Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that it is only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety inspections. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings and those who rent out rooms or holiday accommodations.
Landlords must prove that the pipework and flues, as well as appliances, in their properties are safe prior to putting them up for sale. Gas safety certificates can help in achieving this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must adhere to the law, whether you are a landlord or homeowner, when it comes to keeping 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? Who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is a legal document issued by a licensed Gas Safe engineer after carrying out a full examination of all gas appliances and flues within your rental property. The engineer will also verify that the ventilation passages in your properties are clear to avoid 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 yearly inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations that were examined as well as their model, make and model, as well as the location of your home. The engineer will determine if 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 have to provide it to your current tenants within 28 days of receiving the service and also give it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. If you don't follow the rules you could face penalties or fines.
Although homeowners do not need an Gas Safety Certificate, it's still a good idea to get one every year. This will not only put your mind at ease regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but it will also help you spot any problems early on. This could save you lots of money and stress in the long run.
Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful to prospective buyers when you're selling your home. They will show that you've taken care of all your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will accelerate the process of selling since it doesn't require additional checks.
Who needs a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that any gas appliances or flues that are in your rental home are safe for your tenants. You'll have to arrange for regular inspections from an Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning correctly.
After the inspection has been completed You'll need the original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. This should be done before your tenants move into the property or at the beginning of a new tenancy. It is also recommended to keep the certificate for yourself as well as any records of the maintenance that was carried out on your property's gas appliances.
Landlords are legally obliged to have their properties checked for gas safety at least every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances as well as any appliances provided to tenants.
If mkgassafety are a landlord who does not have a valid gas certificate safety, you could be subject to severe fines (upto PS6,000) or legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The most significant risk, however, is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed due to faulty appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform the Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to examine and service appliances and installations in a safe manner. Landlords are able to check whether an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It has a unique Hologram.
It is not common for a tenant to not allow access to the rental property to conduct the Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these instances, it is important that the landlord explains to the tenant the reason why it is a obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide could be if not detected in time.
If a tenant still won't let an engineer into their home The landlord should consider serving them with the Section 21 notice to end their tenure. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason for being evicted, such as non-payment of rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I get a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is required for landlords to prove their properties are in compliance with the regulations of the government. Some tenants will refuse to let a gas engineer into their house for this purpose which can be frustrating for landlords. Landlords should try to convey to their tenants that gas engineers aren't spies and only need access to complete an essential legally-required piece of documentation. This will reduce the number of tenants who are unable to grant access to gas inspections.
Once 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 known as a CP12, which 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 must give a copy to their existing tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check has been completed. A new tenant will receive one when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is installed in every room used as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are installed to every storey of the property. The HSE website provides 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 a landlord is not able to gain access to their property in order to perform the necessary gas safety checks, they may apply for a section 21 notice to evict tenants, if needed. A notice of section 21 is only valid if the landlord made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept a record of the unsuccessful attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the proper procedure and then tries to expel tenants without a valid reason they could be found guilty of harassment and face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they lease is safe for tenants. This means that they must regularly check with an accredited gas engineer to ensure that all appliances are safe to use. This means that they must to ensure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good working condition.
This can help prevent accidents or fires which could be caused by faulty appliances, in addition to reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, that can happen if an appliance isn't properly maintained or installed. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to keep current. They can be penalized if they don't.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that their annual gas safety test was carried out in a timely manner. This can be done by looking up their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining an original copy of the most recent certificate from the engineer who inspected the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are dangerous or faulty immediately to protect the safety of the tenant.
Some landlords may have trouble persuading their tenants to allow them access to the property for the gas safety inspections. It could be because they believe that it would violate their privacy or are having a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it's an ideal idea for the landlord to send an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are necessary and what they will entail. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant refuses to give the landlord access they must take further steps. This could involve writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction to compel the tenant to allow access. However, this is a very serious option that should only be taken as an option last resort.