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Gas Safety Certificate For Landlords It is important to keep in mind that only landlords are responsible for the gas safety check. This applies to both landlords who own residential properties as well as those who lease rooms or other holiday accommodation. Before they can put their property on the market landlords must prove that the pipework and appliances in their homes are safe. This can be done by having a gas safety certificate. What is a gas safety certificate? If you're a landlord or homeowner, you need to follow the law when it comes to keeping your gas appliances and installations in good functioning order. Every property owner should get their gas safety certificates at least once in a calendar year. But what exactly is a gas safety certificate? And who 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 exhaustive inspection of all gas appliances and flues that are in your rental property. The engineer will also verify that the vents in your property are free of obstruction to avoid dangerous carbon monoxide build-up. The Gas Safe Certificate will provide you with 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 examined, along with their make and model as well as their location within your property. The engineer will then state whether they found the appliance to be safe to use or not, and detail the work that needs to be done 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. If you don't comply, you could face charges or fines. Although homeowners do not need an Gas Safety Certificate, it's nevertheless a good idea to have one every year. This will not just put your mind at ease about the state of your heating and gas appliances, but help you identify any issues early. This can save you time and money in the long run. If you're thinking of selling your home and are thinking of selling it, the Gas Safety Certificate will prove extremely useful to potential buyers since it can prove that you've taken care of your gas appliances and installations. It also speeds the process of selling as it does not require any additional inspections. Who requires a gas safety certificate? As a landlord it is your obligation to ensure that all flues and gas appliances in your rental property are safe. This means that you'll need to arrange regular inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure everything is working properly. Once the inspection is complete and you're ready to get a copy of your Gas Safety Certificate to give to your tenants. It is best to have this completed before your new tenants move in, or at the start of any new tenancies. Keep the certificate for yourself, and any documentation of any maintenance work that you have done on your property's gas appliances. Landlords must have their properties checked for gas safety at least every 12 months. This includes both the landlord's personal gas appliances, as well as any appliances that are provided to tenants. If you are a landlord who does not have a valid gas certificate safety, you may face severe fines (upto PS6,000) or legal action from your tenants, or even criminal charges. The most significant risk, however, is that one of your tenants could be injured or killed due to malfunctioning appliances in your rental property. Only Gas Safe engineers are qualified to perform the Gas Safety check. This is because only they have been properly trained to examine gas appliances and installations. Landlords are able to check if an engineer is registered with the Gas Safe Register by checking their ID card. It has a unique Hologram. While it's uncommon for a tenant to deny access to their rental property to allow a Gas Safety Check, it is possible to do so. In these instances, it's important for the landlord to explain to the tenant why this is a legal requirement and how carbon monoxide can be very hazardous if not discovered promptly. If the tenant is refusing to let an engineer in, then the landlord may consider giving them the option of a Section 21 notice that ends their tenure. This is to be accompanied by an explanation of the reason for being evicted for non-payment of rent or causing serious damage to the property. How do I get an gas safety certification? Landlords require gas safety certificates to ensure that their rental properties are in compliance with the laws of the government. However, some tenants might refuse to let a gas engineer into their homes for this purpose which is a source of frustration and unfair for landlords. Landlords should ensure tenants are aware that gas engineers aren't spies, and they only need to access their homes in order to fill out a legally required document. This will reduce the number tenants who refuse access to gas inspections. The Landlord Gas Safety Record is issued by the gas engineer after they have completed the necessary checks. This is also known as a CP12 which is a reference to 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 provide their existing tenants with a copy the document within 28 days (about four weeks) of the time the check is completed and give a new tenant an original copy when they sign the Tenancy agreement. The landlord must also make sure 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 installed to every storey of the property. Landlords can obtain more information on these requirements, including free leaflets 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 the property to conduct the required gas safety inspections, they may apply for a section 21 notice to evict tenants. A notice under section 21 is only valid if the landlord made at least three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property for the gas safety test and kept records of the unsuccessful attempts. If a landlord fails to follow the proper procedure and tries evicting their tenants unlawfully, they may be found guilty of harassing and could face heavy fines. Why do I need a gas safety certificate? Landlords require an official gas safety certificate to ensure that the property they lease out is safe for tenants to reside in. Gas engineers must conduct regular checks to make sure that all appliances are safe for use. This also means that they should ensure that the gas pipes, appliances and flues are all in good working order. This can help prevent fires or accidents that could be caused by defective appliances, as well as reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur when an appliance isn't properly maintained or installed. Gas Safety Certificates are important for landlords to ensure they are up-to-date. They can be fined when they don't. Landlords need to demonstrate that their annual gas safety test was completed in a timely manner. They can do this by checking their Gas Safe register online, or by obtaining an original copy of the most recent certificate from the person who visited the property. The landlord is required to repair any appliances that are dangerous or defective immediately to ensure tenant's safety. Some landlords may have trouble persuading tenants to allow them access the property for the gas safety inspections. It could be because they believe that it is an invasion of their privacy, or are fighting with their landlord. If this is the case, it is an ideal idea to ask the landlord to write an explicit letter stating why the gas safety checks are necessary and what they'll entail. This letter could be delivered by recorded delivery and the tenant will have 14 days to respond. If the tenant is unwilling to allow access to the landlord, they must take further steps. This could include drafting an Section 21 notice or applying to the court for an injunction that will force them to allow access. Going In this article is a serious action which should only be used in the last option.