Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is vital to remember that it is only landlords who are responsible for gas safety inspections. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings and those who rent out rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their properties for sale, landlords must be able prove that the pipes and appliances in their homes are safe. Gas safety certificates can help you to achieve this.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
You must adhere to the law, regardless of whether you're a landlord or a homeowner, when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in a good condition. Every property owner must obtain their gas safety certificates at least once per calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certification? Who needs one?
Gas Safe Certificates, also called Landlord Gas Safety Record are official documents issued by an official Gas Safe engineer who has completed a thorough inspection of your rental property's gas appliances and flues. The engineer will also test that the vents in your home are clean to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will outline the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were inspected, along with their make and model as well as their location within your property. The engineer will then indicate whether they found the appliances to be safe for use or not, and detail any work that needs to be completed to ensure the safety of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll have to provide it to your tenants who are currently residing in your home within 28 days of the service and provide 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 crucial to be aware of your obligations.
Although homeowners don't need a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to obtain one annually. This will not just put your mind at ease regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but will also help you detect any problems early. This will help you save money and time in the long run.
Gas Safety Certificates are useful for potential buyers when you're selling your home. They can prove that you have taken care of all of your gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can 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 make sure that any gas appliances or flues in your rental property are safe for your tenants. You'll need to schedule regular inspections from an Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning correctly.
Once the inspection is complete You'll need an original copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. This should be done prior to the time your tenants move in or at the beginning of any new lease. You should keep an original copy of the document for yourself as well as the records of any maintenance that was done to the gas appliances in your property.
Landlords must have their properties inspected for gas safety at least every 12 months. gas safety certificate for landlords includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances, as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you are a landlord with an official certificate of gas safety, you could face massive penalties (upto PS6,000) or legal action 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 defective appliances in your rental property.
The only people who can conduct an Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. This is because only they have been trained to safely examine, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords are able to check if an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It has a unique Hologram.
It is rare for a tenant not to allow access to the rental property to conduct the Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these cases it is crucial for the landlord to explain to the tenant why this is a legal requirement and how carbon monoxide can be very hazardous if not discovered in time.
If the tenant is refusing to let an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might consider giving them a Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This should be followed by an explanation of why they're being evicted. For instance rent arrears, non-payment or significant damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is essential for landlords to prove that their rented properties meet the requirements of the government. Some tenants will not allow a gas engineer in their home for this purpose and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spies, and they only need to access their homes to complete a legally required document. This will reduce the number of tenants who are unable to allow access for gas inspections.
After my explanation has carried out the necessary checks and is confident that all appliances are safe to use, they will issue an Landlord Gas Safety Record document. This document is also known 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 has to give copies to their current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the inspection is completed. A new tenant will be provided with 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 as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to every storey of the property. The HSE website has more information for landlords, including free brochures along with an Approved Code of Practice to Manage Gas Installations and Appliances in a Rental Property.
If a landlord is not able to gain access to the property in order to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they may apply for a section 21 notice if necessary to expel tenants. A notice under 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 those attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the correct procedure for entry and tries to expel tenants using unlawful means, they could be found guilty of harassment and face hefty fines from regulatory bodies.
Why do I require a gas safety certification?
Landlords must have a gas safety certification to ensure that the property they lease out is safe for tenants to live in. This means they have to have regular checks performed by an approved gas engineer to make sure that any appliances are safe to use. Also, they must make sure the gas pipes, appliances and flues are all in good working order.
This will help stop any fires, accidents or carbon monoxide poisoning that could be caused by defective equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to keep current. They could be fined when they don't.
Landlords need to show that their annual gas safety test was completed on time. This can be done by checking their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining the most recent certificate from the person who visited the property. If any of the appliances show as dangerous or defective, the landlord must get them repaired as soon as possible to protect the safety and health of the tenant.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to allow them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. It could be because they feel that it is an invasion of their privacy, or they are having 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 the reason why the gas safety inspections are required and what they'll mean. This letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond.
If the tenant is unwilling to give access to the landlord, they should take additional steps. This might include writing an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction to force them to allow access. This is a serious measure that should only be considered in the last option.