What are your landlord responsibilities for gas safety?
1. Gas Safety Checks
2. Gas Safety Records
3. Maintenance
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 outline your duties as a landlord to make sure all gas appliances, fittings, chimneys and flues are safe and working efficiently.
How much will it cost?
The cost of the check will depend on the business that carries out the work. Always make sure the business is registered with the Gas Safe Register.
What information must be recorded on the gas safety record (CP12)?
1. The date on which the appliance or chimney/ flue was checked.
2. The premises address.
3. The name and address of the landlord/ agent at which the appliance or chimney/ flue are installed,
4. Description of the location of each appliance/ chimney/ flue that has been checked.
5. Any identified defect and remedial action taken. This record must then be retained until two further safety checks of the defective appliance/chimney/ flue have been made or, if an appliance or flue has been removed from the premises, the record must be kept for two years from the last check.
6. Confirmation that the safety check complies with regulation 26 (9) of the GSIUR
7. Engineer’s name and signature
8. Engineer’s Gas Safe reg number
Which checks should be carried out?
GSIUR states the minimum work that must be carried out during a landlord safety check and the information that must be captured so that the check complies with the regs. The regulations 26 [9] sets out the checks that you have to have carried out.
A visual inspection of the gas installation, appliances, location, terminal, chimney/flue, position and any signs of incomplete combustion.
Appliance burner pressure or gas rate - both where necessary.
Combustion gas analysis were specified in the appliance manufacturers service/maintenance instructions.
Ventilation is clear and sufficiently sized.
Flue flow and spillage testing where appropriate for correct operation of flue.
All flame supervision devices/ or other safety controls for correct operation.
Investigate any evidence of unsafe operation of appliances.
All reasonable steps to notify the landlord of any defects. If the appliance is supplied with LPG the engineer should notify the gas supply and in any other cases should notify the transporter.
What are the other checks should be carried out?
Although this is not a legal requirement, Gas Safe recommends a tightness test should be carried out. Additionally a check of the gas metre/ emergency control valve for access in an emergency , for maintenance and for correct labelling.
What about gas appliances that are not provided by the landlord?
If appliances belong to the tenant (not landlord) they should be given a visual check. The most common example is a cooker because not all landlords provide cooking appliances. An appliance that is owned by the tenant is not the landlords responsibility.
What if an appliance fails the safety check?
The safety check record will contain details of any gas safety defect identified and the remedial action taken. Landlords must ensure that any gas safety defect is rectified by a Gas Safe registered engineer before the equipment is used again it is recommended that they keep copies of work done to rectify defects identified by the safety cheque.
How are defects recorded?
Only defects that are gas safety issues are needed on the gs record ie situations that are classified as “at risk”(R) or “immediately dangerous”(ID), in accordance with the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure. Defects that are not related to gas should be communicated via a job report or invoice, not added to the gas safety record where it might be confusing.
Do I still get a record if an appliance is a R or ID?
A Landlords Gas Safety Record is not a certificate but a record of findings when the property was inspected. It should always be issued . You must have this record to confirm if the appliances are safe to use or not, and any gas safety defects that must be addressed.
What if a new appliance is fitted? Do I need to pay for additional checks each year?
No. If a gas safety record is currently in place covering the appliances the record is still valid. Guidance provides one off flexibility to check all the gas appliances together when the nearest check is due rather than having to come back to complete another inspection for the new appliance at the same address. A visual check of the existing appliances should be carried out by the engineer on fitting a new appliance though in order to bring everything into line.
How often should installation pipe work be maintained?
Landlords have a duty of care to maintain the pipe work and this is a separate and distinct process from the annual safety check but should be undertaken at the same time. There is no legal/formal requirement to keep pipe paperwork maintenance records but landlords need to prove, if required, to have regularly maintained installation pipe work from the metre or emergency control valve to the appliance and have completed any repairs.
What if I/the engineer can't gain access to carry out a gas safety check?
HSE has a set out guidance to help landlords understand what may be considered “reasonable steps” to take to demonstrate compliance with their duties to have appliances checked annually. This includes examples of what to do when tenants deny access (check the Gas Safe Register or HSE for these). The law is flexible and where it’s not possible to carry out a check due, for example, to tenants ill health, shielding or self isolating it will normally be sufficient for landlords to demonstrate that they took sensible steps to comply with the - keep records of communication with the tenants and details of attempts to gain access etc. Landlords should then seek to arrange the safety check as soon as possible.
In line with the HSE guidance landlords/ local authorities should consider weigh up the balance of risk presented by the gas system with the risk to the tenants health on a case by case basis. The assessment should consider factors such as age/ type of appliance in a property/ previous maintenance/breakdown history/ the date of the last gas safety check and the presence of a carbon monoxide alarm.
Does the check need to be the same date each year?
Checks can be arranged 10-12 calendar months after the previous year’s check but still retain the date of the original as if the check had been carried out exactly 12 months after the previous one.
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