Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys undergo annual checks. The law also requires you provide a copy the check to your tenants.
If the engineer deems any device or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will ask permission to disconnect the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches are installed.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document that proves that all of the gas appliances and flues have been examined by a licensed gas engineer. The landlord must arrange for the gas check for each rental property that they own at least once a year. The inspection is performed by a Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all pipework appliances, flues, and pipes are in good working condition and that they comply with the safety regulations.
Landlords are also required by law to provide their tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) at the end of each year's gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be provided to tenants within 28 days after the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.
CP12 is an abbreviation used for 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 shows the date of the last gas inspection and test and the results, any actions or issues that require to be addressed, as well as the name of the engineer who carried out the inspection.
The engineer will offer advice on the spot if the Gas Safety Check reveals any problems with the gas appliance. This will outline what needs to be addressed to make it safe to use. If a gas appliance is found to be Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally lethal the gas supply needs to be shut off until the issue has been resolved.
It is illegal for a tenant to refuse to let the gas safety check to be carried out. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction should it be necessary, but it is generally easier to simply send a strongly written letter stating the reason why the checks are made and what they will involve. This will encourage tenants who are hesitant to let access to the property. If not, the landlord will need to begin the eviction process.
How often do I need to renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords and letting agents are required by law to conduct an annual gas safety inspection on all gas appliances and flues that they provide to tenants. This is done to ensure that the equipment is safe to use and that there are no gas leaks in the property. MK Gas Safety are a crucial obligation for landlords and they should ensure that they are completed by a certified engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is a legal document that confirms that an inspection of the gas supply has been performed by a licensed engineer in the last 12 months. It is given to the landlord, and should be provided to the tenant to prove the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months and has to be renewed annually.
A landlord who does not provide a Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. Gas Safety checks must be completed by landlords in time. They must keep a copy in case tenants ask for it.
Installing inspection hatches in all gas appliances is a good idea as it allows engineers to gain access to the appliances for annual inspections. If the appliance is found to be in danger during an inspection, the engineer will formally categorise it as such and may disconnect the boiler and advise that tenants not to use it until the inspection hatch is installed.
Landlords are also required to give tenants at least 24 hours' notice prior to entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows tenants time to prepare and ask permission, if required. If a tenant refuses access to the engineer the landlord has to explain why this is necessary and what would happen in the event that the tenant refuses. If the tenant does not allow the engineer entry, the landlord can consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act.
What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the legal obligation of a landlord to make sure that their property is equipped with an approved gas safety certificate prior to the time tenants move into. Infractions to this law could result in the landlord being charged or fined severely. The regulations require that landlords are required to provide copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request.
Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property to perform a gas check on all gas appliances. During the inspection, the engineer will note any issues that may present a danger for tenants. They will issue an CP12 gas safety document, which is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is a crucial document that all tenants should get a hold of and keep. It contains information on the gas appliances in a rented property as well as information regarding when they last tested and when they expire. It can help tenants identify any issues with the installation or appliances and make sure that they know how to reach a Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.
Landlords are required to provide their tenants, both new and existing, with a gas safety inspection report within 28 days of the date that the engineer visits their property. They must also provide a copy the CP12 to the tenant on the day their tenancy starts. Landlords who fail to provide the copy of the gas certificate may be charged and face unlimited fines or even six months in prison.
The same way landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors are in operation in their homes and arrange for them being checked every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord must make the necessary repairs. The rules around this are applicable to private, council and housing association landlords and also to licensable Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017 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 in accordance with the law that states that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must have an approved gas safety certificate for their property before tenants move into the property.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
Landlords are legally accountable to ensure that gas appliances, flues, and pipework in the properties they lease out are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulate this. To comply with the regulations landlords must conduct annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues they supply to tenants. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate and it must be filled out by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
It is also an excellent idea for landlords to consider having the boiler service completed at the same time as the CP12 inspection, as this will help ensure that all gas appliances are operating correctly and safely. Gas engineers can provide an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable price. They will check the boiler burner's seals, inspect for leaks and cracks in the flue system, clean the heat exchanger and carry out general maintenance.
The CP12 is often referred to by the term "landlord's gas safety certificate", although it actually is known 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 provide their tenants a CP12 document not later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.
It is important that landlords and letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property for safety inspections and maintenance. It's a good idea to inform tenants about the necessity of allowing access, and explaining that the gas engineer will protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to permit access it is the landlord's or letting agent's duty to clarify the legal obligations in writing. Then follow up with a visit to the property to compel entry if needed.
Tenants should always ask to be shown a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to they allow them into the home, as this will prove that they're competent to work on your home's gas systems and are able to complete the gas safety check efficiently and efficiently. It is also important to know that a gas technician can legally disconnect faulty equipment or cut off the gas supply in case of need.
