According to research, more than one in three landlords aren’t aware of the fact that checking the gas appliances is their responsibility. It is a landlord’s duty to take care of their properties and ensure that their tenants face no risks from the gas appliances in their premises.
According to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, a landlord must make sure that all the gas appliances, fittings, and flues are safe and working efficiently. Therefore, it is essential for a landlord to arrange an annual safety check on all gas appliances and fuels with a registered gas safety engineer. And, if the tenant has their own gas appliances, the landlord is still responsible for maintenance of the pipework but not the appliance or flues that connect solely to the tenant-owned ones. If you are a landlord and are looking forward to getting safety checks for your appliances, here are a few things you are required to keep in mind-
Pipework is not covered by the annual gas safety check
As a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas pipework in your property is maintained and kept in a safe and good working condition. Regular inspections will highlight any repairs required to be made. Inspecting and testing the pipework between tenancies is a good practice and can help minimize disruption.
However, the installation pipework is not covered under the annual gas safety check. Therefore, you can ask your engineer to carry out a tightness test on the gas system in your property and then visually examine the pipework for defects, if any.
Before the tenancy commences
Before letting the property, it is essential to make sure that all the gas equipment is safe to use. If not, ensure to get it fixed or removed before a new tenant moves in.
Issue Gaining Access
When the tenancy agreement is made, make sure it specifies that access is granted for maintenance or safety checks to be carried out in intervals. However, you must not use force to enter the property.
And, if your tenant refuses access, you must keep a record of all the reasonable action you have taken for compliance with the law.
Apply Danger and Do Not Use Warning Labels
Flues that remove fumes from sealed rooms and fan-assisted boilers that are concealed in a void are required to have suitably sized inspection hatches installed. This is done so that the entire length of the flue can be inspected by the engineer. However, if the flue is inaccessible, or hatches aren’t positioned perfectly, the engineer will classify the gas appliance at risk and apply a label ‘ Danger safety warning do not use’ to it.
If a heating appliance is disconnected or not working, you need to provide services for emergency heating repair in London to your tenants whilst arranging for the remedial work to be done.
Keep a gas safety Record
When you get an annual safety check done, a record of the same will be issued by the engineer. It is your duty to provide a copy of the record to your tenant within 28 days of the check being completed or to the new tenant at the start of their tenancy period. The copy should be retained for at least two years and should be kept secure for it may come into use in future.
Conclusion:
It is always a good idea to get gas safety checks done to ensure your tenants are safe in your property. So if you need help in securing a gas safety certificate or getting a gas cooker installation in East London, Touch of Heat is here to help you. Get connected with us for all heating repair and installation services.