If you’re a landlord, it’s likely you will have heard of a Gas Safety Certificate before. If you’re new to the landlord venture, though, and you’ve just found out that a Gas Safety Certificate is something you need, you might be wondering what it is and what it covers. The failure to have a Gas Safety Certificate could lead to serious consequences, including a fine, and results in your tenants perhaps not being as safe in their home as they could be. So, what do you need to know about a Gas Safety Certificate?
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A Gas Safety Certificate is a report given to landlords that proves that all gas appliances in a property are safe. This must be in place before a property is rented out to tenants, and should be repeated once a year to guarantee their continuous safety in the home. It includes all gas appliances, including:
- Boiler
- Flue
- Gas fires
- Gas cookers
- Live gas supply lines
What if I don’t have any gas appliances?
If you are going to rent out a property that doesn’t have any gas appliances within it, you may still need a Gas Safety Certificate. This may be because you still have a live gas supply line. Even if there aren’t any gas appliances, the gas supply line will still need to be checked in case of any faults, and reported on during the certificate. The only reason you would be entirely exempt from a Gas Safety Certificate would be if you don’t have a gas supply at all in the property in question.
What happens during a Gas Safety Certificate service?
During a Gas Safety Certificate service, a Gas Safe Engineer (they are the only people who can provide this service) will inspect every gas appliance, and record any observations and issues that they might find. They will then be able to advise you and fix any issues that did arise, working to ensure the safety of your property and your tenants. Once the Gas Safe Engineer is confident, they will sign and date the certificate.
What are the steps after the Gas Safety Certificate?
Once you have received the Gas Safety Certificate for the property in question, you must present it to the tenants within 28 days. If you don’t have a tenant yet but you will have in the future, you should present it to them upon moving in. It’s good to stress to your tenants the importance of staying vigilant in case an issue with a gas appliance arises in between the annual Gas Safety Certificate service. This could include installing a carbon monoxide alarm, or keeping an eye on appliances and reporting if any of them are faulty.
If you’re in search of a Gas Safe Engineer to provide you with an excellent Gas Safety Certificate service, our team at Gas Tech Heating is the one to come to. Our standard of work is exemplary, and we do everything we can to ensure your tenants are safe. Our standard of work is highly regarded, and we can provide further services should you require support in fixing any arising issues. Get in contact with our team on 01442 832202 or emailing info@gastechheatingtld.co.uk.
