Gas Safety Inspection 

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One of the most important landlord's responsibilities is the gas safety inspection, because breakdown of a gas appliance such as a boiler or cooker can lead to carbon monoxide leaks, which can be lethal. By law, a landlord is responsible for any gas appliances provided for use by the tenant(s).

You are not liable for the safety of any gas appliances owned by the tenant, although you do carry responsibility for parts of the associated installation and pipe work.

Landlords are bound by legal responsibilities to ensure their tenants are kept safe. Failure to comply can lead to severe penalties or even a jail sentence. If there is a liability case, landlords need to be able to demonstrate 'due diligence', meaning they have taken all reasonable steps to ensure tenant safety, such as by having regular gas safety checks carried out.

Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI gas registration on 1 April 2009 in Great Britain and the Isle of Man. By law, anyone carrying out work on gas installations and appliances in your home must be on the Gas Safe Register.

If in any doubt you can ring Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500 or visit the Gas Safe Register website (www.gassaferegister.co.uk) to see if the engineer is registered.

The Regulations define a landlord's responsibilities for gas safety:

• Ensure installation pipe work, appliances and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition.
• Ensure maintenance and an annual Gas Safety Inspection is carried out specifically by a registered engineer.
• Your Gas Safety Certificate is valid for 12 months and you must retain a record of each safety check, called a CP12 Certificate, for 2 years.
• Issue a copy of the gas safety check to each existing tenant within 28 days of the check being completed and to any new tenant before they move in.

You should always check in between tenancies to see if the previous tenant has removed any gas appliances unsafely or made changes to pipe works. Any gas appliances left behind by the previous tenant that you did not provide should either be removed or inspected for safety by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

The Health and Safety Executive strongly advises landlords and tenant to  use carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to give advance warning of CO in the property. Importantly alarms should not be regarded as a replacement for regular maintenance and safety checks by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

CO alarms cost between £20-£30 and can be purchased in most hardware shops. 

Since 31 October 1998, any room converted to use as a bed room should not contain the following types of gas appliances:

• A gas fire, gas space heater or a gas water heater (including a gas boiler) over 14 kilowatts gross input unless it is room sealed.
• A gas fire, gas space heater, or a gas water heater (including a gas boiler) of 14 kilowatts gross input or less or any instantaneous water heater unless it is room sealed or has an atmosphere-sensing device.

If a room contains one or more of the above appliances and was used as a bedroom prior to 1998 then you will need to do a risk assessment to determine if it can still be used as a bedroom.

Breaches of gas safety can put lives at risk. A failure to comply with gas safety regulations can lead to substantial fines and/or prison sentences.

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