Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure all gas appliances, flues and chimneys are inspected annually. The law also requires that you provide a copy the check to your tenants.
If the engineer determines that an appliance or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will ask for permission to disconnect the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches are installed.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A landlord gas safety certificate is a document which demonstrates that all the gas appliances in the rental property and flues have been inspected by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are legally required to arrange a gas safety check annually for each rental property they own. The inspection is conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer and checks to ensure that all of the pipework, appliances, and flues are in good working order and in compliance with the safety regulations.
Landlords are also required by law to give their tenants a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) after each annual gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be given to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to any new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy.
CP12 is the abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 that was used by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form identifies the date of the last gas inspection and test, the results of these, any actions or issues that require to be addressed, and the name of the person who conducted the inspection.
The engineer will offer advice on the spot if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will include the items that need to be corrected so that it is safe for use. If a device is deemed dangerous immediately or abnormally dangerous, the gas supply must be turned off until the issue is fixed.
If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for gas safety checks to be completed the tenant is guilty of an infraction that is punishable by law. gas safety certificate check may apply to the courts for an injunction in the event of need, but it is usually much easier to simply send a well written letter stating the reason why the checks are made and what they will involve. This will encourage tenants who are hesitant to allow access to the property. If not the landlord is not willing, he will have to start the eviction procedure.
How often should I receive a Gas Safety Certificate?
The law requires that landlords and letting agents are required to conduct an annual gas safety inspection of all chimneys and gas appliances that they provide to their tenants. This is to ensure that the equipment is safe to use and that there are no gas leaks in the building. This is a vitally important responsibility for landlords and they should make sure that they are inspected for gas by a licensed gas engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document that affirms that an engineer has completed a gas check within the last 12 months. It is given to the landlord, and should be handed over to the tenant as proof of the security of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and needs to be renewed every year.
A landlord who fails to provide an Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be penalized. It is therefore crucial for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and to keep a copy the documentation in case a tenant requests it.
Installing inspection hatches on all gas appliances is a good idea, as it allows engineers to easily access the appliances for annual inspections. If the appliance is deemed to be at risk during an inspection, the engineer will formally declare it to be at risk and may disconnect the boiler and suggest that the tenant refrain from using it until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords should also make sure that they give their tenants at least 24 hours notice prior to the time they visit the property to carry out Gas Safety checks. This gives tenants time to plan their inspection and request permission, if required. If a tenant does not allow entry to the engineer the landlord has to explain the reason why it is necessary and what happens should the tenant refuse. If the tenant still refuses then the landlord should think about evicting them under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.
What happens if you don't have a Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the legal responsibility of a landlord to ensure that their property has an official gas safety certificate that is valid before tenants move in. Failure to do this is an offence that can cause landlords to be charged and liable to heavy fines. The regulations also stipulate that landlords must give an original copy of their gas safety certificate to their tenants on request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental property of the landlord in order to perform a gas inspection on all gas appliances. During the inspection, an engineer will identify any issues that could be a threat to tenants. They will issue an CP12 gas safety certificate, that is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is an important document that every tenant should keep. It contains information on the gas appliances in a rented property and also details on when they were last tested and when they expire. It can help tenants spot any issues with the installation or appliances and make sure that they know how to reach an Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.
Landlords must give an inspection report on gas safety to their tenants, new and current within 28 days of the date that the engineer has visited their property. The landlord is also required to provide the copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords who fail to provide the the gas certificate can be prosecuted and face unlimited fines, or six months in prison.
In the same way, landlords must make sure that their properties are equipped with carbon monoxide alarms. They should also arrange for them to be tested every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord should repair it. The rules around this apply to private, council and housing association landlords as well as licensable houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017, the High Court ruled that it was unlawful for landlords to send Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with an official Gas Safety Certificate. The ruling was based on the law that requires landlords with assured shorthold leases to obtain a gas safety certification for their property prior to the time tenants move into it.
How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are legally accountable for ensuring that gas appliances, flues and pipework in the homes they lease out are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To be in compliance with the regulations landlords must conduct annual gas checks on all gas appliances and flues they supply for use in a property. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and must be completed by a certified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.
It's also a good idea for landlords to consider having a boiler service carried out at the same time as the CP12 inspection, as this will ensure that all the gas appliances are operating properly and safely. Gas engineers can offer an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service for a reasonable price. They will inspect the seals on boiler burners, inspect for cracks and leaks in the flue system, clean the heat exchanger and perform general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often known as the 'landlord's gas safety certificate' however, it is officially referred to as the Gas Safety Record documentation. It lists the results of all safety checks and the details of any actions or problems that require attention. Landlords must give their tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.
It is essential that landlords and letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and for maintenance. It's a good idea inform tenants of the necessity of allowing access, and explain that the gas engineer is there to protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to permit access, it's the landlord or letting agent's duty to clarify the legal obligations in writing and then follow with a visit to the property to compel entry if needed.
Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants prior to entering the property. This will ensure that the engineer is qualified to work with your home's systems and therefore be trusted to carry out the safety check. It's also worth bearing in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to disconnect faulty equipment and can cut off your gas supplies in the event of a need.