Landlords – are you breaking the Law without knowing it?

By: David Tang
Not all landlords are aware that following from the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, they are required by law to ensure all gas appliances in their rented property have an annual check by a CORGI Registered engineer, and receive a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, to confirm it. It is also a legal requirement to provide a copy of the CP12 Certificate to your tenants after every inspection. It should detail each gas appliance, the date of inspection, any defects found and the action taken.Transco receives over 1 million reports of gas escapes each year. The law is cracking down on private landlords who fail to produce a current gas safety certificate for their properties with heavy penalties in many cases. This is because the consequences of a faulty gas appliance can be carbon monoxide poisoning, and even explosion.It is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure the gas safety check is completed annually – if access to the property is not possible, keep a record to show that you’ve tried everything in your power to carry out the inspection. Tenants should be shown how to turn the gas supply off in the event of a leak, but it needs to be made clear to them that repairs can only be carried out by a CORGI registered engineer. The Council for the Registration of Gas Installers maintains a mandatory register of gas installers in the UK who are qualified to carry out the repair safely. A CORGI installer may imply gas appliances that are being fitted for the first time but CORGI registration applies equally to tradesmen who carry out gas appliance repairs, gas servicing and gas appliance replacement.Melissa Fletcher of home emergency repair and insurance suppliers Homeserve said "Many landlords act in good faith but simply don’t realise the legal requirements regarding gas safety for their tenants. This puts them under unnecessary risk of legal action in the event of an accident."To safeguard yourself and your tenants, bear in mind the following checklists:Legal Checklist: • Have a safety check carried out on all gas appliances and flues annually or within 12 months before the start of a new tenancy. • Have gas installations and appliances serviced regularly and keep a record of the service. This ensures the properties fittings and flues are maintained in a safe condition.• Check gas installations and appliances immediately before the start of any new tenancy, even if the gas safety certificate is still current. • Have all installation, maintenance and safety checks carried out by a CORGI registered engineer only. • Keep a record of each safety check for 2 years – the CORGI installer will issue this. • Give a copy of the CORGI installer’s safety check report to each tenant within 28 days of the safety check, or to new tenants before occupation.
For a full copy of the Gas Safety Regulations, enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, see www.HMSO.gov.uk This press release has been written by Melissa Fletcher for www.Homeserve.com, specialists in home repairs and insurance. melissa.fletcher@homeserve.com Phone: 0800 073 3111
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