Gas Safety Inspection
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 outline your duties as a landlord to make sure all gas appliances, fittings, chimneys and flues are safe and working efficiently. If you’re letting a property with gas appliances installed, you’ve got legal responsibilities.
To ensure your tenants’ safety, all gas appliances and flues need to undergo an annual gas safety check - and always by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Once this has been done, you’ll be given a Landlord Gas Safety Record or Gas Safety certificate with details of all the checks that were carried out. It can also be referred to as a CP12 certificate.
A Gas Safe registered engineer will test your gas appliances to make sure they’re safe to continue operating in your home.
A gas appliance safety check ensures an appliance is properly set and adjusted so the gas burns correctly. That it’s suitable for the room it’s located in and is physically stable, securely fitted and properly connected to the gas pipework
Your engineer will also make sure there’s an adequate and permanent air supply that’s suitable for the appliance installed. All safety devices are functioning properly. Any flues, chimneys and air vents are operating correctly
You can arrange for a gas safety check to be carried out any time from 10-12 months after the last check, without affecting the original certificate expiry date. If it’s less than 10, or more than 12 months after the last check, you’ll end up with a new deadline date - 12 months from the most recent check.
Appliances owned by your tenants aren’t your responsibility - although it’s still up to you to ensure the safety of any connecting flues, unless they’re solely connected to the tenants’ appliance.
What are the risks of unsafe gas appliances?
Three main risks can arise from having an unsafe gas appliance in your home:
- Gas leaks - A gas leak can cause fires or explosions. During a gas safety check, a Gas Safe registered engineer will do a visual inspection of pipework and a tightness test to confirm there aren’t any gas leaks.
- Fires and explosions - Safe appliances burn gas in a controlled way, but a faulty appliance or pipework may leak gas which can then be ignited, causing a fire or explosion.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning - Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous gas that can be especially deadly because you can’t see, taste or smell it.