On 23rd of March 2020 Gas Safe Register published a piece of new information about gas safety for landlords during the situation with COVID-19. What does it mean for you as a landlord?
"Landlords have a legal duty to repair and maintain gas pipework, flues and appliances in a safe condition, to ensure an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue, and to keep a record of each safety check."
You can carry out annual gas safety checks two months before the deadline date ( from 10 to 12 calendar months after the previous check ).
If you decide to do the check before the deadline, you will still retain the original deadline date.
It could be helpful in case if your tenants are in self-isolation for 14 days, or gas engineers are unavailable due to illness.
"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."
As a landlord, it is your responsibility to make sure your tenants are safe in the property you are letting.
The range of accommodation occupied under lease or licence includes residential premises, rooms in bedsit accommodation, private households, b&bs, hotels and rented holiday accommodation ( flats, chalets, cottages, Airbnb properties, caravans ).
All gas appliances and flues need to be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure your tenants’ safety. You will be given a Landlord Gas Safety Record or Landlord Gas Safety Certificate (LLGSC or CP12 Certificate) with details of all the checks that were carried out during your gas safety check.
A copy of your Landlord Gas Safety Record should be given to your new tenants at the start of their tenancy (current tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety Check) You need to keep copies of Gas Safety Check record until a further two checks have been carried out.
All your gas pipework, appliances, chimneys and flues need to be kept in safe condition.
Gas Safe Registar recommends an annual service unless your Gas Safe registered engineer suggests otherwise.
Your pipework is not covered by the annual Gas Safety Check, but HSE and Gas Safe Registar recommends to ask your engineer for: a tightness test on the whole gas system ( incl. installation pipework )
and a visual examination of the pipework.
You will need to be able to show that you have maintained the pipework, appliances and flues regularly and completed required repairs, so it is a good idea to keep all maintenance records.
For more information please visit Gas Safe Registar website.