Keep An Eye On This: How Gas Safety Certificate And Boiler Service Is Gaining Ground, And What To Do
Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances as well as chimneys and flues are inspected every year. gas safety certificate what is checked requires you provide a copy the check to your tenants. If the engineer considers an appliance or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will ask for permission to cut off the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches be installed. What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)? A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document which demonstrates that the rented property's gas appliances and flues have been examined by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are legally required to organize a gas safety check annually for each rental property they own. The inspection is carried out by an Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all pipework, appliances, and flues are in good working order and that they are in compliance with safety standards. Landlords are also legally required to provide their tenants with copies of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) following each annual gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be given to current tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. CP12 is the abbreviation used for the CORGI Proforma 12 that was used by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form outlines the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any steps that must be taken, as well as the name and the title of the engineer who performed the check. The engineer will provide advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will include the items that need to be corrected to make it safe to use. If an appliance is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally lethal the gas supply should be disconnected until the problem is resolved. It is a crime for a tenant to refuse to allow the gas safety check to be conducted. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction order if necessary, however it is usually much easier to simply send a well written letter that explains the reasons why it is crucial that the checks are carried out and what they'll involve. This should encourage the tenant who is hesitant to allow access to the property. If not, the landlord will need to initiate the eviction process. How often do discover this need to renew my Gas Safety Certificate? The landlords and letting agencies are legally required to carry out an annual gas safety check on all flues and gas appliances that they supply to tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and there are no gas leaks in the property. This is an essential responsibility for landlords and they should be sure to are inspected for gas by a licensed gas engineer. The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document that confirms that an engineer has completed a gas inspection in the last 12 months. It is given to the landlord and should be provided to the tenant to prove the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months and must be renewed each year. If a landlord is unable to provide their tenants with a Gas Safety Certificate then they are in violation of the law and could be punished by the local authority. It is therefore essential for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and to keep a copy of the certificate in the event that a tenant asks for it. It's also a good idea for landlords to install inspection hatches on all gas appliances, so that engineers can easily access them for inspections every year. The engineer will classify the appliance as 'at-risk' and may recommend that tenants stop using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed. Landlords must also give their tenants at least 24 hours' notice prior to entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This will allow tenants to prepare for the visit and give permission if needed. If a tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer entry the landlord should write to them explaining why the engineer is required and what happens if they don't follow through. If the tenant is still refusing then the landlord should think about evicting them under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. What happens if you don't have a Gas Safety Certificate? In essence it's the landlord's legal responsibility to ensure that their home has a valid gas safety certificate before tenants move in. Failure to comply with this law could result in the landlord being charged or fined heavily. The regulations also state that landlords must give an original copy of their gas safety report to their tenants upon request. Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property for an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, a Gas Safe registered engineer will note any problems that could pose a danger to tenants. The engineer will then issue an CP12 Gas Safety Document, also referred to as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate). This is an important document that every tenant should keep. It contains information about the gas installations of the rental property as well as information on when they were last tested and their expiry dates. It can assist tenants in identifying problems with appliances or installations and make sure they know how to contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them tested. Landlords must give a gas safety report to their tenants, both new and current within 28 days of the date that the engineer has visited their property. They must also give a copy of the CP12 to the tenant on the day their tenancy begins. Landlords who fail to provide a copy of the gas safety certificate could be prosecuted in accordance with the regulations and could face unlimited fines or six months imprisonment. In the same way, landlords must make sure that their properties are equipped with carbon monoxide alarms and can arrange for them to be tested every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord must fix it. This is the case for councils, private landlords, and housing associations and also 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 a valid gas safety certificate. The ruling was based on the law that states that landlords of assured shorthold tenancies must have an approved gas safety certificate for their property prior to when tenants move into. How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate? Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that gas appliances, flues, and pipework within their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To comply with these regulations, landlords must organize annual gas inspections of all the gas appliances and flues that they provide for use in the property. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate, and it has to be filled out by a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection. Landlords should also think about having a boiler inspection done at the same time as a CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are operating properly and safely. Gas engineers can provide the combination CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. They will examine the seals of boiler burners, inspect for cracks and leaks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and carry out general maintenance. The CP12 document is commonly known as the 'landlord's gas safety certificate', although it is officially called the Gas Safety Record documentation. It outlines the outcomes of all safety checks and details of any actions or problems that need to be addressed. Landlords must give their tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed. It is crucial that landlords and letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It's important to educate tenants about the importance of allowing gas engineers access to the property and explain that the engineer is there to safeguard them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to permit access it's the landlord's or letting agent's responsibility to clarify the legal obligations in writing. Then follow up with a visit to the property to force entry if necessary. Tenants should always have a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to entering the premises, as this will prove that they're competent to work on the gas systems in your home and can be trusted to complete the gas safety test efficiently and efficiently. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to shut off any malfunctioning equipment and can shut off your gas supplies when necessary.