Landlord Gas Safety – Keeping Your Tenants Safe

According to research, around 68000 homes last year were saved from deadly gas incidents thanks to the inspections carried out by Gas safety registered engineers. The extent of these numbers can clearly indicate how important it is to maintain gas safety in a household. It is the responsibility of any tenant to ensure these inspections are done on an annual basis and in a timely manner. Any negligence in carrying out these checks can harm the safety of the tenants. 

Let us discuss how landlords can keep their tenants safe.

Who Is the Landlord and the Tenant? 

A landlord is a person who gives his property on rent under a license, contract, or lease. Usually, this contract lasts for a maximum of seven years or less. A tenant, on the other hand, is someone who lives in a rented-out property. 

According to the law, a landlord is responsible for the annual safety checks. It means that a tenant will never be responsible for the gas safety certificates or any of its procedures. All of this must be clearly specified in the tenancy contract or agreement. You can learn more about gas safety certificates here. 

In some cases, a third person may be involved in the rental of the property. Officially, this person is called the letting or management agent. If the contract says that the letting agent is responsible for the gas safety checks, then all responsibility lies on their shoulders. If the contract does not mention any such clause, then the landlord is responsible for it. 

A Guide for Landlords to Keep Their Tenants Safe

As mentioned before, a landlord is legally obligated to keep the tenants safe while they are on rental. The majority of the rules and regulations of tenancy involve the health and safety of the tenants. Therefore, there is a lot to cover and understand.

The responsibility of the landlord does not end at covering the bare minimum. It is also about ensuring that they take every step possible to reduce the potential risks. If there is any harm to the lives of the tenants or their health, then the landlord has to pay heavy penalties to cover the damages. To make sure that you, as a landowner, are following the rules and regulations, here are 3 things that you need to take care of:

1. Carrying out a Risk Assessment

Although there is no legal obligation to carry out a risk assessment, it is always better to be safe than sorry. It allows you to identify if any problematic places on the property could be of risk to the health and safety of the tenants. There are 29 categories of housing hazards on a property and you can even find a template online to conduct the assessment yourself. Some of these hazards include;

• Excess heat or cold in an area or room
• Mold growth or dampness on the premises
• Electrical shocks
• Fires
• Trip hazards such as uneven floors or loose stairs
• Sanitation and water supply issues
• Infection through hygiene issues such as legionella
• Presence of pollutants such as carbon monoxide or asbestos
• The chance of intruders entering the property

As a practice, you must carry out this assessment before renting out the property and then between each of the tenancies. 

2. Gas and Electrical Safety

Every property must have gas safety checks on an annual basis. The landlord is responsible for carrying out these checks and getting gas safety certificates. Such checks ensure that all the gas appliances on the premises are safe to use by the tenants. 

The landlord must also carry out a complete inspection of the electrical system. However, the electrical system check must be done once every 5 years. Sometimes, this duration may be shortened if the report specifies otherwise. Officially, it is referred to as the Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR).

Another important check is to ensure that the engineers or contractors carrying out these checks are qualified and registered. Always hire an engineer who is available on the gas safe register. You must also provide copies of the annual gas safety certificate and EICR to the new tenants within 28 days of their moving in. 

1. Fire Safety

An assessment of the premises allows you to reduce the chances of a fire hazard at the property. Gas and electrical malfunctions are one of the reasons for such domestic hazards. If you notice any such malfunctions or maintenance issues on the property, then you must carry out appropriate actions to eliminate the risks. 

If you are offering a furnished place on rent then all of the upholstered furniture must have a ‘match’ or ‘cigarette’ test label on it. Such labels ensure that the furniture meets the fire safety requirements. You can also fit a fire door in high-risk rooms such as the kitchen. There are self-closing devices that hold the door open but release it when they detect the activation of the smoke alarm. 

Educate the tenants about the escape routes and how to get out of the property quickly in case of a fire. Remind the tenants to not block the hallway with furniture so that there is always a clear escape route present inside the premises. 

Additionally, you can also place fire alarm systems, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to protect the tenants living at your property. These rules and regulations of fire safety also increase if the property is a shared household. 

Tips to Make Sure That Your Property Stays in the Best Possible Condition

• Make a schedule for five years and keep aside the budget for all the safety checks and maintenance. Review these checks and your budget every year.
• Make sure to set a reminder on the gas safety register for the next annual gas check. 
• Inspect the property after storms or natural events to make sure that your property is safe and secure for the tenants to live in.
• If the tenants report a problem, respond to them instantly and make any required maintenance as soon as possible. 
• You can also carry out periodic inspections such as every 6 or 12 months. During these inspections, you can check for any repair or maintenance issues that the tenant reports. 

What Is the Penalty for Neglecting Tenants’ Safety?

If your tenant reports or files a case against you and your local council decides that you are negligent, then you may be imposed with a penalty of a minimum of £30,000 for every offense. If you are called to court and prosecuted, then the fine is quite higher than this. In the most serious cases, the landlords are even jailed for the injury or loss of a life. You can even be banned from renting out your property.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a lot of rules and regulations to know and understand when it comes to keeping the tenants safe. Not only this, but you must also keep yourself updated with the latest rulings. If you fall short of keeping up with these regulations, then there are severe penalties that can be both personal and financial. Ensuring the safety of the tenants at all times while they are staying on your property is your responsibility. Therefore, you must take every step possible to protect them from harm.