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 both landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their property for sale, landlords must be able prove that the plumbing and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be accomplished by having an official gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
If you're a tenant or homeowner, you have to follow the law when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installations in good operating condition. That's why every property owner must get their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What exactly is a gas safety certificate? And who needs 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 ensure that the ventilation passages of 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 gas appliances and installations that were inspected, along with their make, model and location within your property. The engineer will state if the appliances are safe to use, and provide information about any work required to ensure your tenants' safety.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to give 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 beginning of their tenancy. If you don't follow the rules with the requirements, you could be subject to fines or criminal prosecution.
Although homeowners do not need a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to obtain one annually. This will not only put your mind at ease regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but will help you spot any issues in advance. This could help you save money and stress in the long run.
If you're planning to sell your home If you're thinking of selling your home, a Gas Safety Certificate will prove extremely useful to potential buyers as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can accelerate the process of selling as it will not require additional inspections.
Who is in need of an official certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe. This means you'll have to arrange regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly.
You'll need your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. It is recommended to do this prior to the time your tenants move into the property or at the start of any new tenancy. You should also 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 a minimum every 12 months. This applies to all properties that have gas appliances owned by the landlord and any appliances that are available for use by tenants.
If you are a landlord without an official certificate of gas safety, you could face heavy penalties (upto PS6,000), legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The biggest risk is that a tenant might be injured or even killed by faulty appliances in your rental home.
The only ones who can carry out a Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. This is because only they are trained to safely inspect and service gas appliances and installations. Landlords can determine whether an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It is unique. Hologram.
It is very rare for a tenant not to let access to the rental property to perform the Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these situations it is crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant the legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide can be very dangerous if not detected at the right time.
If a tenant continues to refuse to allow an engineer to enter their home The landlord should consider serving them with an Section 21 notice to end their lease. This should be accompanied with an explanation of why they're being evicted. For example rent arrears, non-payment or severe damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certification?
Landlords require an official gas safety certificate to ensure that their rental properties are in compliance with the laws of the government. However, some tenants may refuse to let gas engineers into their homes for this purpose which can be frustrating and unfair for landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spying and only need to enter their homes in order to fill out a legally required document. how often gas safety certificate will help reduce the number of tenants who deny access to gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer when the required checks. 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 an original copy to current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check is completed. A new tenant will receive an original copy of the check when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is installed in each room used for living space that has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to each floor of the property. The HSE website has more information for landlords, including free brochures and an Approved Code of Practice to manage gas Installations and Appliances in a Rental Property.
If a landlord is unable to gain access to their property in order to conduct the required gas safety checks, they may use a section 21 notice to expel tenants, if necessary. A section 21 notice 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 tries evicting their tenants illegally, they may be found guilty of harassment and face heavy fines.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have an official certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they rent is safe for tenants. This means that they must regularly check with an approved gas engineer to make sure that all appliances are safe to use. This means that they need to make sure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working condition.
This can help prevent accidents or fires that could result from faulty appliances, while also helping to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur if an appliance isn't properly maintained or installed. It is essential that landlords keep up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate that they completed their annual gas safety inspections in time. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or get a copy from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as being dangerous or faulty the landlord should have them repaired as soon as possible to protect the health and safety of the tenants.
Some landlords have trouble convincing their tenants to grant access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This can 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 a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is an ideal idea for the landlord to send an extremely clear 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 reply.
If the tenant refuses to allow access to the landlord, they should take further action. This could include a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious decision which should be used only as a last option.