What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One?
A gas safety certificate is a document that contains all the tests and inspections an engineer conducts on your gas appliances. gas safe certificate check lower the risk of poisoning with carbon monoxide at home.
Landlords are required by law to arrange the inspections on an annual basis. Gas Safe registered engineers must also conduct the inspections.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certification is an official document which proves that the installations and appliances of your property have all been checked by a qualified engineer. gas safety certificate check ensures that they are safe to use. It is a legal requirement for landlords to have their gas appliances and flues inspected every year to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, or other serious accidents. Landlords who fail to comply with these regulations may be penalized or fined.
A gas engineer will conduct an exhaustive inspection of the home prior to issuing the document that will include the details of all the appliances and installations they tested. It will also state whether they passed or failed the test and provide recommendations for further action if necessary. The certificate will contain the name of the landlord, address, and the date that the test was conducted.
Gas safety certificates are available in two kinds that are domestic and non-domestic. The first one is for flats, homes, and studios whereas the latter applies to commercial properties like warehouses and office buildings. Both certificates need to be renewed each year and the engineer will give a copy of each appliance that they have inspected.
Who needs to have an inspection for gas safety? The answer is anyone who owns or rents out a home with any gas appliance or installation. This includes homeowners who are private housing associations, housing associations, local authorities, hotels and hospitality venues, and even schools. Landlords are especially required to get their properties inspected and to issue their tenants with the most recent Gas Safety Record, as they are legally responsible to ensure that their tenants stay safe in their homes that they rent or own.
If you own a house and have an agent managing the care of your property, it is important to ensure that they're the ones who organize the annual gas safety check. A managing agent can't let you out of the legal obligation to have your property tested, and also to provide your tenants with a Gas Safety Record.
It's not mandatory for homeowners to keep gas safety records. However, they're useful when selling a home. Potential buyers will want to see proof that the appliances were maintained and are safe. In addition the TA6 form that's part of the conveyancing process requires for a record of gas safety and it's recommended to have one prior to selling.
Who needs a Gas Safety Certificate?
Gas Safe registered engineers will be required to examine any gas appliance or pipework that is in a commercial or domestic property. This includes landlords, building owners and some tenants who live in a property managed by an agency that manages the building.
Landlords have a number of legal obligations. One of them is to ensure that all flues, appliances and fittings are examined and certified safe by a Gas Safe engineer every 12 months. This is known as a Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 and is a crucial part of any rental property. It is unlawful for landlords to rent a property without this document.
In terms of homeowners, although they don't have the same legal obligations as landlords, it's nevertheless a good idea to get a gas Safety Check done once a year. This will ensure that their boiler and all gas appliances in good shape and also help to identify any issues that need repair, which could save them money in the long term.
The front of the gas safety certificate will usually include the registration and name of the engineer who carried out the inspection as well as any other relevant identifiers. It will also contain a list of all the appliances that were inspected, as well as an indication of whether they passed or failed. If any appliance was found to be dangerous they will be labeled as Not Compliant (NCS) or Immediately Dangerous (ID) or At Risk (AR).
The document is then given to the homeowner following the service, and is best kept safe to be able to refer to it in the future. It is often recommended for homeowners to carry this document when selling their home, as it will reassure potential buyers that the property is safe to use gas.
What is included in the contents of a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate will include a full list of all gas appliances and infrastructure an engineer has examined. The certificate also includes details on the engineer such as their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document usually begins with a header displaying the date and time of the inspection. The document lists the appliances that were inspected, their condition, and any safety concerns or actions taken.
The gas safety certificate contains information about the property where the inspection was conducted and also the details of the managing agent or landlord. The certificate should include the address, postcode, and any relevant identifiers that distinguish between different properties. The certificate should also contain the engineer's ID number as well as name along with the signature.
Landlords must conduct regular gas safety inspections in their rented properties. It is essential to ensure that the gas appliances and pipework can be used safely and that there aren't any leaks or other dangers that could pose a danger to the residents. If any appliances are found to be unsafe the engineer will label them as in the certificate. There are three codes that show the safety rating of an appliance: Immediately Dangerous (ID), At Risk (AR) or Not to Current Standards (NCS).
Gas safety certificates are a legal requirement for landlords when selling a property. Buyers who are considering buying the property may request the records as part of their due diligence and can use them to find any issues that they need to address prior to buying the property.
Landlords can schedule a gas safety check with an Gas Safe registered engineer, or they can conduct it themselves through our user-friendly platform. We recommend arranging the Gas Safety Check at least once every 12 months, to make sure that all the appliances are in good in good condition and don't pose any safety risks to residents.
It is not the responsibility of tenants to arrange for an official gas safety certificate or have their appliances inspected. It is the landlord's responsibility conduct an annual inspection and issue the certificate of gas safety.
How much does a Gas Safety Certificate cost?
A gas safety certificate is legally required for landlords to ensure that their rental properties are safe for tenants to use. The cost of a gas safety inspection will vary depending on the size and the location of your property, as well as the number of gas appliances that require being checked.
It is crucial to inform your tenants when the inspection is scheduled to take place, so that they can prepare. It's also a good idea to explain to them the reasons why they should let the engineer to conduct the inspection. It's not unusual for tenants to be hesitant to grant access to their property because they believe it's an invasion of privacy or that they could be at risk when the engineer doesn't have access to inspect the boiler, fireplace or other appliances. It is important to remind that it is a legal requirement. They could also face penalties or fines when an engineer is unable to access the boiler, fireplace or other appliances.
The gas engineer will give you an official copy of the certificate after the inspection is completed. The certificate will include the date, the engineer's contact details along with your address at the property and an inventory of all appliances and installations that were inspected. It will also indicate if any of the appliances or installations failed the tests. It will list any work that needs to be completed.
A Gas Safe certificate will usually be in the form of an ordinary black and yellow document, and your engineer will send you the certificate for each appliance or installation that they have examined. Keep this document to refer to in the future, and you'll also need to provide a copy of it to your tenants.
Your gas engineer will send you a copy of the Gas Safety Record. This record is valid for one month from the date of the inspection. You must renew your Gas Safety Certificate prior to its expiration. You should also provide a copy of it to any new tenants that move into your property.