15 Reasons You Shouldn't Ignore Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
how often gas safety certificate For Landlords It is vital to remember that it is only landlords who are responsible for gas safety checks. This is the case for landlords of residential dwellings and those who lease rooms or holiday accommodations. Before they can put their homes for sale landlords must show that the plumbing and appliances they have installed in their homes are safe. This can be accomplished with an official gas safety certificate . What is a Gas Safety Certificate? Whether you're a landlord or homeowner, you have to comply with the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installation in good operating condition. Every property owner should get their gas safety certificates at least once a calendar year. What exactly is a gas safety certificate? Who needs one? A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document that is issued by a certified Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive inspection of all the gas appliances and flues within your rental home. The engineer will also test that the vents in your property are free of obstruction to prevent dangerous carbon monoxide build-up. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations that were examined, along with their make, model and location within your property. The engineer will determine whether the appliances are safe to use, and will provide information on any work required to ensure your tenants' safety. 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 beginning of their tenure. Failure to do so could result in fines, or even criminal prosecution, so it's vital to consider your responsibilities seriously. Even though homeowners don't need a Gas Safety Certificate to live in safety, it's an excellent idea to obtain one each year. This will not just put your mind at ease about the condition of your heating and gas appliances, but can also help you detect any problems early. This can save you time and money in the long-term. If you're thinking of selling your home, you should get a Gas Safety Certificate will prove extremely useful to potential buyers as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can expedite the process of conveyancing since it doesn't require any additional checks. Who needs a gas safety certificate? As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that any gas appliances and flues in your rental property are safe for your tenants. This means you'll have to schedule regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure that everything is working properly. You'll need to provide your tenants a copy the Gas Safety Certificate once the inspection has been completed. Ideally, this will be completed before your current tenants move in or at the beginning of any new leases. Keep an original copy of the document for yourself as well as the records of any maintenance that was performed on the gas appliances that are in your property. Landlords are legally obliged to have their properties checked for gas safety at least every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances and any appliances provided to tenants. If you're a landlord that doesn't possess a valid gas safety certification and you're not licensed, you could be subject to hefty fines (up to a maximum of PS6,000), court action from your tenants or the possibility of a criminal charge. The most significant danger, however, is that one of your tenants could be injured or killed as a result of malfunctioning appliances in your rental property. Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to conduct the Gas Safety check. This is because they are trained to safely inspect, service and test gas appliances and installations. Landlords can check an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, with a unique hologram on it. Although it's not common for a tenant to deny access to their rental property to permit the Gas Safety Check, it can happen. In these instances it's crucial for the landlord to explain the legal requirement and also that carbon monoxide could be extremely dangerous if it is not detected promptly. If a tenant continues to refuse to let an engineer into their home the landlord should think about giving them the Section 21 notice to end their tenancy. This should be accompanied by an explanation as to why they're being evicted. For example the non-payment of rent, or significant damage to the property. How can I obtain an gas safety certification? A gas safety certificate is necessary for landlords to prove that their rented properties meet the requirements of the government. However, some tenants might not allow gas engineers into their homes for this purpose which is a source of frustration and unfair to landlords. Landlords must ensure that tenants know that gas engineers aren't spying, and they only need to enter their homes to sign a legally-required document. This will decrease the number of tenants who deny access to gas inspections. The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer once they have completed the necessary checks. It is also referred to 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 is completed. A new tenant will be provided with a copy when signing the tenancy contract. The landlord should also make sure that a carbon dioxide detector is installed in every room with fixed combustion appliances, except for gas cookers. Smoke alarms should be installed on each floor of the property. The HSE website has more details for landlords, such as free leaflets as well as an Approved Code of Practice to Manage Gas Installations and Appliances in a Rental Property. If a landlord cannot gain access to their property in order to perform the necessary gas safety checks, they can use a section 21 notice to remove tenants, if needed. A section 21 notice 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 a record of the attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the proper procedure and then tries to expel their tenants unlawfully they could be found guilty of harassment and could face heavy fines. Why do I need a gas safety certificate? Landlords must have an official certificate of gas safety to ensure that the home they lease is safe for tenants. This means that they must regularly check with an accredited gas engineer to make sure that all appliances are safe to use. Also, they must ensure that the gas pipework, appliances, and flues are all in good working order. This will help avoid any fires, accidents, or carbon monoxide poisoning that could be caused by faulty equipment. It is essential that landlords are up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they can be fined for not doing so. Landlords have to demonstrate that they carried out their annual gas safety checks in time. They can do this by looking up their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining the most recent certificate from the engineer who inspected the property. The landlord is required to repair any appliances that are unsafe or defective immediately to ensure the safety of tenants. Some landlords may be having difficulty persuading tenants to allow them access the property for gas safety checks. This could be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that they believe it's an invasion of privacy or that they are currently in a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it's recommended for the landlord to write an explicit letter stating the reasons why gas safety checks are required and what they will entail. The letter can be sent via recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to respond. If the tenant refuses to give access to the landlord, they should take further action. This could include the issue of a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious action that should only be considered in the last resort.