not give the landlord access they should take additional steps. This could be the use of a Section 21 Notice or applying to the court for an Injunction. This is a serious step that should only be taken as a last resort.