Check Out: How Gas Safety Certificate And Boiler Service Is Taking Over And What To Do About It

Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As an owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys are inspected annually. You should also provide a copy to your tenants.

If the engineer determines that an appliance or installation as being immediately hazardous, they will ask for permission to shut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches are installed.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate?

A gas safety certificate issued by a landlord is an official document that certifies that all gas appliances and flues in the rented property have been inspected by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to conduct a gas safety inspection once per year for each rental property they own. The inspection is conducted by an Gas Safe registered engineer and checks to ensure that all of the pipework, appliances, and flues are in good working order and that they comply with the safety regulations.

The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) after each annual inspection and test for gas safety. This must be given to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the start of their lease.

CP12 is the abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 that was employed 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 required to be taken, as well as the name and the title of the engineer who performed the test.

If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance the engineer will provide advice on what should be done to ensure its safe use. If an appliance is deemed to be immediately dangerous or Abnormally Lethal, the gas supply will need to be disconnected until the issue is solved.

It is a crime for a tenant to refuse to allow the gas safety inspection to be conducted. If needed the landlord has the right to ask the courts for an order to prohibit the tenant from preventing the gas safety checks. However, it's often easier to send a letter that clarifies why the checks are essential and what will be required. This should encourage a tenant who is reluctant to allow access to the property. If not, the landlord will need to initiate the eviction process.

How often should I receive a Gas Safety Certificate?

Landlords and letting agencies are required by law to carry out an annual gas safety check on all gas appliances and flues that they supply to their tenants.  safety certificates  is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and that there aren't gas leaks in the property. Gas inspections are an essential obligation for landlords and they must ensure that they are carried out by a qualified engineer.

The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is an official document that proves that the gas inspection was conducted by a qualified engineer in the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord and should be provided to the tenant to prove the security 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 the Gas Safety Certificate then they are in violation of the law and could be punished by the local authority. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and keep a copy of the documents in case a tenant needs it.

It's also a good idea for landlords to put inspection hatches on all gas appliances, so that the engineers can easily access the hatches for annual inspections. If the appliance is deemed to be  at risk during an inspection, the engineer will formally declare it to be at risk and shut off the boiler and advise that the tenant not use it until the inspection hatch is installed.

The landlords should also ensure that they give tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice before they are allowed to enter the property to perform Gas Safety checks. This allows the tenants to prepare for the visit and provide permission, if required. If a tenant does not allow entry to the engineer, the landlord must explain the reason for this and what will happen if the tenant refused. If the tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer entry, the landlord may 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 short, it's the landlord's legal responsibility to ensure their property has a valid gas safety certification prior to the time tenants move into the property. 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 record to their tenants on 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 issue an CP12 gas safety document, which is known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.

This is a crucial piece of documentation that all tenants should take possession of and keep. The document contains information about gas installations in a rental home, including when they were tested and expiration dates. It can help tenants identify any issues with the appliances or installations and make sure that they know how to contact a Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.

Landlords are required to provide their current and new tenants with a gas safety report within 28 days of the engineer's visit to their property. They must also provide a copy of the CP12 to the tenant on the day their tenancy commences. Landlords who fail to provide the copy of the gas certificate could be prosecuted and face unlimited fines, or six months in prison.

Similar to this landlords must ensure that carbon monoxide detectors work in their homes and have them tested every month. If the alarm isn't working, the landlord should repair it. The rules governing this apply 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 ruled that it was illegal for landlords to send Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid gas Safety Certificate. The decision was based on 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?

Landlords are legally accountable for ensuring that gas appliances, flues and pipework in the properties they rent out are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulate this. To be in compliance with the regulations, landlords are required to organize annual gas inspections of all the gas appliances and flues that they provide for use in the building. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate, and it has to be signed by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.

It is also recommended for landlords to think about having a boiler service carried out at the same time as the CP12 inspection, since this will help ensure that all the gas appliances are functioning correctly and safely. Landlords can typically obtain a combined CP12 and boiler service for an affordable cost from a qualified gas engineer, who will be able to examine the seals on boiler burners. They will also inspect the flue system for leaks and cracks cleaning the heat exchanger and burner and carry out general maintenance.

The CP12 document is often called the 'landlord's gas safety certificate' but it is actually the Gas Safety Record documentation. It includes the results of the safety checks, as well as specifics of any issues or actions that should be taken care of. Landlords must provide their tenants a CP12 document no later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.

It is crucial that landlords and letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property for safety inspections and maintenance. It is essential to inform tenants on the importance of allowing gas engineers access to their property and explain that the engineer is there to protect them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to let access in it's the landlord's or letting agent's responsibility explain the legal responsibilities in writing and then follow with a visit to the property to force entry if necessary.

Tenants should always see a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before letting them in, 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 check efficiently and effectively. It's also worth bearing in mind that the gas engineer is legally able to cut off any defective equipment and can shut off your gas supply if necessary.