landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service (https://www.Mkgassafety.co.uk/)
As a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances chimneys, flues and chimneys are inspected annually. It is also your responsibility to provide a copy to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous they will ask permission to cut off the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches are installed.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document that demonstrates that the gas appliances and flues have been checked by a licensed gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to organize a gas safety check every year for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry out the inspection and check that all pipes, appliances and flues comply with safety regulations.
Landlords are also required by law to provide their tenants with an original copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) following each annual gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be provided to tenants within 28 days after the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their lease.
CP12 is an abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was employed by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) prior to being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form lists the date of the last gas inspection and tests, the results of these, any issues or actions that need to be addressed, as well as the name of the engineer who carried out the test.
If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance and the engineer will give advice on what needs to be done to ensure its safe use. If a gas appliance is found to be immediate danger or Abnormally Lethal the gas supply must be turned off until the problem is resolved.
If a tenant is unwilling to permit access to the gas safety checks to be carried out it is an infraction that is punishable by law. If needed the landlord has the right to ask the courts for a court order to stop the tenant from refusing to allow gas safety inspections. However, it's often easier to send a letter which clarifies why the checks are essential and what will be required. This should encourage a tenant who is reluctant to let access to the property. If not the landlord is not willing, he will have to start the eviction procedure.
How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
The landlords and letting agencies are required by law to carry out an annual gas safety check on all flues and gas appliances that are supplied to their tenants. This is to ensure that the equipment is safe for them to use and to ensure that there aren't gas leaks within the property. Gas inspections are a crucial responsibility for landlords, and they should ensure that they are carried out by a licensed engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is legal document that confirms that an inspection of the gas supply has been performed by a licensed engineer within the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord and should be provided to the tenant to prove the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and has to be renewed every year.
If a landlord does not provide their tenants with a Gas Safety Certificate then they are breaking the law and could be penalized by the local authority. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out in a timely manner and to keep a copy of the documents in the event that a tenant asks for it.
It's also a good idea for landlords to put inspection hatches on all gas appliances, so that the engineers can easily access them for annual inspections. If the appliance is deemed to be in danger during an inspection, the engineer will formally classify it as such and will shut off the boiler and advise that the tenant refrain from using it until the inspection hatch is installed.
Landlords are also required to give tenants at least 24 hours' notice prior to entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This gives tenants time to plan their inspection and request permission if they need. If a tenant is refusing access to the engineer the landlord must explain why this is necessary and what would happen if the tenant refused. If the tenant refuses to allow the engineer entry, the landlord can think about evicting the tenant in accordance with section 21 of 1988 Housing Act.
What happens if you don't own a Gas Safety Certificate?
In essence it's a landlord's legal duty to ensure their property has an approved gas safety certificate prior to the time tenants move into. Failure to do this is an offense that could cause landlords to be punished with severe fines. The regulations also stipulate that landlords must give a copy of the gas safety report to their tenants on request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental property of the landlord in order to perform a gas inspection on all gas appliances. During the inspection, a Gas Safe registered engineer will identify any issues that could pose a danger to tenants. They will issue an CP12 gas safety certificate that is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is an important document that every tenant must keep. It contains information on the gas installations in a rental property and also details regarding when they last checked and the expiry dates. It can assist tenants in identifying issues with their appliances or installations and make sure they know how to contact an Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.
Landlords are required to provide a gas safety report to their tenants, current and new, within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord must also provide a copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords that fail to provide the the gas certificate can be prosecuted and face unlimited fines or six months in prison.
Similar to this landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors work in their properties and make arrangements for them to be tested each month. If the alarm isn't working, the landlord should fix it. This is applicable to councils, private landlords, and housing associations as well as licensable houses of Multiple Occupation.
In June 2017 in June 2017, the High Court decided that it was illegal for landlords to issue Section 21 notices if they did not provide their tenants with an official gas safety certificate. The decision was based on a law that requires landlords with assured shorthold tenancies to obtain a gas safety certificate for their property prior to when tenants move into it.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that the gas appliances, flues, and pipework in their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To comply with the regulations landlords must conduct annual gas checks on all gas appliances and flues they supply for use in a property. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and it must be completed by a certified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.
Landlords should also think about conducting a boiler inspection in conjunction with the CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are operating properly and safely. Gas engineers can provide an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. They will check the seals on boiler burners, inspect for cracks and leaks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and carry out general maintenance.
The CP12 is sometimes known as "landlord's gas safety certificate", although it's actually known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It outlines the outcomes of all safety checks and the details of any actions or problems that require attention. Landlords must provide their tenants the CP12 document not later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.
It is crucial that the landlords or letting agents permit Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises to conduct safety checks and for maintenance. It's a good idea to educate tenants on the necessity of allowing access, and explain that the gas engineer is there to help keep them safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant refuses to allow access, the landlord or agent must outline the legal obligations in writing. They should then go to the property and force entry if needed.
Tenants should always ask to see a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to entering the premises, as this will prove that they are properly qualified to work on your home's gas systems and can be trusted to complete the gas safety test efficiently and effectively. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to cut off any defective equipment and can shut off your gas supplies when necessary.