New research from Gas Safe Register suggests that landlords’ unawareness of their gas safety responsibilities could be putting 2.7 million renters at risk.
The data, which was gathered over a period of 5 years, found that more than a third (37%) of landlords do not realise that it is their responsibility to ensure that that gas appliances provided by them are safety checked every year by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. In fact, one-in-seven landlords (15%) wrongly believe that gas appliance safety is the responsibility of their local council.
Unsafe gas appliances were found in a fifth (21%) of private rented accommodation. Gas heaters were the main culprits, accounting for the majority (59%) of all unsafe appliances.
Renters were also shown to be unaware of gas safety protocol; nearly a fifth (19%) were unaware of the necessity of annual boiler safety checks, and half of this group (11%) didn’t think their boiler had been inspected this year.
Legal obligation
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 sets out the main gas safety duties placed on gas users, installers, suppliers and landlords from across the whole rented sector.
Under the regulations, landlords are required to:
- Have an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.
- Obtain Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate, which is valid for 12 months and must be kept by the landlord for a minimum of two years and a copy issued to the tenant.
- Carry out any required maintenance, including appliance servicing in accordance with manufacture instructions.
Industry comments
Jonathan Samuel, managing director for Gas Safe Register, said:
“Gas safety can be a matter of life or death. The findings from the 122,000 inspections carried out by our team over the last five years show us that more unsafe appliances have been found in rented accommodation than in privately owned homes. However, any unsafe appliance can have devastating consequences, regardless of the type of property.
“We are urging renters, homeowners and landlords alike to make sure they know to get gas appliances checked on an annual basis and, as a legal requirement, to ‘trust the triangle’ by using a Gas Safe registered engineer.”
Independent expert Dominic Littlewood, said:
“With winter fast approaching, more and more people will be switching on their central heating. If they are not properly maintained, they can kill.”
“It is the law for every landlord in the country to get an annual check to make sure their tenants are gas safe, but whoever you are and wherever you live, gas safety should be on your radar. Get your gas appliances checked every year – the only way to do this within the law is to use an appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Be safe as well as warm this winter.”
Go the extra mile
In general, landlords have a responsibility to ensure the properties they let out are safe. The law is there to protect tenants, but landlords can protect themselves by going the extra mile to provide safety information to tenants, install extra safety features and keep up to speed with the latest industry developments.
Logic Certification offer a range of Gas Safety Awareness Courses to help landlords understand gas issues which may affect their tenants, including courses designed specifically for social housing landlords and private landlords.