The law is very clear regarding the requirements from UK landlords when it talks about gas safety in a rented property. The law requires annual gas safety inspection to be undertaken by an approved CORGI registered engineer. According to the law, failure to comply with this requirement carries a fine of up to 5,000 and up to six months' imprisonment.
According to the law, landlords are required to ensure the following:
* Open flue gas appliances should not be located in the same room where people are sleeping, or a bathroom.
* All work relating to the repair, service or installation of gas appliances to be carried out by a CORGI certified engineer.
* All fixed or mobile gas appliances within the property are maintained and their safety is inspected at least once every twelve months. The inspection must be carried out by a CORGI certified engineer.
* Any work done to any gas appliance in the property is then approved through a series of safety tests by a CORGI certified engineer.
*The tenants must have unrestricted access to all appropriate documentation for all gas appliances (such as manuals, safety notices, instructions and labels).
*Dates of safety inspections should be noted clearly on a set of records. The records should also include any defects identified and work done on them. The occupiers of the property should have access to these records within 28 days of the inspection or before new tenants are moving into the property.
Landlords should consider installing protection against carbon monoxide poisoning in the rented property. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes between 20 to 30 deaths every year in the UK. Carbon monoxide is a result of an incomplete burning reaction, which creates a combination of carbon with a single oxygen molecule. The gas has no smell, colour or taste and is extremely poisonous, causing asphyxiation and sometimes death. Carbon monoxide can occur when the boiler installation is done poorly, when the flue is poorly designed or installed or is simply blocked.
The law is very strict with landlords, forcing them to ensure all domestic boilers are checked and serviced every year. Such statutory requirement causes major headaches for large landlords and housing associations. These groups struggle with the administrative and logistical effort of providing access to the Corgi certified engineer to the property.
Evidence shows that it is difficult for the Corgi engineer to gain access to the property in cases of large blocks of flats. During business hours, most flat are empty while their occupants are at work. It proved to be difficult to get people to stay at home to wait for the plumber to come and conduct the safety check. Tenants are reluctant to lose a day's pay in order to stay at home for the landlord to comply with the Regulation.
In extreme cases, a landlord has to resort to issuing an entry warrant into the property if the tenant fails to cooperate. Such cases are very regrettable as they are complicated and costly, due to the need for police to attend and additional making good costs (which can get to 500 per property).
According to the law, landlords are required to ensure the following:
* Open flue gas appliances should not be located in the same room where people are sleeping, or a bathroom.
* All work relating to the repair, service or installation of gas appliances to be carried out by a CORGI certified engineer.
* All fixed or mobile gas appliances within the property are maintained and their safety is inspected at least once every twelve months. The inspection must be carried out by a CORGI certified engineer.
* Any work done to any gas appliance in the property is then approved through a series of safety tests by a CORGI certified engineer.
*The tenants must have unrestricted access to all appropriate documentation for all gas appliances (such as manuals, safety notices, instructions and labels).
*Dates of safety inspections should be noted clearly on a set of records. The records should also include any defects identified and work done on them. The occupiers of the property should have access to these records within 28 days of the inspection or before new tenants are moving into the property.
Landlords should consider installing protection against carbon monoxide poisoning in the rented property. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes between 20 to 30 deaths every year in the UK. Carbon monoxide is a result of an incomplete burning reaction, which creates a combination of carbon with a single oxygen molecule. The gas has no smell, colour or taste and is extremely poisonous, causing asphyxiation and sometimes death. Carbon monoxide can occur when the boiler installation is done poorly, when the flue is poorly designed or installed or is simply blocked.
The law is very strict with landlords, forcing them to ensure all domestic boilers are checked and serviced every year. Such statutory requirement causes major headaches for large landlords and housing associations. These groups struggle with the administrative and logistical effort of providing access to the Corgi certified engineer to the property.
Evidence shows that it is difficult for the Corgi engineer to gain access to the property in cases of large blocks of flats. During business hours, most flat are empty while their occupants are at work. It proved to be difficult to get people to stay at home to wait for the plumber to come and conduct the safety check. Tenants are reluctant to lose a day's pay in order to stay at home for the landlord to comply with the Regulation.
In extreme cases, a landlord has to resort to issuing an entry warrant into the property if the tenant fails to cooperate. Such cases are very regrettable as they are complicated and costly, due to the need for police to attend and additional making good costs (which can get to 500 per property).
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about efficient heating, boilers, West Hampstead plumbers, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.
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