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Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords It is vital to remember that it is only landlords who have responsibility for gas safety checks. This is true for landlords who own residential properties and those who rent rooms or other holiday accommodation. Before they can put their properties for sale, landlords must be able prove that the plumbing and appliances in their homes are safe. Gas safety certificates can help you to achieve this. What is a Gas Safety Certificate? Whether you're a landlord or homeowner, you must to adhere to the law in regards to keeping your gas appliances and installation in good working order. That's why every property owner needs to obtain their gas safety certificate at least once a year. What exactly is a gas safety certificate? And who needs one? what is a landlord gas safety certificate , also called a Landlord Gas Safety Record, is an official document issued by a qualified Gas Safe engineer after carrying out a full inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental property. The engineer will also verify that the ventilation passages in your property are free of obstruction to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide accumulating in your home. The Gas Safe Certificate will detail the results of your yearly inspection. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide the results of your yearly inspection. It will list all the gas appliances and installations that were inspected, along with their make and model as well as their location within your home. The engineer will also state whether they found the appliances to be safe for use or not, and detail any work that needs to be completed to ensure the safety of your tenants. When you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you'll have to provide it to your current tenants within 28 days of the service and also give it to any new tenants at the start of their tenure. In the event of a delay, it could result in fines or even criminal prosecution, so it's important to be aware of your obligations. Although homeowners don't need an Gas Safety Certificate, it's an excellent idea to get one on an annual basis. This will not only set your mind at rest about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but will help you spot any issues in advance. This can help you save money and time in the long-term. Gas Safety Certificates are extremely useful to prospective buyers when you're selling your home. They can show that you have taken care of all your gas appliances and installations. In addition, it can accelerate the process of selling as it will not require additional checks. Who needs a gas safety certificate? As a landlord, it's your obligation to ensure that all gas appliances and flues within your rental property are safe. You'll need to schedule regular inspections from a Gas Safe registered technician to ensure that everything is functioning correctly. After the inspection has been completed, 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 current tenants move in or at the beginning of any new tenancies. You should keep the copy for yourself, as well as documentation of any maintenance you have performed on the gas appliances that are in your property. Landlords are legally required to have their properties inspected for gas safety at a minimum every 12 months. This applies to all homes with gas appliances owned by the landlord as well as any appliances provided to tenants. If you are a landlord without a valid certificate of gas safety, you could face massive penalties (upto PS6,000), legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The greatest risk is that a tenant might be injured or even killed due to defective appliances in your rental property. Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform a Gas Safety check. Only Gas Safe professionals are trained to check and service appliances and installations safely. Landlords can check an engineer's Gas Safe Register registration by looking for their ID card, that has a unique hologram on it. Although it's not uncommon for a tenant to refuse access to their rental property in order to permit a Gas Safety Check, it could happen. In these situations, it is important that the landlord explain to the tenant the reason why it is a requirement and how dangerous carbon monoxide may be if not detected in time. If the tenant is refusing to allow an engineer in, then the landlord may decide to issue a Section 21 notice that ends their tenancy. This should be accompanied with an explanation as to why they're being removed. For instance, non-payment of rent or severe damage to the property. How do I obtain a gas safety certificate? A gas safety certificate is required for landlords to show that their properties that they rent meet the requirements of the government. However, some tenants might not allow gas engineers enter their homes for this reason which can be frustrating and unfair for landlords. Landlords should make sure to get the word out to their tenants that gas engineers aren't spies and only need access to complete a vital legally required document. This will reduce the number tenants who deny access to gas inspections. Once the gas engineer has carried out the necessary checks and is sure that the appliances are safe for use, they will issue the Landlord Gas Safety Record document. This is also commonly known as a CP12 which is a reference to CORGI Proforma 12. CORGI used to be the Council for Registered Gas Installers, but was replaced in April 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The landlord must provide their current tenants with a copy the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the time the check is completed. They must also give a new tenant an original copy when they sign the Tenancy agreement. The landlord must ensure that carbon dioxide detectors are installed in each room with fixed combustion appliances, excluding gas cookers. Smoke alarms should be installed on every floor of the property. Landlords can get more information on these requirements, including free brochures and an Approved Code of Practice for the management of gas Installations and Appliances in the rental Property (Appendix 3), on the HSE website. If a landlord is unable to gain access to their property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they can use the section 21 notice to evict tenants. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept records of the attempts. If the landlord does not adhere to the proper procedure and attempts to evict their tenants illegally and is found guilty of harassing and may be fined a significant amount. Why do I require a gas safety certificate? Landlords need to have an official certificate of gas safety to ensure that the property they lease is safe for tenants. Gas engineers must perform regular checks to ensure all appliances are safe to use. This also means that they must make sure the gas pipework, appliances, and flues are all in good working order. This will help prevent any accidents, fires, or carbon monoxide poisoning that could be caused by defective equipment. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to ensure they are up-to-date. They can be penalized for not doing so. Landlords must be able to demonstrate that their annual gas safety inspection has been carried out on time. You can verify your Gas Safe Register online or request a copy from the engineer who visited the property. If any of the appliances are identified as unsafe or inoperable, the landlord must get them repaired immediately to ensure the health and safety of the tenants. Some landlords are unable to convince their tenants to grant them access to the property in order to conduct gas safety inspections. It may be because they feel that it would violate their privacy or are in a dispute with their landlord. It is an ideal idea to request the landlord write a letter in which he explains why a gas safety check is needed and what it will entail. This letter can be delivered by recorded delivery and the tenant will have 14 days to reply. If the tenant is still refusing to let the landlord access then they should consider taking further action. This could include the issue of a Section 21 Notice or applying an Injunction in court. This is a serious step that should only be considered in the last option.