Any landlord who rents a property out to someone has a duty to ensure the safety of their tenants, which is why Landlord Gas Safety checks are so vital.
Rented properties might include local authority housing, private sector landlords or hostels. In addition, the responsibility also applies to single rooms and bedsits, bed and breakfasts, and holiday accommodation that is rented out.
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 outline the duties of landlords to ensure gas appliances, fittings and chimneys/flues provided for tenants are safe. Under the UK law there are three main responsibilities that landlords have to their tenants when letting a property which is equipped with gas appliances.
These comprise of a duty to carry out proper maintenance, ensuring regular landlord gas safety checks are conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer and to provide tenants with a record of the gas safety check.
Annual Gas Safety checks
Gas safety checks, which must be carried out on a yearly basis, ensure that any gas appliances and flues provided for tenants are safe for continued use. Landlords must arrange for them to be checked for safety every 12 months and it’s vital to use a Gas Safe registered engineer. A gas safety check can be carried out any time from 10 – 12 months after the previous check whilst still preserving the original expiry date of that check.
Tenants are entitled to have a copy of the current gas safety record for the property they are renting, this should be provided to new tenants before they move in or to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being carried out. Copies of the record must be kept by the landlord for two years afterwards.
What type of maintenance should be carried out
Proper maintenance of gas appliances and flues provided for tenants includes a series of inspections and any necessary repairs – again, remember these should only be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. In addition to ensuring the safety of gas appliances, the gas pipework must also be kept in a safe condition.
Gas appliances and flues should be serviced in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, or, when these instructions are unavailable, annual servicing is recommended. While landlords have no obligation to keep maintenance records, they have to be able to demonstrate that regular maintenance of the flues and appliances and any necessary repairs have been undertaken.
Get in touch for your Landlord gas safety check today
All of our highly qualified plumbers at Taylor Pickering are Gas Safe registered engineers. So, if you’re in need of a plumber in Leicester to carry out a landlord gas safety check, or you desperately need a 24-hour emergency plumber, or a boiler installation specialist, contact Taylor Pickering via our online form or give us a call on 0116 287 76 73.