Gas Safe FAQ's for Landlords!

Gas Safe

As you all know the annual Gas Safety Week is finally here and today's theme is Renting Responsibilities. If you're a Landlord, there are many things you guys need to be responsible for when it comes to health and safety. One area in particular is ensuring all gas appliances are deemed safe for tenants.  The residential landlords association put together some frequently asked questions you may not know the  answer to... Have a look below and see if your long lost questions have finally been answered!

1. “When exactly do I need to give my tenants a copy of the gas safety certificate?” A copy of gas safety records must be provided to the existing tenant within 28 days of the check, or to new tenants before they move in.

2. “How can I make sure my engineer is registered?” In order for a gas safety certificate to be valid, the annual gas safety check must be carried out by a registered engineer. To check this, you can visit the Gas Safety Register website.

3. “How long is a gas safety certificate valid for” A certificate is valid for twelve months.

4. “I have heard about MOT style checks, what does this mean?” In April this year, new rules around gas safety were introduced which mean that landlords can carry out the annual gas safety check in the two months BEFORE the due date, and they still retain the existing expiry date.

It doesn't stop there!

Now we hope these have helped you find the answers you've been looking for but being a Landlord doesn't just stop there. There's alot more to renting out properties than people think and ensuring a Gas Safe property is one of them. Although such above FAQ's prove incredibly helpful to some, Gas Safe themselves took it a step further by outlining a few more steps regarding what it takes to be 'Gas Safe':

• Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service your appliances. You can find and check an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk (check out our graphic below) or call 0800 408 5500.
• Check both sides of your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card.
• Have all your gas appliances regularly serviced and safety checked every year. If you rent your home ask for a copy of the landlord’s current Gas Safety Record.
• Know the six signs of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness. Unsafe gas appliances can put you at risk of CO poisoning, gas leaks, fires and explosions.
• Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.
• Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home.

It really does affect more people than you think!

Many out there live in rented accommodation and as the Landlord, it's your responsibility to offer a safe living environment. There have been many cases where Landlords have been prosecuted and fined for not adhering to the necessary rules and regulations and it's up to you to ensure you stay in the know with handy bits of information like this.

Landlords aren't the only ones to blame however, as there have been so many rogue traders claiming to be Gas Safe Registered Engineers through false paperwork and even lack of questions by their clients! There have been reported deaths as well as injuries sustained through sub standard gas work and it's imperative for Qualified Gas Engineers to make sure they have undergone the CORRECT Gas Training Courses. We really cannot stress this enough.

We hope the above information has helped you guys with any unanswered questions you may have had. You can always check our site for the latest industry and Gas Training Course news... Keep a look out for more Gas Safety Week news coming soon!