Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is essential to keep in mind that only landlords are accountable for the gas safety check. This is the case for landlords of residential dwellings and those who rent rooms or holiday accommodation.
Before they can put their homes on the market landlords must prove that the pipes and appliances in their homes are safe. This can be accomplished by obtaining an official gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you have to follow the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installation in good operating condition. That's why every property owner should be issued a gas safety certificate at least once per year. What is a gas certificate? Who really needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a licensed Gas Safe engineer after carrying an exhaustive inspection of all the gas appliances and flues in your rental home. The engineer will also ensure that all ventilation pathways are in good working order in your rental property to prevent the risk of carbon dioxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. It will list all of the gas appliances that were inspected and installations, along with their model, brand and the location of your home. The engineer will state if the appliances are safe to use and will provide information on the work required to ensure the safety of your tenants.
When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll have to provide it to your current tenants within 28 days of receiving the service and also give it to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenure. Failure to do this could result in fines or criminal prosecution, so it's vital to be aware of your obligations.
Although homeowners don't need a Gas Safety Certificate, it's still a good idea to have one every year. Not only will this put your mind at ease regarding the health of your heating and gas appliances, but it could aid in identifying any problems early on. This can save you a lot of time and money in the long term.
If you're thinking of selling your home and are thinking of selling it, 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. It also speeds the process of conveyancing since it doesn't require additional inspections.
Who requires a gas safety certificate?
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental home are safe for your tenants. This means you'll have to arrange regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure that everything is in good working order.
Once the inspection is complete You'll need a copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. This should be done ideally prior to the time your tenants move in or at the beginning of a new lease. Keep cp12 certificate for yourself as well as the records of any maintenance that was done to the gas appliances in your property.
Landlords are required to have their properties examined for gas safety at a minimum once every 12months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances, as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants.
If you're a landlord that doesn't have a valid gas safety certification, you could face hefty penalties (up to a total of PS6,000) or court action from your tenants or a criminal charge. The most significant danger, however, is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed due to malfunctioning appliances in your rental property.
The only person who are qualified to conduct a Gas Safety Check are Gas Safe engineers. Only Gas Safe engineers are certified to inspect, service and test appliances and installations in a safe way. Landlords can verify the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, that has a unique hologram on it.
While it's uncommon for a tenant to deny access to their rental property in order to allow an Gas Safety Check, it could happen. In these situations, it is important that the landlord explain to the tenant the reason why this is a mandatory requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide can be if it is not detected on time.
If the tenant refuses to allow an engineer in the property, then the landlord could decide to issue an Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason for being forced out for non-payment of rent or causing serious damage to the property.
How do I get an gas safety certificate?
Landlords need an official gas safety certificate to ensure their rental properties are in compliance with the laws of the government. However, some tenants may refuse to let gas engineers into their residences for this purpose which is a source of frustration and unfair to landlords. landlord gas safety certificate price must ensure that tenants know that gas engineers aren't spies and that they are only required to access their homes in order to fill out a legally required document. This will help reduce the number of tenants who are unable to access gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer once the required checks. This is also known as a CP12 which stands for CORGI Proforma 12 CORGI was previously the Council for Registered Gas Installers However, it was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register.
The landlord must provide their existing tenants with a copy this document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the date that the check is completed and give a new tenant one upon signing the lease. The landlord must also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector has been installed in each room used for living space that has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are connected to every storey of the property. Landlords can obtain more information on these requirements, including free brochures and an Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Gas Installations and Appliances in a rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website.
If a landlord cannot gain access to their property in order to conduct the required gas security checks, they can make use of a section 21 notice to remove tenants, if needed. It is important to note that a section 21 notice is only served when the landlord has attempted at least three times to gain access for the gas safety inspection and has maintained records of these attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the proper procedure for entry and then tries to expel tenants using illegal means, they may be accused of harassment and face hefty fines from regulators.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have a gas safety certification to ensure that the property they rent out is safe for tenants to live in. This means they must get regular checks done by an approved gas engineer to ensure that any appliances are safe to use. This means that they must to ensure that the gas pipelines and appliances are in good working in good working order.
This will avoid any fires, accidents or carbon monoxide poisoning that could be caused by faulty equipment. It is important that landlords are up-to-date with their Gas Safety certificates, as they could be fined for failing to do so.
Landlords must be able to show that their annual gas safety inspection has been carried out on time. They can prove this by reviewing their Gas Safe register online, or by getting the most recent certificate from the person who visited the property. The landlord is required to repair any appliances that are dangerous or defective immediately to ensure tenant's safety.
Some landlords have difficulty convincing their tenants to grant them access to their properties in order to conduct gas safety checks. It could be because they believe that it violates their privacy, or are fighting with their landlord. If this is the case, it's a good idea for the landlord to write a strongly worded letter explaining the reason why the gas safety inspections are necessary and what they will entail. This letter could be delivered via recorded delivery and the tenant will be given 14 days to respond.
If the tenant still refuses to let the landlord access the landlord should think about taking further action. This could include a Section 21 Notice or applying to the court for an Injunction. But, this is a very serious option that should only be considered as an option last resort.