Gas Certificates Needed Warning

A website dedicated to Flatshares, spareroom.co.uk has found that 26 per cent of tenants could be at risk from faulty gas fittings and appliances which may not have received an annual gas safety inspection.

As landlords, it is law that we must arrange for an engineer to perform an annual gas safety check on all our properties to ensure gas-powered appliances are working safely.

If you require a Certificate, please browse our page 'The Essential Letting Guide'  and click on 'Gas Certificates'.

In a seperate article, it has been said that the Health and Safety Executive has reported that 18 people died and 310 were injured in the UK last year from gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Matt Hutchinson, Director of the website, said the high number of overdue gas safety checks could be due to inexperience, as more and more landlords join the private rented sector.

‘While professional landlords have many years of experience and know the tenancy rules and regulations inside out, amateur landlords who buy second properties to rent out as a long-term investment may not have any previous experience of the rental market.

‘This means they may not be aware of their legal obligations, particularly if they’ve advertised for tenants privately, rather than through a letting agent.

‘It is vital that anyone thinking of renting out a property gets to grips with their responsibilities as a landlord, and keeps up to speed with any regulatory changes. Too many landlords are clearly forgetting their responsibilities once tenants are in place.’