What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One?
A gas safety certification is a document that contains all the tests and inspections engineers perform on your gas appliances. These inspections lower the risk of carbon-monoxide poisoning in your home.
Landlords are required by law to organise these inspections on a regular basis. homeowner gas safety certificate should also be conducted by an Gas Safe registered engineer.
What is an Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certificate is an official document that demonstrates that all appliances and installations within your property have been checked by a certified engineer to ensure that they are safe to use. It is a legal requirement for landlords to have their gas appliances and flues checked every year to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or other serious accidents. Landlords who don't adhere to these regulations could may be penalized with fines or even a prosecution.
A gas engineer will carry out an extensive inspection of the property before issuing the document that will include the specifics of the appliances and installations that they tested. It will also show whether they passed or failed the test, and include recommendations for further action if necessary. The certificate will also include the name of the landlord, his address, and the date the test was conducted.
Gas safety certificates are available in two distinct types that are domestic and non-domestic. The first is intended for residential properties, such as homes, studios and flats. The second is for commercial properties like warehouses and offices. Both certificates have to be renewed annually and the engineer must give a copy of each appliance that has been examined.
Who needs gas safety checks? Anyone who owns, leases or has a property that has any type of gas appliance. This includes homeowners who are private as in housing associations, local authorities and hotels and other hospitality venues. Landlords are particularly required to get their properties examined and issue their tenants with the most current Gas Safety Record, as they are legally responsible for ensuring that their tenants are secure in their homes that they rent or own.
If you own a house and hire a managing agent to take care of your property, it's crucial to ensure that they're the ones who plan the annual service and gas safety check. A managing agent will not let you out of the legal obligation to have the property tested, and to give your tenants an official Gas Safety Record.
Although it's not a legal requirement for homeowners to keep their own records on gas safety but they can be useful when selling the property since potential buyers will be looking for evidence that the appliances have been maintained and are safe. The TA6 form, which is part of the conveyancing process is also a requirement for a record of gas safety and it's recommended to keep one before selling.
Who is in need of a Gas Safety Certificate?
Essentially, anyone who owns a residential or commercial property with gas appliances and pipes will need to have them checked by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. This includes landlords and building owners, as well as even tenants who reside in a property that is managed by a managing agent.
Landlords are bound by a variety of legal obligations, and one of these is to ensure that all flues, appliances and fittings are examined and certified safe by an Gas Safe engineer every 12 months. This is referred to as a Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 and is a crucial part of any rental property. It is illegal for landlords to let out a property without this document.
For homeowners, while they don't have the same legal obligations as landlords, it's still a good idea get an annual gas Safety Check done once a year. This will ensure that the boiler is in good condition and highlight any problems that need to be fixed.
The front of the gas safety certificate is likely to include the registration and name of the engineer who performed the inspection as well as any other identifiers that are relevant. It will also include an inventory of all the appliances that were tested, as well as the information on whether they passed or failed. If appliances are deemed to be unsafe they will be classified as Not Compliant(NCS) or Immediately Hazardous (ID) and At Risk (AR).
This document is issued to the homeowner following the service and is best kept safe for future reference. It is recommended for homeowners to carry this document when selling their home, as it can assure prospective buyers that the home is gas safe.
What is included in a Gas Safety Certificate
A gas safety certificate includes a full list of all the gas appliances and infrastructure that an engineer has checked. The certificate also contains details about the engineer, including their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document is usually arranged with a header displaying the date and time of the inspection. The document lists the appliances inspected as well as their condition and any safety issues or actions taken.
The gas safety certificate contains details about the property in which the inspection was conducted along with the information of the managing agent or landlord. The certificate must contain an address, postcode and any identifiers that distinguish between properties. It also contains the name of the engineer and Gas Safe Register ID number and their signature.
Landlords are legally obligated to arrange regular gas safety inspections in their let properties. This is to ensure that all the gas appliances and pipes are safe to use and that there are no leaks or other risks that could pose a risk to occupants. If appliances are found to be unsafe the engineer will mark them as unsafe on the certificate. Three codes are used to indicate the level of safety of an appliance: Immediately Dangerous, At Risk, or Not Current Standards.
It is crucial for landlords to keep their gas safety certificates current and up to current, as they could be legally required when selling a property. Prospective buyers may ask for the records as part of their due diligence. They can use them to find any issues they require to address prior to buying the property.
Landlords can arrange an appointment for a Gas Safety Inspection with an Gas Safe registered Engineer, or they can conduct it themselves with our user-friendly platform. We recommend that the Gas Safety Check is performed every year, at least to ensure that the appliances are in good order and do not pose any danger to the occupants.
It is not the duty of tenants to arrange an annual gas safety certificate or have their appliances checked. It is the responsibility of the landlord, who must schedule an annual inspection and issue gas safety certificates to their tenants.
How Much does a Gas Safety Certificate Cost?
Gas safety certificates are a legal requirement that landlords must get to ensure the safety of their rental properties. The cost of a gas safety inspection will vary based on the size and the location of your property, as well as the number of gas appliances that require inspection.
gas safety certificate homeowner to communicate with your tenants and let them know when the inspection will take place to ensure that they are prepared for it. It can also help to explain the reason to let them in to allow the engineer to perform the check. It's not unusual for some tenants to be hesitant to grant access as they may feel it's an invasion of privacy or they may be put in danger if the engineer doesn't have access to check the fireplace, boiler, or other appliances. It's worth reminding them that it's a legal requirement that could lead to being fined or even criminal charges if they do not allow access and there is a problem with your appliance is found, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.
The gas engineer will provide you an official copy of the certificate once the inspection is completed. The certificate will contain the date and the contact information of the engineer, your property address and an inventory of all appliances and installations that were tested. The report will also list any appliances or installations that failed the test as well as any work required.
Gas Safe certificates are usually in yellow and black, and your engineer will send you a copy for each appliance or installation they've inspected. Keep this document to refer to in the future and also to provide a copy to your tenants.
Your gas engineer will send you a copy of the Gas Safety Record. This record is valid for 12 months from the date of inspection. You must make sure that you renew your Gas Safety Certificate before it expires. You must also provide a copy to new tenants when they move into the property.