What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One?
A gas safety certification is a document which includes all the tests and inspections an engineer performs on your gas appliances. These inspections reduce the chance of poisoning by carbon monoxide at home.
Landlords are required by law to organise these inspections on a regular basis. They must also be conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate is a legal document that proves that all the appliances and installations within your property have been checked by a qualified engineer to ensure that they are safe to use. Gas appliances and flues should be inspected by a certified engineer every year. This is a legal requirement to ensure that carbon monoxide poisoning is not a problem and to avoid other serious accidents. Landlords who don't adhere to these regulations could face fines or even prosecution.
A gas engineer will carry out an extensive inspection of the property before issuing the report which will include details of all the appliances and installations they test. The report will show whether the appliances and installations passed or failed, as well as any recommendations for further action. The certificate will also include the name of the landlord, address, and the date that the test was conducted.
There are gas safety certificate uk of gas safety certificates that are domestic and non-domestic. The first one is intended for homes, flats and studios whereas the latter refers to commercial properties such as warehouses and office buildings. Both certificates must be renewed annually and the engineer will provide the details of every appliance they have inspected.
Who is required to undergo an inspection for gas safety? Anyone who owns, rents or has a property that has any type of gas appliance. This includes private homeowners housing associations, housing associations and local authorities, hotels and other hospitality places, and even schools. Landlords are required to inspect their properties and provide the most recent Gas Safety Record to their tenants. They are legally accountable to ensure that their tenants are safe in their residences, whether they rent or own them.
If you own a property and have an agent managing the care of your property, it is important to ensure that they're the ones who organize the annual gas safety check. Having a managing agent does not relieve you of the legal obligation to have the property tested and to provide your tenants with the most recent Gas Safety Record.
It's not mandatory for homeowners to keep their gas safety records. However, they're helpful when selling a property. Buyers will want to verify that the appliances have been maintained and are safe. Furthermore, the TA6 form that's part of the conveyancing process asks for a gas safety report and it's recommended to have one in place prior to selling.
Who is in need of an Gas Safety Certificate?
Gas Safe registered engineers will be required to inspect any gas appliance or pipework in a commercial or domestic property. This will include landlords as well as building owners and even tenants who reside in a house that is managed by an agent managing the building.
Landlords are subject to a range of legal obligations. One of them is to ensure that all flues, appliances, and fittings are checked and considered safe by an Gas Safe engineer every 12 months. Gas Safety Certificates or CP12 are a vital element of any rental property. It is against the law for landlords to let out the property without this certificate.
While homeowners aren't required to follow the same legal obligations that landlords do, it's still recommended to have an annual gas Safety Check once a year. This will help keep their boiler and all gas appliances in good condition and will also reveal any issues that need fixing, which could save them money in the long term.
The gas safety certificate is likely to have a header that displays the name and registration number of the engineer who performed the inspection, as well as the address of the property, postcode, and any other pertinent identifiers. The certificate will also list all appliances that were examined and will indicate whether they passed or failed. If any appliance was found to be unsafe, they will be marked as Not Compliant (NCS) or Immediately Dangerous (ID) or At Risk (AR).
This document will be presented to the homeowner at the conclusion of the service. It should be saved in a safe place to be used in the future. This document is ideal for homeowners who are selling their home. It can reassure buyers that the house is safe to use gas.
What is included in a Gas Safety Certificate
The gas safety certificate contains an inventory of all gas appliances and infrastructures an engineer has been examining. The certificate also contains details about the engineer, including their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document usually begins with a header that lists the date and time of the inspection. The document then lists the appliances checked as well as their condition and any safety issues or actions taken.
The gas safety certificate contains information about the property in which the inspection was conducted and the name of the landlord or managing agent. The certificate must include the address, postcode, as well as any other relevant identifiers to differentiate the properties. It also contains the name of the engineer as well as Gas Safe Register ID number along with their signature.
Landlords are legally obliged to arrange regular gas safety inspections in their properties that they let. This is to ensure that all of the gas appliances and pipework are safe to use and there aren't any leaks or other risks that could pose danger to the occupants. If appliances are found to be unsafe the engineer will label them as in the certificate. There are three codes that show an appliance's safety level: Immediately Dangerous (ID) At Risk (AR) or Not to Current Standards (NCS).
Gas safety certificates are a legal requirement for landlords who are selling their property. Potential buyers might request the records as part of their due diligence. They can use them to find any issues they need to address prior to buying the property.
Landlords can schedule a gas safety inspection with a Gas Safe registered engineer, or conduct the check themselves using our user-friendly platform. We recommend conducting a Gas Safety Check at least once every 12 months, to make sure that all the appliances are in good working order and are not posing any dangers to the occupants.
It is not the obligation of tenants to obtain an annual gas safety certificate or have their appliances inspected. It is the landlord's responsibility, who must arrange an annual inspection and issue a gas safety certificate to their tenants.
How Much does a Gas Safety Certificate Cost?
Gas safety certificates are an obligation that landlords must get to ensure the safety of their rental properties. The cost of a safety check for gas appliances is different depending on your property's size, location and number of appliances.
It is essential to communicate with your tenants and let them know when the inspection will take place so that they can be prepared for it. It can also help to explain the reason for them to allow access to allow the engineer to conduct the inspection. Some tenants are hesitant to allow access because they feel it's an invasion of privacy or they might be at risk should they not allow the engineer to inspect the fireplace, boiler or other appliances. It's worth reminding them that it's a legal requirement, and could lead to them facing fines or even criminal charges if they fail to allow access when an issue with your appliance is found, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.
When the gas engineer is finished carrying out the inspection, they will provide you with a copy of your gas safety certificate. It will include the date of the inspection, the engineer's details and your property address, along with a full list of all appliances or installations that were checked. It will also indicate that any appliances or installations failed the tests and will list any work that needs to be completed.
Gas Safe certificates are usually in yellow and black and your engineer will send you a copy of each appliance or installation they've been examining. This documentation should be kept for future reference. You must also give copies to each of your tenants.
The gas engineer will provide you a copy of the Gas Safety Record. This record is valid for one month from the date of the inspection. You must renew your Gas Safety Certificate prior to the expiration date. You should also give an original copy to any new tenants who move into your property.