The UK legal regulations are very detailed when discussing the standard for landlords of rental properties in relation to gas safety. The property has to be inspected for gas safety levels by a Corgi approved engineer. If the landlord does not meet this requirement he or she are liable to a fine of up to 5,000 and up to six months imprisonment.
The law requires the landlord 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.
* All work carried out to any gas appliance within the property must be approved by a set of safety tests conducted by a Corgi approved operative.
* The tenants living in the property must have unrestricted access to all documentation relating to the gas appliances (e.g. manuals for the appliances, safety documents).
*A clear set of records is kept detailing the dates of safety inspections and any defects identified and respective work undertaken. The tenants must have access to a copy of these records within 28 days of the safety inspection or prior to new occupants moving into the property.
It is highly recommended for landlords to install carbon monoxide detection and alarm devices to protect the tenants or users of the property. Carbon monoxide is a lethal gas that occurs where there is an incomplete burning within the gas boiler, yielding a combination of a single molecule of oxygen with a single molecule or carbon. The gas, which has no odour or colour leads to breathing difficulties and sometimes to death. There are around 20 to 30 deaths in the UK every year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
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.
Landlords are finding it difficult to fulfil their legal requirements in cases such as of large blocks of flats. During normal hours, most tenants are at work and the flats are locked and empty, preventing the gas engineer from undertaking the required safety checks. Tenants are reluctant to use their annual leave days, or lose a day's pay in order to wait at home for the gas engineer, making it difficult for the landlord to fulfil their legal requirement.
In certain cases, landlords have to arrange for an entry warrant if the tenant fails to cooperate and allow access for the gas engineer. In addition to the administrative complexity, this adds substantial costs to the cost of the gas safety check (up to 500 for police attendance and potential repair). - 30517
The law requires the landlord 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.
* All work carried out to any gas appliance within the property must be approved by a set of safety tests conducted by a Corgi approved operative.
* The tenants living in the property must have unrestricted access to all documentation relating to the gas appliances (e.g. manuals for the appliances, safety documents).
*A clear set of records is kept detailing the dates of safety inspections and any defects identified and respective work undertaken. The tenants must have access to a copy of these records within 28 days of the safety inspection or prior to new occupants moving into the property.
It is highly recommended for landlords to install carbon monoxide detection and alarm devices to protect the tenants or users of the property. Carbon monoxide is a lethal gas that occurs where there is an incomplete burning within the gas boiler, yielding a combination of a single molecule of oxygen with a single molecule or carbon. The gas, which has no odour or colour leads to breathing difficulties and sometimes to death. There are around 20 to 30 deaths in the UK every year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
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.
Landlords are finding it difficult to fulfil their legal requirements in cases such as of large blocks of flats. During normal hours, most tenants are at work and the flats are locked and empty, preventing the gas engineer from undertaking the required safety checks. Tenants are reluctant to use their annual leave days, or lose a day's pay in order to wait at home for the gas engineer, making it difficult for the landlord to fulfil their legal requirement.
In certain cases, landlords have to arrange for an entry warrant if the tenant fails to cooperate and allow access for the gas engineer. In addition to the administrative complexity, this adds substantial costs to the cost of the gas safety check (up to 500 for police attendance and potential repair). - 30517
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about boilers, central heating, plumber Leicester, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.
