Landlords Statutory Requirements - Check Gas Boiler

November 22nd, 2009

Landlords Statutory Requirements - Check Gas Boiler

The UK legal regulations are very detailed when discussing the standard for landlords of rental properties in relation to gas safety. The property has to be inspected for gas safety levels by a Corgi approved engineer. If the landlord does not meet this requirement he or she are liable to a fine of up to 5,000 and up to six months imprisonment.

According to the law, landlords are required to ensure the following:

* Open flue gas appliances should not be located in the same room where people are sleeping, or a bathroom.

* All work relating to the repair, service or installation of gas appliances to be carried out by a CORGI certified engineer.

* Both mobile and fixed gas appliances in the property must be kept at a safe working condition and inspected on an annual basis by a Corgi registered engineer.

* Any work done to any gas appliance in the property is then approved through a series of safety tests by a CORGI certified engineer.

* Users of the premises must have free access to all documentation regarding the gas appliances, such as manuals, safety documents etc.

*Dates of safety inspections should be noted clearly on a set of records. The records should also include any defects identified and work done on them. The occupiers of the property should have access to these records within 28 days of the inspection or before new tenants are moving into the property.

Landlords should consider installing protection against carbon monoxide poisoning in the rented property. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes between 20 to 30 deaths every year in the UK. Carbon monoxide is a result of an incomplete burning reaction, which creates a combination of carbon with a single oxygen molecule. The gas has no smell, colour or taste and is extremely poisonous, causing asphyxiation and sometimes death. Carbon monoxide can occur when the boiler installation is done poorly, when the flue is poorly designed or installed or is simply blocked.

The law is very strict with landlords, forcing them to ensure all domestic boilers are checked and serviced every year. Such statutory requirement causes major headaches for large landlords and housing associations. These groups struggle with the administrative and logistical effort of providing access to the Corgi certified engineer to the property.

Landlords are finding it difficult to fulfil their legal requirements in cases such as of large blocks of flats. During normal hours, most tenants are at work and the flats are locked and empty, preventing the gas engineer from undertaking the required safety checks. Tenants are reluctant to use their annual leave days, or lose a day’s pay in order to wait at home for the gas engineer, making it difficult for the landlord to fulfil their legal requirement.

In certain cases, landlords have to arrange for an entry warrant if the tenant fails to cooperate and allow access for the gas engineer. In addition to the administrative complexity, this adds substantial costs to the cost of the gas safety check (up to 500 for police attendance and potential repair).

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about boilers, central heating, plumber Wigan, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.