Find out what are the important gas safety information for tenants and landlords.
Gas Safety Information for Tenants and Landlords
Are you a landlord or a tenant? Read below your responsibilities and rights on gas safety.
The Landlord’s Responsibility
Under the Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations of 1998, a landlord has a legal responsibility to keep his tenants safe. These are categorized into three:
- Maintenance of all pipework, appliances and flues. All gas appliances in the rental property must be serviced according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. If there are no manufacturer’s instruction available, it is recommended that the maintenance is done annually.
- Annual gas safety checks. Gas safety checks must be done every 12 months for each appliance or flue to ensure that they are safe to use.
- Copies of the record. The landlord must provide a record of the gas safety check to the tenants within 28 days after the check is done, and to new tenants before they move in. The landlord must keep copies of the check for two years.
Note that all services, repairs, installations and safety checks must only be carried out by a gas safe registered engineer.
The Tenant’s Rights
Tenants must make sure that their landlord is complying with the law. Even if you are only renting for a short period such as a holiday, your landlord has the same responsibilities on gas safety. Your landlord’s duties apply to various types of accommodations that are occupied or rented under a lease or licence. This includes:
- residential locations for rent from the local government, housing associations, landlords from the private sector, housing cooperatives and hostels
- rooms in bed-sit accommodation, private homes, bed and breakfast and hotels
- holiday accommodation for rent like cottages, flats, chalets, caravans, and narrow boats on inland waterways
There are a few exceptions here:
- Gas appliances that are privately owned by the tenant
- Flues connected to these privately owned gas appliances
- Gas appliances that are used solely in a non- residential part of the property
If you don’t think your landlord is gas safe or if you do not have a copy of the updated gas safety check record, you have the right to ask your landlord for a copy. If your landlord refuses to provide you with a copy, you can file a complain to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) through their website. Landlords who do not comply with the gas safety requirements are criminally liable, and the HSE can issue a formal notice and has the power to prosecute.
If you need more help on gas safety information for tenants and landlords, or you need someone qualified to do your annual checks, call RJ Gas today and our experienced team would be happy to help.
