Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances chimneys, flues and chimneys are inspected every year. The law also requires you provide a copy the check to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an device or installation to be immediately dangerous, they will ask permission to disconnect the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches be installed.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certificate issued by a landlord is an official document that proves that all gas appliances and flues in the property that is rented were inspected by an experienced gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to organize a gas safety check annually for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and verify that all pipes, appliances and flues are in compliance with safety standards.
Landlords are also required by law to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) after each annual gas safety inspection and test. This should be provided to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the beginning of their lease.
CP12 is the abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 that was employed by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form identifies the date of the last gas inspection or test and the results, any actions or issues that need to be addressed, and the name of the person who performed the inspection.
The engineer will provide advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will include the items that need to be fixed to make it safe to use. If an appliance is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally lethal the gas supply needs to be turned off until the issue has been resolved.
It is a crime to a tenant who refuses to allow the gas safety check to be conducted. If needed landlords can apply to the courts for a court order to prohibit the tenant from preventing gas safety checks. However, it's more common to send a letter which clarifies why the checks are essential and what will be required. This can encourage a reluctant tenant to let access in, and if not, the landlord might need to consider starting the eviction process.
How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
The 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 done to ensure that the appliances are safe to use and that there are no gas leaks in the building. Gas inspections are an essential obligation for landlords, and they should ensure that they are conducted by a qualified 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 inspection within the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord and must be provided to the tenant as proof of the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and has to be renewed every year.
If a landlord fails to provide their tenants with a Gas Safety Certificate then they are in violation of the law and could be fined by the local authority. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and to keep a copy the documents in case a tenant needs it.
boiler service and gas safety certificate 's also a good idea for landlords to set up inspection hatches on all gas appliances, so that the engineers can easily access them for annual inspections. The engineer will label the appliance as being at-risk and may suggest that tenants stop using the boiler until the inspection hatch is installed.
The landlords should also ensure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to when they visit 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 access to the engineer the landlord must explain the reason why it is necessary and what would happen should the tenant refuse. 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 receive a Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the legal obligation of a landlord to make sure that their property is fitted with an official gas safety certificate that is valid before tenants move in. Failing to do so is an offence that can lead to landlords being punished with severe fines. The regulations require that landlords must also furnish copies of the gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental property of the landlord to conduct an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, the engineer will note any issues that could present a danger to tenants. They will issue the CP12 gas safety certificate, which is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is an important document that every tenant should keep. This document provides information on 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 ensure that they know how to contact an Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.
Landlords are required to provide a gas safety report to their tenants, both current and new, within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord is also required to provide a copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords who fail to provide an original copy of the gas safety certificate can be prosecuted under the rules and face unlimited fines or six months imprisonment.
In the same way landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors are in operation in their properties and make arrangements for them to be tested each month. how much for landlords gas safety certificate is responsible for repairing an alarm that does not work. This is applicable to private landlords, councils and housing associations, as well as licensable houses of Multiple Occupation.
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 certification. The ruling was by reference to the law which states that landlords of assured shorthold leases must have a record of their gas safety for their property before tenants move into the property.
How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are legally accountable to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework in the homes they lease are safe. This is covered under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. In order to comply with the regulations, landlords are required to conduct annual gas inspections on all gas appliances and flues that they provide for use in the building. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and must be completed by a qualified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.
It's also a good idea for landlords to think about having an annual boiler service performed at the same time as the CP12 inspection, since this will ensure that all gas appliances are functioning in a safe and efficient manner. Landlords can usually receive a combination CP12 and boiler service at an affordable cost from a qualified gas engineer who will be able to check the seals on boiler burners, inspect the flue system for cracks and leaks as well as clean the heat exchanger and burner and carry out general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often referred to as the 'landlord gas safety certificate' but it is actually the Gas Safety Record documentation. boiler service and gas safety certificate lists the results of all the safety checks 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's important that landlords or letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises for safety checks and maintenance. It's important to educate tenants about the importance of giving gas engineers access to the property and explain that the engineer's job is to protect them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant refuses to permit access, the landlord or agent must explain the legal obligations in writing. They should then visit the property and force entry if necessary.
Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants before they are allowed to enter the property. This will prove that the engineer is qualified to work with your home's systems and can therefore be trusted to carry out the safety inspection. You should also be aware that a gas technician can legally disconnect defective equipment or shut off your gas supply if needed.