In relation to domestic gas under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GS(IU)R 98), a landlord is anyone who rents out a property that they own under a lease that is shorter than 7 years or under a licence. Regardless of whether you are a landlord under GS(IU)R 98 you may be considered a landlord under other related legislation. Landlords’ duties apply to a wide range of accommodation, occupied under a lease or licence, which includes, but not exclusively:
- Residential premises provided for rent by local authorities, housing associations, private sector landlords, housing co-operatives, hostels
- Rooms let in bed-sit accommodation, private households, bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels
- Rented holiday accommodation such as chalets, cottages, flats, caravans and narrow boats on inland waterways.
Your gas certificate will be revoked. It will be classed as At Risk. ‘At Risk’ ;is a risk classification used by gas engineers and means that your boiler and flue system could become dangerous in the future, in this case it is used because the engineer cannot examine the length of the flue to confirm it is safe.
Yes, you can. As long as:
- The electronic copy can be reproduced in hard copy format when required (e.g. for the tenant/HSE/housing department)
- The electronic copy is safe from damage and interference
- The electronic copy can uniquely identify the gas operative who carried out the safety check e.g. an electronic signature, a scanned signature, a payroll number unique to the operative, the name of the operative etc; the employer needs to have secure systems that link the individual operative to the unique identifier.
A landlord or gas engineer, with the landlord’s agreement, may send or give a copy of the electronic record directly to the tenant, providing the tenant is happy with this arrangement and has the ability to access it.
The gas safety check record is a record of the results of the checks carried out for the annual gas safety check. It should be issued on completion of the checks and not delayed even if defects are found or until necessary remedial action has been taken.
The record is a living document and landlords should supplement it with records of any follow up action taken (if required). This would provide a full record of the gas safety within the property.
You should not assume that an annual service inspection includes the points required by a safety check; neither should you assume that carrying out an annual gas safety check will be sufficient to provide effective maintenance. The advice of a competent Gas Safe registered engineer should be taken where necessary on action required.
We strongly recommend the use of CO alarms as one useful precaution to give tenants advance warning of CO in the property. Importantly, alarms should not be regarded as a replacement for regular maintenance and safety checks by a Landlord Safety Certificates registered engineer is crucial.
No, only a registered Landlord Safety Certificate engineer must fit and check a gas appliance. It is not acceptable for a Gas Safe registered engineer to knowingly sign-off gas work that has been carried out by a person who is not registered. Where this occurs, both the registered and unregistered installer may face prosecution.
If you notice any gas leak, you should immediately do the following:
- Call Landlord Safety Certificates on 020 3011 2253
- Open all the doors and windows
- Shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve (if you know where it is)
- It is illegal for anyone to use a gas appliance if they suspect it is unsafe. Turn the appliance off and do not touch it until it has been checked by us.
If defects are found, landlords must take appropriate action to ensure gas safety. The gas safety check record entails the results of the annual gas safety check. It should be issued on completion of the checks and not delayed even if concerns are found and not delayed until necessary safety actions have been taken. The record is a living document and landlords should supplement it with records of any follow-up action taken (if required). This would provide a full record of the gas safety within the property.
In order to operate safely, all gas appliances need the following:
- enough supply of air in order to prevent incomplete combustion of gas;
- efficient operation of their flue to remove any combustion gas, like carbon monoxide (CO)
Without these safety precautions dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can build up with the possibility of fatal consequences. There are some easy ways to help avoid the buildup of carbon monoxide poisoning:
- never block ventilation;
- ensure that flues are kept clear at all times;
- have your appliance regularly maintained and annually serviced by Landlord Safety Certificates Ltd.
You are putting lives at risk and breaking the law which could result in a substantial fine and/or a custodial sentence. At Landlord Safety Certificates Ltd, we give gas safety a high priority and will take the appropriate action to ensure compliance with the regulations.