Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to remember that it is only landlords who are responsible for gas safety checks. This is true for landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that the pipework as well as the flues, appliances and appliances in their homes are safe before putting them on the market. Gas safety certificates can help in achieving this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
If do i need a gas safety certificate 're a landlord or homeowner, you must to adhere to the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installation in good operating condition. Every property owner should obtain their gas safety certificates at least once a calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certificate? Who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a certified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental property. The engineer will also ensure that the ventilation passages of your property are free of obstruction to avoid dangerous carbon monoxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list each of the gas appliances that were inspected and installations, as well as their make, model, and location in your property. The engineer will then state 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 security of your tenants.
You must provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days of the service. You must also give it to new tenants once they begin their tenure. If you don't follow the rules with the requirements, you could be subject to fines or criminal prosecution.
Even though homeowners don't need a Gas Safety Certificate to live in safety, it's a good thing to get one every year. This will not just put your mind at rest about the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but will help you identify any problems early. This will save you time and money in the long-term.
If do i need a gas safety certificate of selling your house and are thinking of selling it, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove very beneficial to potential buyers as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It will also speed up the conveyancing as it does not require any additional checks.
Who requires a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord it is your obligation to ensure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe. This means that you'll need to arrange regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
After the inspection is completed You'll need an original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. This should be done ideally before your tenants move into the property or at the beginning of any new tenancy. Keep the certificate for yourself, as well as any records of the maintenance that was performed on your home's gas appliances.
Landlords must have their properties inspected for gas safety at a minimum once every 12months. This includes all properties with gas appliances owned by the landlord as well as any appliances provided for use by tenants.
If you're a landlord who doesn't have a valid gas safety certificate and you're not licensed, you could be subject to huge fines (up to a total of PS6,000) and court actions from your tenants or even the possibility of a criminal charge. The greatest chance is that a tenant may be injured or even killed due to defective appliances at your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform an Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to examine and service appliances and installations in a safe way. 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 not to let access to the rental property to perform a Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these situations it is crucial that the landlord explain to the tenant why this is a mandatory requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide can be if not detected in time.
If the tenant refuses to allow an engineer into the property, then the landlord may consider giving them a Section 21 notice that ends their lease. This should be accompanied with an explanation of the reason they're being removed. For instance the non-payment of rent, or severe damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is essential for landlords to show that their properties are in compliance with the regulations of the government. However, some tenants may not allow gas engineers enter their residences for this purpose which is a source of frustration and unfair to landlords. Landlords need to make sure tenants know that gas engineers aren't spying and only need access to their homes in order in order to fill out a legally required document. This will help to 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 an Landlord Gas Safety Record document. It is also referred to as a CP12, which stands for CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI used to be the Council for Registered Gas Installers, but was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must give a copy to their existing tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the inspection is completed. A new tenant will be provided with a copy when signing the tenancy contract. The landlord must 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 connected to each floor of the property. Landlords can find 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 unable to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety checks, they can make use of a section 21 notice to remove the tenants, if appropriate. A notice of 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 attempts. If the landlord fails to follow the proper procedure and attempts to evict tenants without a valid reason, they may be found guilty of harassment and face heavy fines.
Why do I need a gas safety certification?
Landlords must have an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they lease is safe for tenants. This means they must get regular checks done by a registered gas engineer to make sure that any appliances are safe to use. This also means that they must ensure that the gas pipework, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This helps to prevent any fires or accidents that could result from faulty appliances, as well as aiding in reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen when appliances aren't properly maintained or installed. It is essential that landlords are up to date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be penalized for not doing so.
Landlords have to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety checks in a timely manner. They can prove this by looking up their Gas Safe register online, or by getting an original copy of the most recent certificate from the engineer who visited the property. The landlord has to fix any appliances that are unsafe or faulty immediately to protect the safety of tenants.
Some landlords have trouble convincing their tenants to grant them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that they believe it's a violation of privacy, or they are currently in dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is a good idea for the landlord to send a strongly worded letter explaining why the gas safety checks are necessary and what they'll mean. The 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 should take further action. This might include writing a Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force them to allow access. This is a serious measure that should only be considered only as a last option.