Gas Safety Inspection for Homeowners: What are they and why do I need one?
The Landlord Gas Safety Inspection is a safety check of all gas appliances within a property that is classified as rented. Once an inspection is carried out, the gas safety engineer conducting the inspection will issue a certificate with his findings.
Under UK law, any property that is classified as rented, and this includes councils and housing associations, must undergo an annual gas safety inspection, even if the property is only rented for 7 days, an inspection is required gas safety.
It is the responsibility of whoever manages the property to arrange for this inspection to be carried out. Failure to comply with this rule could result in severe penalties.
If a property is rented to new tenants and there are still 5 months to go before the next inspection, it is recommended that a new inspection be done to make sure everything is still safe. The previous tenant may have tampered with the gas supply or appliances and left them in an unsafe condition.
What is a Homeowner Gas Safety Inspection?
All gas appliances within the property must be checked for safety, this involves checking that the appliance’s chimney is not leaking carbon monoxide and that it is finishing properly.
Verify that the air supply, if required, is the correct size and is not restricted. Any gas appliance that is classified as an open draft needs fresh air to burn properly, a lack of air will cause the appliance to burn improperly and the products of combustion could enter the room instead of killing the flue.
Any room that has a gas appliance installed needs to have a carbon monoxide alarm installed, this will also be tested and recorded on the certificate.
It is necessary to check all the safety devices of the appliance to make sure that they work correctly.
It is necessary to carry out a gas tightness test, which is checked at the gas meter. This test will highlight any gas leaks within the property.
While at the gas meter, verify that the gas supply line is equipped with the correct size ground connection.
Upon completion of the inspection, two copies of the certificate will be issued, one is to be left with the tenant and the other copy goes to property management or the owner.
If faults are found, they will be noted on the inspection certificate, another certificate called a warning notice will now be issued with the details of the faults found.
The landlord will have 30 days to correct the faults, this will depend on the seriousness of the fault. If the fault is classified as immediately dangerous, the gas supply to said appliance will be disconnected and secured.
Landlords are required by law to ensure that the property they are renting is safe, many landlords try to avoid this inspection due to the cost involved.
If you are a tenant, make sure your landlord performs this gas safety check annually and that you have a copy of the certificate for your own records.
If you are a landlord, be sure to comply with gas safety regulations, keep your tenants safe, and always have a landlord gas safety inspection performed when necessary.