As a landlord you are legally responsible for ensuring that all gas appliances within your property are safe and working effectively for your tenants.
According to UK law there are several things that you must do:
- Annual gas safety checks
- Maintenance
- Record keeping
What does an annual gas safety check involve?
Once a year you will need to arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to visit your property. They will carry out an inspection to ensure your gas fittings and appliances are safe to use.
With your permission they will:
- Check the flue or chimney to make sure all fumes leave the property via the appropriate means
- Check that appliances are well ventilated and that there is a constant supply of fresh air enabling the gas to burn properly
- Check all safety devices are working effectively
- Deem an appliance unsafe if they find any faults
How do I maintain my gas appliances and fittings?
In addition to carrying out annual gas safety checks, you can maintain your gas appliances and fittings by continually ensuring that rooms with appliances are properly ventilated and that your tenants report any issues or faults straight away.
The best way to ensure your property remains safe from gas is to install a carbon monoxide alarm. This will detect and alert your tenants to even the smallest gas leak.
What records do I need to keep?
As the owner of a property you’ll need a hard copy of the Gas Safety Certificate.
Whenever any Gas Safe registered engineer visits your home they will make a note of what checks and repairs they have done on any appliances or fittings within your home.
It is this record that you will need to keep in a safe place, supplying to tenants when they move in and also the following year when your next annual safety check becomes due.
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