As a Landlord in Wirral, you have a legal duty to ensure that your property is safe for your tenants. The HSE has set out guidelines for landlords to adhere to, but knowing when and how to apply the law can be difficult. Some Wirral landlords are even uncertain about what their responsibilities are during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, Landlords owe their tenants a duty of care. If you are renting out a property with any gas appliances, it is your responsibility, as the Landlord, to ensure that these appliances are safe to use and are not a safety hazard to your tenants.
You can’t shift your legal responsibility to other parties, such as your registered Wirral gas engineer. But, by the same token, it doesn’t mean that you are left on your own. You can lean on professionals to help you meet your responsibilities.
So which aspects of gas safety are Landlords responsible for? Below we share a helpful guide to walk you through your Landlord gas safety responsibilities.
What Are Your Landlord Gas Safety Responsibilities?
If the property you are letting has gas appliances installed, your legal responsibilities include:
Conducting Annual Gas Safety Checks
All the gas appliances and flues in the rental property must undergo a gas safety check conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The gas safety checks must be completed annually, and as the Landlord, you must ensure that the checks are carried out correctly. Although you are not entirely responsible for gas appliances owned by your tenants, you must ensure that the connecting flues meet safety standards.
Once the safety check has been completed, you will be given a Gas Safety certificate or Landlord Gas Safety Record, also known as CP12 certificate. The certificate will set out which checks were completed and when your certificate expires. The gas safety checks can be completed 10-12 months after your last check, and the deadline for the next inspection will be dated 12 months from your most recent gas check.
Providing Tenants With the Gas Safety Record
Once you have received your Landlord Gas Safety Record, you have 28 days to provide your existing tenants with a copy of the gas safety check.
All new tenants must be provided with a gas safety certificate when their tenancy starts. If your tenants are renting the property for less than 28 days, you must ensure that a copy of the record is clearly displayed somewhere within the property.
By law, you must keep copies of your latest Gas Safety Check Record for at least two years or until two further checks have been carried out.
Maintaining Appliances
In accordance with your duty of care toward your tenants, you must ensure that all gas appliances, pipework, chimneys and flues are in a safe condition.
Although there are no formal requirements to keep a record of the maintenance you have completed, you must be able to show that regular maintenance has occurred. You must also be able to present a record of the repairs completed.
Keeping track of when gas appliances need to be checked can be challenging, especially if you don’t have access to the manufacturer’s recommended service guidelines. The HSE recommends contacting a registered Gas Safe engineer, such as Wirral Plumbers, to complete an annual service. Your Gas Safe engineer should also visually examine the pipework and test how well your property’s gas system functions.
Why Choose Wirral Plumbers For Your Landlord Gas Safety Certificate?
You cannot take your legal responsibilities as a Landlord lightly. The gas engineer you choose to conduct your gas safety checks and issue your Gas Safety certificate must be Gas Safe registered and have a proven track record.
Wirral Plumbers have been providing landlords in Wirral with high-quality services for over 20 years. We understand your responsibility as a Landlord in Wirral and can conduct gas safety checks and provide gas safety certificates that meet the legal requirements.
As an accredited gas and heating engineering company, we are experts in safety inspections for all gas appliances. Our experience will give you the certainty needed to complete the annual gas inspections on your property.
Here at Wirral Plumbers, we can simplify your Landlord gas safety responsibilities. So get in touch with us today, and one of our experienced team members will answer any questions you may have.
