It is a requirement of law that gas safety checks are carried out yearly on all of the following types of rented accommodation:

Council houses, Housing Association houses, Private Landlords properties, Housing Co-Operatives, Hostels, Working accommodation, Bed-sits, Private houses with lodgers, Bed & Breakfast establishments, Holiday Cottages, Chalets, Caravans & Mobile Homes if rented, House Boats on Inland Waterways.

If you rent out any of the above mentioned types of property then by law you must have a gas safety check by a CORGI registered engineer once a year. On successful completion of the inspection the engineer will issue you with a Landlords Certificate for the property.

 For clarity all landlords and tenants have the following duties in law:

Landlord's Duties 

• Ensure that all appliances, flues and gas supply pipework are maintained in a safe condition.
• Have a safety check carried out on all gas appliances and flues annually, or within 12 months before the start of a new tenancy.
• Have all gas appliances checked immediately before the start of any new tenancy, even if a safety certificate is still current. 
• Make sure that all installation, maintenance and safety checks are only carried out by a CORGI registered gas installer.
• Keep a copy of the Landlords Certificate for a minimum of 2 years.
• Give a copy of the CORGI installers safety check report (Landlords Certificate) to each existing tenant within 28 days of the safety check, or to new tenants before occupation. There is an option to put the record on display in accommodation which is let for short periods such as holiday cottages.

Tenant's Duties 

• Tenants also have responsibilities in law regarding the gas installation and appliances in the property that they rent.
• Under no circumstances are tenants allowed to carry out any D.I.Y. work on the gas installation or appliances.
• Tenants should inform the landlord or managing agent immediately if they know or suspect a gas system to be unsafe. It is a criminal offence to knowingly use an unsafe gas appliance.
• In an emergency the tenant should turn off the gas at the mains and inform TRANSCO immediately.
• Tenants who wish to install their own appliances, cookers or fires for example, should only employ the services of a CORGI registered engineer to do so.

Penalties 

• Breach of the regulations is a criminal offence with the Health & Safety Executive empowered to bring proceedings.
• Landlords and/or managing agents can be convicted for non-compliance.
• The standard penalty is a £6,000 fine for each item and/or 6 months imprisonment.
• In the most serious cases charges of manslaughter could be brought.
• Insurance cover could be invalidated for non-compliance to the regulations. 

Price

We make the following charges for performing a gas safety check and issuing the Landlords Certificate.

It should be noted that most manufacturers advise that their appliance should be serviced annually and some make this a condition of warranty. In the interests of safety and for the protection of our reputation we will always carry out a service when undertaking a gas safety check. As in many cases the work carried out for the gas safety check is a large part of that required for the service, we can offer servicing at the following reduced rates when carried out in conjunction with the gas safety certificate.

Back boilers are treated as if they were one boiler and one fire and therefore attract a servicing charge of £40.00

All prices are exclusive of VAT.

What does a Landlords Gas Safety check include ?

• Check appliance for gas soundness
• Check that sufficient gas pressure is being delivered to the appliance by the gas pipework
• Check the appliance is working at the correct gas pressure
• Check that adequate ventilation is provided
• Test the flue for the satisfactory removal of the products of combustion
• Test the appliance for spillage of the products of combustion
• Check flue termination is correctly installed
• Check that all safety devices are working correctly
• Check that stability brackets are correctly installed where required
• Check for any indication that appliance has not been burning correctly
• Perform any other checks as required by manufacturers instructions
• Verify that the appliance is safe to use

Frequently Asked Questions 

• What if an appliance fails the safety check?
  • The CORGI safety check record will note the defect and the engineer will disconnect the appliance if the fault cannot be remedied or you choose not to have it repaired. You must have the fault rectified or the appliance replaced before re-connecting.
• Which gas equipment must be checked?
  • The checks apply to gas appliances and fittings installed and also to portable appliances such as LPG cabinet heaters supplied by the landlord. They do not apply to appliances owned by tenants or flues/chimneys connected to tenant's appliances. Safety checks do not apply where there are gas appliances in non-residential (i.e. commercial) parts of the building.
• Can I ask the tenants to take responsibility for the gas safety checks?
  • No. The responsibility lies with the Landlord or his or her letting agent.
• What happens if I use a letting agent?
  • You need to ensure that the management contract clearly specifies who is responsible for arranging maintenance and safety checks and keeping records.
• What if my property is sub-let?
  • You, the landlord, may retain duties which overlap with those now acquired by the person subletting. In these cases close co-operation and clear allocation of duties needs to be agreed in the lease to ensure full compliance with the regulations.
•  How do I gain access to the premises for safety checks and maintenance?
  • The lease agreement should allow you as landlord reasonable access. You should take "all reasonable steps" to ensure gas safety work is carried out, which may involve giving written notice to tenants requesting access, explaining the reasons. Keep a careful record of any such action in case you are refused access and you have to demonstrate the steps you have taken to gain access. If a tenant continues to refuse access you may need to consider court action. Never, under any circumstances, enter without the tenant's consent or use force to gain entry.
• Do the checks include portable LPG gas heaters?
  • Yes, where a landlord has supplied portable gas appliances in residential properties these must be included in the annual safety checks. 
• What if I ignore the regulations?
  • You are putting lives at risk and breaking the law. The Health and Safety Executive gives gas safety a high priority and will take the appropriate action to ensure compliance with the regulations. In certain circumstances this could result in a substantial fine and/or a custodial sentence.
• Can I use a handyman or plumber for gas work?
  • A CORGI registered installer with the required competence to do the particular work should always be used. By law (a) anyone (whether an employer or self-employed) running a business, e.g. a plumber, who carries out work on a gas appliance/fitting must be CORGI registered, and (b) any individual doing gas work must be competent to do it safely. DIY gas work could be dangerous and is likely to be illegal. Landlords must use only a registered installer for maintenance and safety checks on gas equipment provided for tenants use.
• What should I do if the installer is not CORGI registered and/or has falsely claimed that they are?
  • It is against the law for a non-registered installer to do any work on gas appliances and/or flues. Phone your local HSE area office or CORGI.
• What checks should I do between tenancies?
  • You should visually check the property to see if the departing tenant has either removed appliances unsafely, or alternatively left behind their own appliance, which should either be removed or checked for safety by a CORGI registered installer. Before you re-let the property you need to ensure that all appliances are safe and have an up to date landlord's gas safety certificate (a copy of which needs to be given to the new tenant); it is also good practice to have the pipework inspected and tested for soundness.

    If the property is likely to remain empty for a long period and/or there may be vandalism, you should think about asking for the gas to be isolated until a new tenant moves in. If, however, a new tenant is moving in quickly, and all the appliances and flues were checked recently, you should just arrange for a visual check to make sure nothing has changed.

• What do I have to do if I change a room containing a gas appliance into a bedroom for the first time?
  • Since 31 October 1998, any room converted to use as sleeping accommodation should not contain the following types of gas appliances:
    1. A gas fire, gas space heater or a gas water heater (including a gas boiler) over 14 kilowatts gross input unless it is room sealed.
    2. A gas fire, gas space heater, or a gas water heater (including a gas boiler) of 14 kilowatts gross input or less or any instantaneous water heater unless it is room sealed or has an atmosphere-sensing device.

    If you are unsure, you should ask a CORGI registered installer to check for you.