What is a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate?
If you have gas appliances such as gas boilers installed at your home or any of your properties, you need to have a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate London. Keep in mind that the certificate is obligatory for landlords and they have to provide a copy of these certificates to their tenants. It’s the landlord’s legal duty to ensure the safety of his tenants.
How do you get a gas safety certificate?
Landlord gas safety certificates can only be provided by engineers or firms which are registered as Gas Safe. Anyone other than them is not allowed to perform any gas checks or install any gas appliance. For instance, if you live in Romford, it cannot be carried out by an ordinary Plumber Romford.
What is the frequency of these certificates?
It is a legal requirement to get all your gas appliances checked by gas safe registered engineers once every year or at the time of installation of a gas appliance. If you live in Romford, hire a gas safe registered Plumber Romford for carrying out all the necessary checks. Once the process is complete, it will be recorded in your gas safety record and a copy of it will be provided to your tenants.
What is mentioned in the gas safety record?
In your gas safety record, you will find:
- Details of all gas appliances including the location and description.
- Details of the gas safe registered engineer who checked your appliances including registration number, name, and signature.
- Date of inspection
- The address where these appliances are installed.
- Your details include name, address, and agent details if applicable.
- Details of any defects
- Details of actions taken or needed for fixing these defects.
- The final results of all safety checks were conducted on all gas appliances.
What are the responsibilities of a landlord when it comes to gas safety?
The GSIUR (Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations) 1998 identifies the duties of a landlord including ensuring that all gas fittings, gas appliances, flues, and chimneys are safely operating. Landlords have the following legal responsibilities
Safety checks
For ensuring the safety of your tenants, an annual gas safety check must be carried out by a gas safe registered engineer for all gas appliances. Once the checks are completed, the engineer/firm will provide you with an LGSR or Landlord Gas Safety Record. The periodic safety check has to be carried out 10 to 12 months after the last check.
Gas Safety Record
Once the safety check is complete and you receive your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, you have to share a copy of it with your tenants. According to the prevailing law, this should be provided within 28 days from the completion of the safety check.
For fresh tenants, you will have to provide the latest copy right away. You have to keep copies of your safety record until two more periodic checks have been completed.
Maintenance
The maintenance of all gas appliances, pipework, flues, and chimneys is the landlord’s responsibility. The annual check by default offers a chance for regular maintenance, however, you may want to check the manufacturer’s manual for every appliance regarding the advised maintenance period.
Gas pipework
Checking the installation pipework is not a mandatory requirement and is typically not included in the annual safety check. However, both HSE and Gas Safe Register recommend that when carrying out a safety check, you should ask the engineer to:
- Carry out tests for checking the tightness of the entire system, including the installation pipework.
- Carry out a visual examination of the pipework
Gas pipework checks do not require any maintenance records but you should have evidence of the maintenance you have carried out.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and the need for detector alarms
Many gas appliances such as gas boilers use natural gas as fuel. Natural gas is highly inflammable, implying that if there is any leakage and the leakage comes into contact with fire, it can result in a serious fire hazard. Moreover, when natural gas is also highly toxic.
Exposure to natural gas in confined spaces can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.
Inefficient burning of natural gas can also result in releasing carbon monoxide. To protect against these hazards, it is highly recommended to install carbon monoxide detectors. It is compulsory in Scotland and Northern Ireland to install a carbon monoxide detector.
What is the cost of the Landlord Gas Safety check?
Your expense for receiving a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate depends on the engineer/firm you hire, your location, etc. Whether you reside Plumber Romford and in London, we suggest you take quotes from at least three different companies. You can use the internet to find a registered company near your location.
Read more: Getting a Important and Useful Landlord Gas Safety Certificate
