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. The law also requires you provide a copy the check to your tenants.
If the engineer determines that an appliance or installation to be immediately dangerous, they will ask permission to cut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches are installed.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A landlord's gas safety certificate is an official document that certifies that all gas appliances and flues in the rental property have been checked by an experienced gas engineer. Landlords are legally required organize a gas safety check once per year for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and ensure that all pipework, appliances and flues comply with safety regulations.
The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) at the time of each annual inspection and test for gas safety. The document should be handed out to tenants within 28 days after the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the start of their tenure.
CP12 is the abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 that was used by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form includes the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, their results, any steps required to be taken, and the name and title of the engineer that conducted the inspection.
The engineer will offer advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any problems with the gas appliance. This will include what needs to be fixed so that it is safe for use. If an appliance is deemed to be immediate danger or abnormally lethal, the gas supply will have to be turned off until the problem is solved.
It is illegal to a tenant who refuses to allow the gas safety inspection to be conducted. A landlord can apply to the courts for an injunction order should it be necessary, but it is usually much easier to simply send a well worded letter explaining the reasons why it is crucial that the checks are conducted and what they'll involve. This should encourage a tenant who is reluctant to let access to the property. If not the landlord has to begin the eviction process.
How often should I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
The law requires that landlords and agents for letting are required to conduct an annual safety check of all chimneys and gas appliances they offer to their tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and there are no gas leaks in the property. Gas inspections are a vital responsibility for landlords, and they should ensure that they are conducted by a qualified 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 conducted by a qualified engineer in the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord, and should also be given to the tenant to verify the security of the gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months and must be renewed each year.
If a landlord fails to provide their tenants with a Gas Safety Certificate then they are breaking the law and could be penalized by the local authority. It is therefore essential for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and to keep a copy of the certificate in the event that a tenant asks for it.
It's also a good idea for landlords to install inspection hatches on all gas appliances so that engineers can easily access them for inspections every year. If the appliance is found to be at risk during an inspection, the engineer will formally declare it to be at risk and shut off the boiler and suggest that the tenant not use it until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords should also make sure that they give tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice before they visit the property to conduct Gas Safety checks. This will allow tenants to prepare for the visit and give permission, if required. If a tenant refuses to allow the engineer access, the landlord should send a letter to them explaining the reason for the visit and what happens if they don't comply. 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 make sure that their property has a gas safety certificate valid before tenants move into. Infractions to this law could result in the landlord being charged or being fined a significant amount. The regulations also stipulate that a landlord must provide a copy of the gas safety report to their tenants upon request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord to conduct an inspection of all gas appliances. During the inspection the engineer will take note of any issues that could cause a threat for tenants. The engineer will issue the CP12 Gas Safety Document, which is also referred to as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).
This is an important document that all tenants should take possession of and keep. This document contains information about gas installations in rental properties and the dates they were tested and their expiration dates. It will help tenants recognize any issues with the appliances or installation and ensure that they are aware of how to contact an Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.
Landlords are required to provide their tenants, both new and existing, with a gas safety check report within 28 days of the engineer's visit to their property. The landlord must also give a copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords who fail to provide a copy of the gas safety certificate could be prosecuted under the rules and may be subject to unlimited fines or six months imprisonment.
Similarly, landlords must ensure that their properties have working carbon monoxide alarms. They should also arrange for them to be tested every month. If the alarm is not working, the landlord should make the necessary repairs. The rules around this are applicable to council, private, and housing association landlords as well as to licensable Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017 In June 2017, the High Court ruled that it was unlawful for landlords to serve Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid gas Safety Certificate. The decision was based on a law that requires landlords with assured shorthold tenancies to have an official gas safety certificate for their property prior to the time tenants move into it.
How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that MK Gas Safety appliances, flues, and pipework within their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulate this. To be in compliance with the regulations, landlords are required to arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues they supply for use in the property. This is known as a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and it must be signed by a licensed Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.
It is also recommended for landlords to think about having an annual boiler service performed in conjunction with the CP12 inspection, since it will help ensure that all the gas appliances are operating in a safe and efficient manner. Gas engineers can offer an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable price. They will inspect the seals on boiler burners as well as look for cracks and leaks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and perform general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often referred to as the 'landlord gas safety certificate', however, it is officially referred to as the Gas Safety Record documentation. It lists the results of all the safety checks and the details of any actions or problems 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 is essential that landlords and letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property for safety inspections and maintenance. It's important to educate tenants on the importance of allowing gas engineers access to the property. They should explain that the engineer's presence is necessary to protect them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to let access in, it's the landlord or letting agent's responsibility explain the legal responsibilities in writing and then follow up with a visit to the property to compel entry if needed.
Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants before allowing them to enter the property. This will ensure that the engineer has the necessary qualifications to work with your home's systems and can therefore be trusted to perform the safety check. You should also be aware that a gas engineer can legally disconnect defective equipment or shut off your gas supply should it be required.