10 Websites To Help You Develop Your Knowledge About Gas Safety Certificate And Boiler Service
Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service As a landlord, it is your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances, chimneys and flues are inspected annually. gas safe certificate check should also provide a copy 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 suggest that inspection hatches be put in place. What is a Gas Safety Certificate? A landlord's gas safety certificate is an official document that confirms 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. The inspection is conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer and checks to ensure that all pipes, appliances, and flues are in good working condition and in compliance with safety standards. Landlords are also legally required to provide their tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) at the end of each year's gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be provided to tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the start of their tenure. CP12 is the abbreviation used for the CORGI Proforma 12 that was used by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form includes the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, their results, any actions that must be taken, as well as the name and title of the engineer who conducted the inspection. If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance, the engineer will advise on what needs to be done to ensure it is safe for use. If an appliance is deemed to be Immediately Dangerous or abnormally lethal, the gas supply will need to be shut off until the issue has been solved. If a tenant refuses to allow access for gas safety checks to be completed, it is an infraction that is punishable by law. If needed the landlord has the right to ask the courts for a court order to stop the tenant from preventing gas safety inspections. However, it is usually easier to write a letter that clarifies why the checks are important and what's required. This should encourage a tenant who is reluctant to let access to the property. If not the landlord has to initiate the eviction process. How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate? Landlords and letting agencies are required by law to carry out an annual gas safety inspection on all gas appliances and flues that they provide to their tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and that there aren't leaks of gas in the property. This is an essential obligation and landlords must be sure to have their gas inspections completed by a licensed gas engineer. The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document which affirms that an engineer has completed a gas inspection within the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord and must be presented to the tenant in order to demonstrate the safety of gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and has to be renewed each year. If a landlord is unable to provide their tenants with a Gas Safety Certificate then they are breaking the law and could be penalized by the local authority. Gas Safety checks must be carried out by landlords on time. They should also keep a copy in case tenants request it. Installing inspection hatches in all gas appliances is a good idea, since it allows engineers to easily access the appliances to conduct annual inspections. If the appliance is deemed to be at risk during an inspection, the engineer will formally categorise it as such and will shut off the boiler and advise that tenants not to use it until the inspection hatch has been installed. Landlords should also make sure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to the time they enter the property to carry out Gas Safety checks. This allows tenants time to prepare and request permission, if required. If a tenant does not allow the engineer entry the landlord should write to them explaining why it is necessary and what happens if they don't follow through. If the tenant continues to refuse, then the landlord should consider evicting them using section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate? In short it is the landlord's legal obligation to ensure their property has a valid gas safety certification before tenants move into. Failure to comply with this law could result in the landlord being prosecuted or fined heavily. The regulations stipulate that landlords are required to provide copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request. Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental property of the landlord to perform a gas inspection on all gas appliances. During the inspection, an engineer will identify any issues that could pose a danger to tenants. The engineer will issue an CP12 Gas Safety Document, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate). This is an important document that every tenant must keep. It contains information about the gas installations of a rental property as well as information on when they were last tested and when they expire. It can assist tenants in identifying issues with their appliances or installations and ensure that they know how to contact an Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked. Landlords are required to provide their tenants, both new and existing, with a gas safety inspection report within 28 days of the engineer visiting their property. The landlord must also provide the copy of CP12 at the beginning of the lease. Landlords that fail to provide the copy of the gas certificate can be charged 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 each month. If the alarm isn't working, the landlord should repair it. The rules for 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 an official gas safety certificate. The ruling was based on the law that requires landlords who have assured shorthold leases to obtain an official gas safety certificate for their property before tenants move into it. How can I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)? Landlords are legally responsible to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework in the homes they rent out are safe. This is covered under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. To comply with the regulations, landlords are required to organize annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues they install in the building. This is known as a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, and it has to be completed by a certified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection. It is also an excellent idea for landlords to consider having an annual boiler service performed at the same time as the CP12 inspection, as it will help ensure that all the gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Landlords are usually able to obtain a combined CP12 and boiler service for an affordable price from a professional gas engineer, who can check the seals on boiler burners, inspect the flue system for cracks and leaks, clean the heat exchanger and burner and conduct general maintenance. The CP12 is sometimes known as “landlord's gas safety certificate”, although it actually is known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It contains the results of all the safety checks and the details of any actions or issues that need to be resolved. Landlords must give their tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed. It is crucial that landlords and letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It's a good idea inform tenants about the necessity of allowing access, and explain that the gas engineer is there to help keep them safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to permit access it is the landlord's or letting agent's responsibility to clarify the legal obligations in writing and then follow up with a visit to the property to force entry if necessary. Tenants should always be shown a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before they allow them into the home, as this will prove that they are properly qualified to work on your home's gas systems and can be trusted to complete the gas safety inspection efficiently and effectively. It is also important to know that a gas engineer can legally shut off defective equipment or shut off your gas supply if needed.