Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues and chimneys undergo annual inspections. You should also provide a copy to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an appliance or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will ask permission to disconnect the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches are installed.
What is an Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is an official document that confirms that all gas appliances and flues in the property that is rented have been inspected by an accredited gas engineer. The landlord must arrange for an annual gas inspection for each rental property they have at least once a year. The inspection is conducted by an Gas Safe registered engineer and checks to ensure that all pipes, appliances, and flues are in good working condition and in compliance with the safety regulations.
The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) after every annual inspection and test for gas safety. The certificate should be given to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.
CP12 is an abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 which was employed by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form outlines the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any actions that need to be taken, as well as the name and the title of the engineer that conducted the check.
The engineer will give advice in the event that the Gas Safety Check reveals any problems with the gas appliance. This will include what needs to be corrected so that it is safe for use. If a device is deemed immediately dangerous or abnormally lethal the gas supply should be shut off until the issue is resolved.
It is a crime for a tenant to refuse to let the gas safety check to be carried out. A landlord can apply to the courts for an injunction order should it be necessary, but it is generally easier to simply send a well worded letter explaining the reasons why it is crucial that the checks are carried out and what they'll involve. This will make a tenant more hesitant to give access, and if not, the landlord may be required to begin the process of eviction.
How often do I need to renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
The landlords and letting agencies are required by law to carry out an annual safety check on all flues and gas appliances that are supplied to tenants. how much for landlords gas safety certificate is done to ensure that the equipment is safe to use and to ensure that there aren't gas leaks in the property. This is a crucial responsibility and landlords should ensure that they have their gas inspections completed by a licensed gas engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is legal document that confirms that an inspection of the gas supply has been completed by a qualified engineer in the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord and must be given to the tenant to prove the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months and must be renewed every year.
A landlord who is unable to provide an Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. It is therefore crucial for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and to keep a copy the documents in case a tenant needs it.
It is also a good idea for landlords to install inspection hatches on all gas appliances to allow engineers to easily access them for inspections every year. gas safety certificate and boiler service will classify the appliance as 'at-risk' and may suggest that the tenant refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords must also ensure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice before they visit the property to perform Gas Safety checks. This will allow tenants to prepare for the visit and give permission, if required. If a tenant does not allow the engineer's entry the landlord must explain the reason for this and what would happen if the tenant refused. If the tenant refuses to allow the engineer entry, the landlord could consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of 1988 Housing Act.
What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the legal responsibility of a landlord to make sure that their property is equipped with a gas safety certificate valid prior to the time tenants move into. Infractions to this law can result in the landlord being charged or fined heavily. The regulations state that landlords must also provide copies of gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord to perform an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection the engineer will be able to identify any issues that could pose a risk to tenants. They will issue a CP12 gas safety certificate, which is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is a very important document that every tenant must keep. This document contains information about gas installations in a rental home and the dates they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It will help tenants recognize problems with appliances or installations and make sure they know how contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them tested.
Landlords are required to provide their current and new tenants with a gas safety check report within 28 days of the engineer's visit to their property. They must also provide a copy of the CP12 to the tenant on the day their tenancy commences. Landlords who fail in providing the copy of the gas certificate may be prosecuted and could face unlimited fines, or six months in prison.
Additionally, landlords should ensure that their properties have working carbon monoxide alarms and can arrange for them to be tested every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord must fix it. The rules around this are applicable to council, private and housing association landlords and also to licensable houses of multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017 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 an official gas safety certificate. The decision was made in accordance with the law that states that landlords with assured shorthold leases must have a record of their gas safety for their property prior to when tenants move into the property.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are legally responsible for ensuring that gas appliances, flues, and pipework within the properties they lease are safe. This is covered under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. To be in compliance with the regulations, landlords are required to arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues that they install in the building. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and it must be signed by a licensed Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.
Landlords should also consider conducting a boiler inspection in conjunction with the CP12 inspection. This will ensure that the gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Landlords can typically 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 leaks and cracks cleaning the heat exchanger and burner and conduct general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often known as the 'landlord's gas safety certificate' but it is actually the Gas Safety Record documentation. It outlines the outcomes of all the safety checks and details of any actions or issues that require attention. 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 the landlords or letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers to visit the property for safety checks and maintenance. It's a good idea inform tenants of the necessity of allowing access, and explain that the gas engineer will protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant does not allow access the agent or landlord must outline the legal obligations in writing. They should then go to the property and force entry if required.
Tenants should always see a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to letting them in to ensure that they're competent to work on the gas systems in your home and is able to complete the gas safety test efficiently and effectively. It's also worth bearing in mind that the gas engineer is legally allowed to cut off any defective equipment and cut off your gas supplies when necessary.