Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of their tenants when it comes to the condition of any rental property. Whether you only own a single buy to let property or a whole portfolio, keeping on the right side of the current legislation is important. This is particularly true when it comes to gas safety.
If you are employing the services of a Gas Safe registered installer, you should expect to be issued with a Building Regulations Certificate which should be sent to your property no less than a few weeks after the installation. The installer will also notify the local council that a new boiler has been installed.
Your Responsibilities Under the Law
The responsibilities of a landlord for any gas appliance comes under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, the legislation that includes having an annual safety inspection. If you have decided to install a new boiler, your certificate should be automatically updated once the work is complete and has been tested and approved through the Building Regulations Certificate.
That’s why you should always choose a Gas Safe registered engineer, otherwise you will need to get someone in after the installation to carry out an inspection.
As a landlord you have several obligations. While it can seem like a way to cut costs for an installation, unless you have a Gas Safe registered engineer service the initial installation you could be opening yourself up to prosecution if things go wrong. Each approved engineer should have their own registration card which outlines the kind of work they are competent to carry out.
As a landlord, you should keep accurate and detailed records when it comes to any work or servicing carried out with regards to your gas supply. Most of these, including previous CP12s, need to be kept for at least 2 years after issue and need to be made available to tenants on asking. You need to ensure that you keep your Building Regulations Certificate safe.
Using a Gas Safe Registered Engineer Company
A Gas Safe certificate is provided once an engineer has made a full review of the gas appliances in your rental property. This certificate includes several details including the name and registration number of the engineer and details of the appliances that have been checked, along with any problems that may have been identified.
Some landlords go through a letting agency and leave most of the day to day handling of the property to them. This does not relieve them of the legal obligation and their responsibility for gas safety.
A landlord should make sure that any new boiler installation is carried out by an appropriately registered engineer and keep hold of the certificate.
At DHS in Bristol, all our engineers are Gas Safe registered. Not only can we help with your new boiler installation and ensure you meet all the current legal requirements, but we are available for annual gas safety checks and can help with boiler maintenance.
Contact DHS today, by calling us on 0117 924 7200, or email us, and we will get back to you.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
