15 Reasons You Shouldn't Ignore Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords

Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords It is crucial to keep in mind that it is only landlords who are responsible for gas safety checks. This is true for landlords who own residential properties and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodation. Landlords need to demonstrate that the pipework as well as the flues, appliances and appliances in their properties are safe prior to putting them up for sale. This can be done by obtaining an official gas safety certificate. What is a gas safety certificate? If you're a landlord or homeowner, you need to adhere to the law in regards to keeping your gas appliances and installation in good working order. This is why every property owner should be issued a gas safety certificate at least once a year. But what exactly is a gas safety certification? Who really needs one? A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a qualified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental property. The engineer will also check that all ventilation channels are free of obstructions in your rental property to prevent the risk of carbon dioxide build-up. The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations that were inspected, along with their make and model, as well as the location of your home. The engineer will then indicate whether they found the appliances to be safe for use or not, and will detail the work that needs to be done 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 tenants who are new when they start their lease. Failure to do so could result in fines or criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to take your responsibilities seriously. Although homeowners do not need a Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to obtain one every year. This will not just put your mind at ease about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but will help you identify any problems early. This can save you a lot of money and hassle in the long term. Gas Safety Certificates can be extremely useful to prospective buyers when selling your home. They will show that you've taken good care of all your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will accelerate the process of selling because it won't require additional checks. Who requires a gas safety certificate? As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home are safe for your tenants. This means that you'll need to schedule regular inspections with an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is in good working order. You'll need to give your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection is completed. This should be done prior to the time your tenants move into the property or at the start of any new lease. Keep the certificate for yourself, and any documentation of maintenance carried out on your property's gas appliances. Landlords are legally required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at least every 12 months. This applies to all homes with gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, as well as any appliances provided to tenants. If you are a landlord who does not have a valid certificate of gas safety, you could face massive fines (upto PS6,000) or legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The most significant chance is that a tenant may be injured or even killed due to defective appliances in your rental property. The only people who are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. They are the only ones who are trained to safely inspect gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, that has unique holograms on it. Although it's not uncommon for a tenant to deny access to their rental property in order to allow an Gas Safety Check, it is possible to do so. In these cases it is crucial for the landlord to explain to them why this is a legal requirement and that carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous if not detected promptly. If the tenant is refusing to allow an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might consider giving them an Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. Read Alot more should be accompanied by an explanation of why they are being forced out. For example, non-payment of rent or significant damage to the property. How do I obtain an gas safety certification? A gas safety certificate is required for landlords to show that their rented properties meet the requirements of the government. Some tenants are reluctant to allow a gas engineer in their residence for this reason, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords need to make sure tenants know that gas engineers aren't spying and only need to enter their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will help reduce the number of tenants who deny access to gas inspections. After the gas engineer has conducted 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 known as a CP12 which is a reference to 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 provide their current tenants with a copy the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the date that the check is completed and give the new tenant one upon signing the Tenancy agreement. landlord safety certificate must also make sure 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. Landlords can obtain 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 not able to gain access to their property to perform the necessary gas safety checks, they can make use of the section 21 notice if necessary to evict tenants. A notice of section 21 is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept records of those attempts. If a landlord fails to adhere to the proper procedure and attempts to evict their tenants illegally and is found guilty of harassment and may be fined a significant amount. Why do I need a gas safety certification? Landlords require a gas safety certification to ensure that the property they rent out is safe for tenants to reside in. Gas engineers should conduct regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe to use. This means they have to make sure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working condition. This will prevent any accidents, fires, or carbon monoxide poisoning which could be caused by faulty equipment. It is important that landlords keep up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be penalized for failing to do so. Landlords need to be able show proof that they completed their annual gas safety inspections in a timely manner. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer that visited the property. The landlord must fix any appliances that are unsafe or defective immediately to ensure the safety of the tenant. Some landlords may be having difficulty persuading their tenants to allow them access the house for gas safety checks. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as the fact that they feel it's an invasion of privacy, or they are currently in dispute with their landlord. It is recommended that the landlord write a letter in which he explains why a gas safety check is needed and what it will entail. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond. If the tenant continues to refuse to give access to the landlord then they should consider taking additional steps. This could be a Section 21 Notice or applying to court for an Injunction. This is a serious step that should only be taken in the last resort.