Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, chimneys and flues are inspected annually. It is also your responsibility to give a copy of the report to your tenants.
If the engineer considers that a particular appliance or installation is imminently dangerous they will ask permission to disconnect gas supply and recommend the installation of inspection hatches.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document that demonstrates that the gas appliances in the rental property and flues have been checked by a licensed gas engineer. Landlords are required to arrange the gas check for each rental property they own at least once a year. The inspection is performed by a Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all pipes and appliances as well as flues are in good working condition and that they comply with safety regulations.
Landlords are also legally required to provide tenants with copies of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) after each annual gas safety inspection and test. The document should be handed out to tenants within 28 days after the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the start of their lease.
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 lists the date of the last gas inspection and test and the results, any issues or actions that need to be addressed, and the name of the engineer who carried out the check.
The engineer will offer advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will include the items that need to be corrected so that it is safe for use. If a device is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally dangerous, the gas supply must be shut off until the issue is resolved.
If a tenant does not permit access to the gas safety checks to be carried out the tenant is guilty of an infraction that is punishable by law. If necessary landlords can apply to the courts for a court order to stop the tenant from preventing the gas safety checks. However, it's more common to send a letter that clarifies why the checks are essential and what will be required. This will encourage a reluctant tenant to let access in, and if otherwise, the landlord could have to think about starting the process of eviction.
How often should I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords and letting agencies are legally required to conduct an annual gas safety check on all gas appliances and flues that they supply to tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe for use and that there aren't any gas leaks in the property. This is an essential responsibility for landlords and they should ensure that they have their gas inspections completed by a certified gas engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document which confirms that an engineer has completed a gas check within the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord and must also be given to the tenant to prove the security of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months, and has to be renewed each year.
A landlord who fails to provide an Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. gas safety certificate landlord Milton Keynes Gas Safety is therefore crucial for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out in a timely manner and keep a copy of the certificate in the event that a tenant asks for it.
It is also an excellent idea for landlords to set up inspection hatches on all gas appliances, so that engineers can easily access them 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 recommend that the tenant not use it until the inspection hatch is installed.
Landlords must also ensure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice before they visit the property to conduct Gas Safety checks. This gives tenants time to prepare for the visit and give permission if necessary. If a tenant is refusing the engineer's entry, the landlord must explain the reason why it is necessary and what will happen in the event that the tenant refuses. If the tenant does not allow the engineer entry, the landlord can think about evicting the tenant in accordance with section 21 of the 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 a valid gas safety certificate before tenants move into. Failure to adhere to this law could result in the landlord being charged or fined heavily. The regulations require that landlords must also furnish copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request.
Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property to conduct an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, the engineer will note any issues that could pose a risk for tenants. The engineer will then issue a CP12 Gas Safety Document, which is also referred to as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).
This is a crucial piece of documentation that every tenant must be able to access and keep. It contains information about the gas installations in the rental property, as well as details on when they were last checked and the expiry dates. It will help tenants recognize issues with their appliances and installations and make sure they are aware of how to contact a Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.
Landlords are required to provide their new and current tenants with a gas safety inspection report within 28 days of the engineer's visit to their property. The landlord must also give an original copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords who fail to provide a copy of the gas safety certificate may be prosecuted under the regulations and could face unlimited fines or six months imprisonment.
Similar to this, landlords should ensure that carbon monoxide detectors are working in their properties and make arrangements for them to be tested every month. If an alarm is not functioning, the landlord has to repair it. The rules for this apply to council, private and housing association landlords as well as licensable houses of multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017, the High Court decided that it was unlawful for landlords to issue Section 21 notices if they did not provide their tenants with a valid gas safety certificate. The ruling was in accordance with the law that stipulates that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must have a record of their gas safety for their property before tenants move in.
How can I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
Landlords are legally responsible to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework in the properties they rent out are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. In order to comply with these regulations, landlords must organize annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues that they provide for use in the property. This is known as a CP12 gas safety certificate, and it has to be filled out by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
It is also a good idea for landlords to think about having a boiler service carried out simultaneously with the CP12 inspection, since this will help ensure that all the gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Gas engineers can provide a combined CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. They will check the seals on boiler burners as well as look for leaks and cracks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger and perform general maintenance.
The CP12 is often referred to by the term "landlord's gas safety certificate" but it actually is called the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It contains the results of safety checks, as well as specifics of any issues or actions that need to be addressed. Landlords are required to give their tenants the CP12 document not later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.
It is crucial that the landlord or letting agent only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to visit the property for safety checks and maintenance. It's a good idea inform tenants about the necessity of allowing access, and explaining that the gas engineer will ensure they are safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant refuses to allow access, the landlord or agent must outline the legal obligations in writing. They should then visit the property and force entry if needed.
Tenants should always be shown a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to they allow them into the home, as this will prove that they are properly qualified to work on your home's gas systems and is able to complete the gas safety inspection efficiently and effectively. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to shut off any malfunctioning equipment and can shut off your gas supply if necessary.