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:
* No open flue gas appliance is located in the same room where people are sleeping, a bathroom or a shower room.
* Repair, service or installation work related to gas appliances should be carried out by a Corgi registered operative.
* 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.
* Any work done to any gas appliance in the property is then approved through a series of safety tests by a CORGI certified engineer.
* 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.
Landlords should consider installing protection against carbon monoxide poisoning in the rented property. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes between 20 to 30 deaths every year in the UK. Carbon monoxide is a result of an incomplete burning reaction, which creates a combination of carbon with a single oxygen molecule. The gas has no smell, colour or taste and is extremely poisonous, causing asphyxiation and sometimes death. Carbon monoxide can occur when the boiler installation is done poorly, when the flue is poorly designed or installed or is simply blocked.
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 extreme cases, a landlord has to resort to issuing an entry warrant into the property if the tenant fails to cooperate. Such cases are very regrettable as they are complicated and costly, due to the need for police to attend and additional making good costs (which can get to 500 per property). - 15431
The law requires the landlord to ensure the following:
* No open flue gas appliance is located in the same room where people are sleeping, a bathroom or a shower room.
* Repair, service or installation work related to gas appliances should be carried out by a Corgi registered operative.
* 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.
* Any work done to any gas appliance in the property is then approved through a series of safety tests by a CORGI certified engineer.
* 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.
Landlords should consider installing protection against carbon monoxide poisoning in the rented property. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes between 20 to 30 deaths every year in the UK. Carbon monoxide is a result of an incomplete burning reaction, which creates a combination of carbon with a single oxygen molecule. The gas has no smell, colour or taste and is extremely poisonous, causing asphyxiation and sometimes death. Carbon monoxide can occur when the boiler installation is done poorly, when the flue is poorly designed or installed or is simply blocked.
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 extreme cases, a landlord has to resort to issuing an entry warrant into the property if the tenant fails to cooperate. Such cases are very regrettable as they are complicated and costly, due to the need for police to attend and additional making good costs (which can get to 500 per property). - 15431
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about efficient heating, boilers, Kentish Town plumbers, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.
