Landlord Safety Check

A Landlord Safety Check & Duties- What you should know!

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant. You need to make sure you understand the laws about gas safety.

Gas safety for landlord

Are you aware of your legal gas safety duties as a landlord? As a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of the tenants. Landlord’s duties apply to a large range of accommodation, occupied under lease or licence, which includes:

  • Residential premises provided for rent by local authorities, housing associations, private sector landlords, housing co-operatives, hostels.
  • Rooms let in bed sit accommodation, private households, bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels.
  • Rented holiday accommodations such as chalets, cottages, flats, caravans and narrow boats on inland waterways
The Gas Safety (Installation and use) regulations 1998 deal with landlords’ duties to make sure gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants are safe.
Landlord’s Responsibilities
If you let a property equipped with gas appliances you have three main responsibilities:
Maintenance: Pipework, appliances and flues must be maintained in a safe condition. Gas appliances should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. If these are not available it is recommended they are serviced annually, unless advised otherwise by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.
Gas Safety Checks: A 12 monthly gas safety check must be carried out on every gas appliance/flue. A gas safety check will make sure gas fittings and appliances are safe to use.
Record: A record of the annual gas safety check must be provided to your tenant within 28 days of the check being completed or to new tenants before they move in. Landlords must keep copies of the gas safety records for two years.
All installations, maintenance  and safety checks need to be carried out by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.
If a tenant has their own gas appliance that you have not provided, the then you are responsible for the maintenance of the gas pipework but not for the appliance.
You should also make sure your tenants know where to turn off the gas and what to do in the event of an emergency.
If you would like to apply for a Gas safety certificate, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Telephone 01803 55 55 77