Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is important to keep in mind that it is only landlords that are accountable for gas safety inspections. This is the case for landlords of residential dwellings as well as those who rent out rooms or holiday accommodations.
Before they can put their properties for sale landlords must show that the plumbing and appliances in their homes are safe. This can be done by having a gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
You must adhere to the law, regardless of whether you are a landlord or a homeowner, when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in a good in good working order. Every property owner must obtain their gas safety certificates at least once in a calendar year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who is the one who needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document that is issued by a qualified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive examination of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home. The engineer will also verify that the vents in your properties are clear to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home.
The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. Going Listed here will list each of the gas appliances and installations, including their model, brand and the location of your home. The engineer will then state whether they believe the appliances to be safe to use or not, and detail the work that needs to be done to ensure the security of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll need to present it to your current tenants within 28 days of the service and provide it to any new tenants at the start of their tenancy. Failure to do this could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's crucial to take your responsibilities seriously.
Although homeowners do not require a Gas Safety Certificate to live in peace, it's recommended to obtain one every year. This will not only set your mind at ease regarding the condition of your gas and heating appliances, but will help you identify any issues in advance. This could help you save time and money in the long term.
If you're planning to sell your home If you're thinking of selling your home, you should get a Gas Safety Certificate will prove very beneficial to potential buyers as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. Additionally, it will expedite the process of conveyancing as it will not require any additional checks.
Who needs an official certificate of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your duty to ensure that all flues and gas appliances in your rental property are safe. This means that you'll need to arrange regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered engineer to make sure everything is working properly.
You'll need to give your tenants a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. Ideally, this will be completed prior to when your tenants move in or at the start of any new leases. It is also recommended to keep the certificate for yourself as well as any records of any maintenance work that you have performed on your home's gas appliances.
Landlords are legally obliged to have their properties inspected for gas safety at least once every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you're a landlord that doesn't have an official gas safety certificate you could be facing massive fines (up to a total of PS6,000) or court action from your tenants or even the possibility of a criminal charge. The biggest danger, however, is that one of your tenants could be injured or killed as a result of malfunctioning appliances in your rental property.
The only people who are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to inspect, service and test appliances and installations safely. Landlords can check the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card with unique holograms on it.
It is very rare for a tenant to not let access to the rental property to perform a Gas Safety Check. However it can happen. In these instances, it is important that the landlord explains to the tenant the reason why this is a legal obligation and how harmful carbon monoxide may be if it is not detected on time.
If a tenant still won't allow an engineer to enter their home The landlord should consider serving them with an Section 21 notice to end their lease. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason they're being forced out, such as non-payment of rent or causing serious damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certification?
Landlords require a gas safety certificate to prove their rental properties meet government regulations. Some tenants are reluctant to allow a gas engineer to enter their residence for this reason, which is frustrating for landlords. Landlords need to make sure tenants know that gas engineers aren't spying, and they only need to access their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will help reduce the number of tenants who are unable to access gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer after he has completed the necessary checks. It is also known as a CP12, which stands for 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 has to give a copy to their existing tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check has been completed. A new tenant will be provided with an original copy of the check when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is equipped in every room used as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are fitted to every storey of the property. The HSE website provides more information for landlords, including free leaflets as well as an Approved Code of Practice to Manage Gas Installations and Appliances within a Rental Property.
If a landlord is not able to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they can use the section 21 notice if necessary to expel tenants. It is important to remember, however, that a section 21 notice is only valid if the landlord has made at least three attempts to gain entry for the gas safety check and has kept records of these attempts. If a landlord does not adhere to the proper procedure for entry and then tries to evict tenants through illegal means, they may be accused of harassment and face heavy fines from regulatory bodies.
What is the reason I need a gas safety certificate?
Landlords need to have an approved certificate of gas safety to ensure that the house they lease is safe for tenants. This means they have to regularly check with an accredited gas engineer to make sure that the appliances are safe to use. This means that they must to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working condition.
This will help stop any fires, accidents or carbon monoxide poisoning that can be caused by faulty equipment. It is important that landlords are up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords must be able to prove that they have carried out their annual gas safety checks on time. This can be done by checking their Gas Safe register online, or by getting a copy of the latest certificate from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as unsafe or inoperable the landlord has to get them repaired immediately to ensure the health and safety of the tenants.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to grant them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. It could be because they believe that it is an invasion of their privacy, or are having a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it's a good idea for the landlord to write an extremely clear letter explaining the reasons why gas safety checks are required and what they'll entail. This can be sent by recorded delivery and should give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant is still refusing to let the landlord access then they should consider taking another step. This could be the use of a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious measure that should only be considered only as a last resort.