Notes

10 Failing Answers To Common Gas Safety Certificate And Boiler Service Questions Do You Know Which Answers?
Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys undergo annual checks. The law also requires you provide a copy the check to your tenants.

If the engineer considers an appliance or installation to be immediately dangerous they will request permission to disconnect the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches be put in place.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

A landlord gas safety certificate is a document that demonstrates that all the gas appliances in the rental property and flues have been examined by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords must arrange an annual gas inspection for each rental property they have at least once a year. The inspection is conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all pipework and appliances as well as flues are in good working condition and that they are in compliance with safety standards.

The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) at the time of each annual inspection and test for gas safety. The document should be handed out to tenants within 28 days after the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.

CP12 is an abbreviation used for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was used by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form outlines the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any steps that must be taken, and the name and title of the engineer who performed the inspection.

If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas device and the engineer will give advice on what should be done to ensure it is safe for use. If a device is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally lethal, the gas supply must be turned off until the issue is fixed.

If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for gas security checks to be conducted the tenant is guilty of an offence that is criminal. A landlord can ask the courts for an injunction should it be necessary, but it is generally easier to send a clearly written letter that explains the reasons why it is crucial that the checks are made and what they will entail. This should entice a tenant who is reluctant to allow access to the property. If not the landlord has to start the eviction procedure.

How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?

The law requires that landlords and agents for letting are required to conduct an annual safety check of all chimneys and gas appliances they offer to their tenants. This is done to ensure that the equipment is safe for them to use and to ensure that there aren't gas leaks in the building. This is a vitally important obligation and landlords must ensure that they are inspected for gas by a licensed gas engineer.

The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is legal document that confirms that a gas inspection has been performed by a licensed engineer in the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord and should be presented to the tenant to prove the safety of gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months and has to be renewed every year.

A landlord who fails to provide an 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 keep a copy of the documentation in the event that a tenant asks for it.

Installing inspection hatches on all gas appliances is a good idea, because it lets engineers quickly access the appliances for annual inspections. The engineer will categorise the appliance as being at-risk and may recommend that tenants refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch is installed.

Landlords must also ensure that they provide their tenants with a minimum of 24 hours notice before they visit the property to carry out Gas Safety checks. This gives tenants time to prepare and ask permission if they need. If a tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer access, the landlord should write to them explaining why it is necessary and what will happen in the event that they do not comply. If the tenant does not allow the engineer entry, the landlord can think about evicting the tenant in accordance with section 21 of 1988 Housing Act.

What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate?

In essence it's the landlord's legal responsibility to ensure that their property is equipped with an approved gas safety certificate prior to the time tenants move in. Failure to do this is an offence that can result in landlords being prosecuted and subject to severe fines. The regulations require that landlords must also furnish copies of gas safety records to their tenants upon request.

Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord to conduct a gas inspection on all gas appliances. During the inspection, the engineer will note any issues that could pose a risk for tenants. They will issue a CP12 gas safety document, which is known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.

This is a crucial document that every tenant must keep. This document contains information about gas installations in a rental property as well as the date they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It can help tenants identify issues with their appliances or installations and make sure they know how to contact an Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.

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

Similarly, landlords must ensure that their properties have working carbon monoxide alarms and can arrange for them to be tested every month. The landlord is responsible for repairing an alarm that does not work. The rules around this are applicable to council, private and housing association landlords, as well as to licensable houses of multiple Occupation (HMOs).

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 leases must have a gas safety record for their property prior to when tenants move into the property.


How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate?

Landlords are legally accountable to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework in the homes they rent out are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To ensure compliance with the regulations landlords must conduct annual gas checks on all gas appliances and flues they supply for use in a property. This is known as a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and it must be completed by a certified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.

It is also an excellent idea for landlords to look into having a boiler service carried out simultaneously with the CP12 inspection, as this will help ensure that all gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Landlords can usually get a combined CP12 and boiler service for a reasonable price from a professional gas engineer, who can check the seals on boiler burners, check the flue system for leaks and cracks cleaning the heat exchanger and burner and conduct general maintenance.

The CP12 is often referred to by the term "landlord's gas safety certificate" but it's actually known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. mkgassafety lists the results of all safety inspections and details of any actions or issues that need to be addressed. Landlords must provide their tenants with a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.

It is essential that the landlords or letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers to visit the property for safety checks and maintenance. It's a good idea to inform tenants of the importance of allowing access and explain that the gas engineer is there to ensure they are safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to allow access it's the landlord's or letting agent's responsibility to explain the legal responsibilities in writing. Then follow by visiting the property to force entry if necessary.

Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants prior to they are allowed to enter the property. This will ensure that the engineer is qualified to work on your home's systems and can therefore be trusted to conduct the safety check. It's also worth bearing in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to disconnect faulty equipment and cut off your gas supplies in the event of a need.

Here's my website: https://www.mkgassafety.co.uk/landlord-gas-safety-certificates-buckingham/