Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances chimneys, flues and chimneys are inspected every year. It is also your responsibility to give a copy of the report to your tenants. If the engineer deems any appliance or installation to be immediately dangerous, they will ask permission to disconnect the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches be installed. What is a Gas Safety Certificate? A landlord's gas safety certificate is an official document that proves that all gas appliances and flues in the rental property have been checked by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to conduct a gas safety inspection every year for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry out the inspection and check that all pipework, appliances and flues are in compliance with safety regulations. Landlords are also required by law to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) after each annual gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be provided to tenants within 28 days following the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the start of their lease. CP12 is the abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 that was employed by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form identifies the date of the last gas inspection and test and the results, any actions or issues that require to be addressed, and the name of the engineer who carried out the check. If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance and the engineer will give advice on what must be done to make it safe for use. If an appliance is deemed dangerous immediately or abnormally lethal the gas supply needs to be turned off until the issue is resolved. If a tenant is unwilling to permit access to the gas security checks to be conducted it is an offence that is criminal. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction if necessary, however it is generally more efficient to simply send a strongly written letter stating why it is essential that the checks are conducted and what they'll involve. This should encourage a tenant who is reluctant to allow access to the house. If not, the landlord will need to begin the eviction process. How often do I need to renew my Gas Safety Certificate? The law requires that landlords and let agents are required by law to conduct an annual gas safety inspection on the chimneys and gas appliances they offer to their tenants. This is to ensure that the equipment is safe to use and that there are no gas leaks in the property. This is an essential responsibility and landlords should ensure that they are inspected for gas by a qualified gas engineer. The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is an official document that proves that an inspection of the gas supply has been completed by a qualified engineer in the last 12 months. It is given to the landlord and must be handed over to the tenant as proof of the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and has to be renewed each year. A landlord who is unable to provide a Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be penalized. It is therefore vital for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and to keep a copy the documentation in case a tenant needs it. It is also an excellent idea for landlords to install inspection hatches on all gas appliances to allow engineers to easily access them for annual inspections. If the appliance is deemed to be in danger during an inspection the engineer will declare it to be at risk and will shut off the boiler and advise that tenants not to use it until the inspection hatch is installed. Landlords must also give tenants at least 24 hours' notice before entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows tenants time to prepare and ask permission, if required. If landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service is refusing entry to the engineer the landlord has to explain the reason why it is necessary and what happens if the tenant refused. If the tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer entry, the landlord may consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of 1988 Housing Act. What is the consequence if you don't possess a Gas Safety Certificate? In essence it's the landlord's legal responsibility to ensure their property has an approved gas safety certificate before tenants move in. Failure to adhere to the law can lead to a landlord being prosecuted or fined severely. The regulations also state that landlords must provide a copy of the gas safety report to their tenants upon request. Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental property of the landlord to perform an inspection of all gas appliances. During the inspection, an engineer will identify any issues that could pose a risk to tenants. They will then issue the CP12 gas safety certificate which is known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate. This is a vital document that every tenant must be able to access and keep. This document provides information on gas installations in a rental home, including when they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It can help tenants identify issues with their appliances or installations and make sure they are aware of how to contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked. Landlords are required to provide their new and current tenants with a gas safety report within 28 days of the date that the engineer visits their property. homeowner gas safety certificate must also give an original copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords who fail to provide the copy of the gas certificate can be prosecuted and face unlimited fines or even six months in prison. Similar to this, landlords should ensure that carbon monoxide detectors work in their homes and make arrangements for them to be checked every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord must repair it. The rules governing this are applicable to private, council and housing association landlords, as well as to licensable houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs). In June 2017 in June 2017, the High Court decided that it was unlawful for landlords to issue Section 21 notices if they did not provide their tenants with a valid gas safety certification. The decision was based upon the law that requires landlords who have assured shorthold tenancies to have an official gas safety certificate for their property prior to when tenants move in. How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)? Landlords are legally responsible to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework in their homes are safe for tenants. This is covered by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. To comply with these regulations, landlords must arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues they supply for use within the property. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, and it has to be completed by a qualified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection. Landlords should consider conducting a boiler inspection in conjunction with a CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are operating properly and safely. Gas engineers can offer an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. They will check the boiler burner's seals as well as look for leaks and cracks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger and carry out general maintenance. The CP12 is often referred to by the term landlord's gas safety certificate however it is actually called the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It contains the results of the safety checks, as well as specifics of any issues or actions that should be taken care of. Landlords are required to give their tenants the CP12 document not later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed. It's important that the landlords or letting agents permit Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It's a good idea to inform tenants of the importance of allowing access and explaining that the gas engineer is there to protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to allow access the agent or landlord must explain the legal obligations in writing. They should then go to the property and force entry if required. Tenants should always ask to have a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to they allow them into the home, as this will prove that they're qualified to work on the gas systems in your home and is able to complete the gas safety test efficiently and effectively. It is also important to know that a gas engineer is able to legally remove faulty equipment or cut off the gas supply in case of need.
landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service|homeowner gas safety certificate
