What Are a Landlord's Responsibilities For Gas Safety, Repair & Maintenance?

Being a landlord comes with its fair share of responsibilities. Whether it's your first time leasing a property or you are a veteran Landlord, you must know the steps you are legally bound to take to ensure tenant safety and property maintenance. After all, the last thing you want is to get fined.

The safety of your tenants cannot be compromised, especially when it comes to gas safety. Therefore, Landlords have a moral and legal responsibility to have the rented space checked regularly for maintenance via timely gas safety inspections, boiler checks, electrical and plumbing inspections, and more.

To help you better understand landlord responsibilities, we have created the ultimate post just for you. Read on to learn more.

Who Is a Landlord?

Before we take a closer look at the responsibilities of a landlord, it is important to know who is considered a landlord.

According to the UK's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985, a landlord is someone who rents out a property that is subject to a license agreement or lease. In other words, a landlord is a person or a company accountable for the building that has been leased out.

You can either be classified as a management agent, a long-term landlord or a short-term landlord, depending on the type and length of the rental

What Gas Safety Responsibilities Does a Landlord Have?

As a landlord, you have to adhere to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 which cover all the duties of a landlord. It outlines that you must ensure that the gas appliances, chimneys, fittings, and flues are safe.

Therefore, a landlord is responsible for the following:

1. Get A Gas Safety Inspection

   The first and foremost responsibility of a landlord in the UK is to get a gas safety inspection. All the gas appliances and flues within the property must be checked by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer every year.

   The inspection is necessary due to the following reasons:

   • It ensures that all appliances and wiring are in fine working order
   • If an appliance is not working properly, the inspection helps identify the fault before it becomes life-threatening
   • It ensures that there is adequate ventilation so tenants remain safe from CO poisoning
   • It ensures that new appliances have been installed correctly
   • It optimizes gas usage; servicing appliances means that less gas is used by the appliance and so your costs remain low
   • Landlords are legally responsible for having the appliances they installed checked every year. As for the appliances owned by tenants, they aren't the landlord's responsibility. However, you need to ensure that the connecting flues are safe.
   • Once the inspection is complete, landlords receive a gas certificate, which they should share with the tenant. It is a good idea to have the gas safety checks 10 months after the last inspection so that the original expected expiry date isn't affected.
2. Maintain A Gas Safety Record

   After the gas safety checks have been performed for the year, you will receive the landlord gas safety certificate, which will indicate that the inspection is complete for the year.

   Once you've got the certificate, as a landlord, you must also maintain the gas safety record of the leased building, i.e., you must keep all the certificates you get every year so that they can be produced if required. Although the law states that landlords have to keep a copy of the certificate until two further checks have been performed, we recommend saving all copies.

   Most gas safety certificate providers offer an online safety certificate record; you can use it to keep digital copies of all your certificates without hassle. If you have new tenants, you must provide them with the latest copy of the gas safety check certificate.

   On the other hand, the law strictly states that you have to provide a copy of the certificate to your tenants within 28 days (about 4 weeks) of the gas safety checks.

3. Ensure Regular Maintenance

   In addition to the above, you will also have to ensure that all the gas appliances, pipework, flues, and chimneys are kept in excellent condition. It is best to check the guidelines of each gas appliance to determine if it needs to be serviced. However, if you don't have access to them, you can simply book an annual service.

   Now, you should know that pipework inspection isn't included in the annual gas safety checks.. This is why you will require an additional check to test the tightness of the entire gas system and visually examine the pipework.

4. Fire and Smoke Alarms:

   Lastly, landlords need to install fire and smoke alarms on their properties. On top of this, the carbon monoxide and fire alarms have to be regularly checked as well once tenants move into your house. If the alarm is no longer working, you will have to get it fixed.

What Is the Cost of Landlord Gas Safety Check?

Although the exact cost of the landlord gas safety check is difficult to estimate, you can expect to spend anywhere from £80 to £200. It is advised that you seek at least three different quotes to ensure that you don't overspend on the inspection. .

The cost of the gas safety inspection depends on various factors, such as the number of gas appliances in the house and where you live.

Takeaway

After you have gone over our post, you will know what your gas safety responsibilities are as a landlord. You have to make sure that your tenants live in a safe place and don't have to worry about anything.

If you fail to perform the gas safety checks, your tenants can contact the relevant authorities. In such a situation, you could face a steep fine. Hence, it is best that you meet your legal responsibilities.

Get in touch with a reliable gas safety certificate provider to book your inspection today.

You'll also find these articles useful: What Does a Gas Safety Check Involve?