What's Holding Back In The Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords Industry?
Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords
It is vital to keep in mind that it is only landlords who are responsible for gas safety inspections. This applies to landlords of residential dwellings and those who rent out rooms or holiday accommodation.
Landlords need to demonstrate that the pipework as well as the flues, appliances and appliances within their properties are safe before putting them up for sale. This can be done by having the gas safety certificate.
What is a Gas Safety Certification?
If you're a landlord or homeowner, you have to adhere to the law when it comes to maintaining your gas appliances and installation in good working order. That's why every property owner should be issued a gas safety certificate at least once a year. What is a gas safety certificate? Who really needs one?
A Gas Safe Certificate, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is a legal document issued by a licensed Gas Safe engineer after carrying an extensive inspection of all the gas appliances and flues within your rental home. The engineer will also make sure that all ventilation pathways are in good working order in your rental property to avoid dangerous carbon dioxide build-up.
The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your annual inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will outline the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all gas appliances and installations that were inspected, along with their make and model, as well as the location of your property. The engineer will then state whether they found the appliances to be safe for use or not, and will provide details of the work that needs to be completed to ensure the safety of your tenants.
You will need to provide your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants within 28 days of the service. You must also give it to new tenants once they begin their lease. If you don't follow the rules you could face fines or criminal prosecution.
Although homeowners don't require a Gas Safety Certificate to live safely, it is still an excellent idea to obtain one every year. This will not only give you peace of mind regarding the health of your heating and gas appliances, but it can aid in identifying any issues before they become serious. This could help you save money and time in the long run.
If you're considering selling your house, you should get a Gas Safety Certificate will prove very beneficial to potential buyers as it will demonstrate that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It will also speed the process of selling as it does not require any additional checks.
Who requires an attestation of gas safety?
As a landlord it is your duty to ensure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe. You'll have to arrange for regular inspections by an Gas Safe registered technician to make sure that everything is operating correctly.
Once the inspection is complete, you'll need a copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. It is recommended that this be completed prior to when your tenants move in or at the start of any new tenancies. You should keep a copy of the document for yourself and keep documentation of any maintenance you have carried out on gas appliances in your property.
Landlords are legally required to have their homes inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This includes all properties with gas appliances that are owned by the landlord, as well as any appliances that are available for use by tenants.
If you are a landlord who does not have an official certificate of gas safety, you could be subject to severe fines (upto PS6,000) or legal actions from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The most significant risk is that one of your tenants might be injured or killed as a result of faulty appliances in your rental property.
Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform the Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe engineers are trained to examine, service and test appliances and installations safely. Landlords can check the engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking at their ID card, that has unique holograms on it.
It is rare for a tenant to permit access to the rental property to perform an Gas Safety Check. However, it does happen. In these situations it is essential that the landlord explains to the tenant the reason why this is a legal requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide may be if not detected on time.
If the tenant is unwilling to allow an engineer in and the landlord is not willing to let an engineer in, then the landlord might be tempted to issue the option of a Section 21 notice that ends their tenure. This is to be accompanied by a description of the reason why they're being forced out in the first place, such as not paying rent or serious damage to the property.
How do I obtain a gas safety certification?
Landlords need a gas safety certificate to prove their rental properties comply with government regulations. Some tenants are reluctant to let a gas engineer into their residence for this reason and this can be a source of frustration for landlords. Landlords should make sure to convey to their tenants that gas engineers are not spies and only need access to complete an important legally required document. This will help to reduce the number of tenants who are unable to allow access for gas inspections.
The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer when he has completed the necessary checks. It is also known as a CP12, which stands for CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI was the Council for Registered Gas Installers until it was replaced by the Gas Safe Register in April 2009.
The landlord must give copies to their current tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) after the check has been completed. A new tenant will receive one when they sign the tenancy agreement. The landlord should also ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is equipped in each room used as living accommodation which has fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers) and that smoke alarms are fitted to each storey of the property. The HSE website provides more information for landlords, including free leaflets along with an Approved Code of Practice to Manage Gas Installations and Appliances within a rental Property.
If a landlord is not able to gain access to their property to perform the necessary gas safety checks, they can use a section 21 notice to expel the tenants, if appropriate. A notice of section 21 is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property to conduct the gas safety test and kept a record of those attempts. If a landlord does not follow the correct procedure for entry and then tries to evict their tenants by illegal means, they could be found guilty of harassment and face heavy fines from regulators.
Why do I require a gas safety certificate?
Landlords must have a certificate of gas safety to ensure that the house they rent is safe for tenants. safety certificates should conduct regular checks to make sure that all appliances are safe for use. This means they have to make sure that the gas pipework and appliances are in good working in good working order.
This will prevent any accidents, fires or carbon monoxide poisoning that can result from faulty equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to keep current. They could be penalized for not doing so.
Landlords have to prove that they have carried out their annual gas safety inspections on time. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or obtain a copy from an engineer who visited the property. The landlord has to fix any appliances that are dangerous or malfunctioning immediately to ensure tenant's safety.
Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to grant access to their property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that they believe it's a violation of privacy, or they are currently in a dispute with their landlord. If this is the case, it is recommended for the landlord to send a strongly worded letter explaining why the gas safety checks are required and what they will entail. This can be sent by recorded delivery and will give the tenant 14 days to reply.
If the tenant is unwilling to allow access to the landlord, they must take further steps. This could be a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious action that should only be taken only as a last resort.