15 Things You've Never Known About Gas Safety Certificate Check
What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One? A gas safety certification is a document that includes all the tests and inspections that an engineer performs on your gas appliances. These inspections to reduce the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning within your home. Landlords are required by law to organise these inspections on a regular basis. Gas Safe registered engineers must also conduct inspections. What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)? A gas safety certificate is a legal document that confirms that the appliances and installations of your property have all been inspected by a certified engineer. This ensures that they are safe for use. Gas appliances and flues must be inspected by a certified engineer every year. This is a legal requirement in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other serious accidents. Landlords that do not comply with these regulations could be penalized or fined. A gas engineer will conduct a thorough inspection of the home prior to issuing the document, which will contain specifics of the appliances and installations that they tested. The document will indicate whether the appliances and installations passed or failed, and any suggestions for further action. The certificate will also include the name of the landlord, address, and the date that the test was conducted. Gas safety certificates are available in two distinct kinds: domestic and non-domestic. The first is for residential properties like studios, homes and flats. The second one is for commercial properties, such as offices and warehouses. Both certificates need to be renewed every year and the engineer will provide an exact copy of every appliance they have examined. Who needs a gas safety check? Anyone who owns, rents or has the property with any gas appliance of any kind. This includes private homeowners, housing associations local authorities, hotels and other hospitality places, and even schools. Landlords must check their properties and issue the latest Gas Safety Record to their tenants. They are legally responsible for ensuring that their tenants are secure in their homes whether they lease or own them. If you own a property that is managed by an agent managing the property It is essential to ensure that they are the ones to plan the annual gas safety inspection and service. A managing agent cannot relieve you of the legal requirement to have the property tested and to give your tenants the Gas Safety Record. It's not a requirement for homeowners to keep gas safety records. However, they are helpful when selling a property. Potential buyers would like to verify that the appliances have been maintained and are safe. Furthermore the TA6 form that's part of the conveyancing process asks for a record of gas safety, so it's best to have one in place prior to selling. Who needs a Gas Safety Certificate? Essentially everyone who owns a residential or commercial property that has gas appliances and pipework must be examined by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer. This includes landlords and building owners, as well as even tenants who reside in a property which is managed by an agent who manages the property. Gas Safe engineers must check and verify that all appliances, flues and fittings in a rental property are safe every 12 months. Gas Safety Certificates or CP12 are an essential part of every rental property. It is illegal for landlords to rent out any property that is not accompanied by this document. For homeowners, even though they aren't subject to the same legal obligations as landlords, it's still a good idea to take advantage of an annual gas Safety Check done once a year. This will ensure that their boilers and gas appliances in good condition and also help to identify any issues that require fixing, which can save them money in the long run. The header of the gas safety certificate is likely to include the name and registration number of the engineer who performed the inspection, as well as any other identifiers that are relevant. It will also include an inventory of all appliances that were examined and an indication of whether they passed or failed. If any appliances were found to be dangerous the appliance will be labelled as Not Compliant (NCS) or Immediately Dangerous (ID) or At Risk (AR). This document is issued to the homeowner after the service and should be kept somewhere safe to be able to refer to it in the future. It is often a good idea for homeowners to keep this document with them when they sell their home, as it can assure potential buyers that the property is gas safe. What is Included in what is included in a Gas Safety Certificate? The gas safety certificate includes an inventory of all gas appliances and infrastructures that an engineer has been examining. The certificate also includes details on the engineer such as their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document is usually accompanied by an introduction that lists the date and time of the inspection. The document then details the appliances examined, their status, and any action taken or safety issues identified. The gas safety certificate includes information about the house where the inspection was conducted, and also the details of the managing agent or landlord. The certificate must contain the address, postcode and any other relevant identifiers to differentiate between different properties. It must also include the engineer's name and Gas Safe Register ID number and their signature. Landlords are legally obligated to schedule regular gas safety inspections in their properties that they let. This is to ensure that all of the gas appliances and pipework are safe to use and there aren't any leaks or other dangers that could pose danger to occupants. If any appliances are found be unsafe, the engineer will mark them as unsafe on the certificate. Three codes are used to indicate the level of safety of an appliance: Immediately Dangerous, At Risk, or Not Current Standards. Gas safety certificates can be a legal requirement for landlords who are selling their home. As part of their due diligence, prospective buyers can request the certificates and use them to determine any issues they need to address prior to purchasing the property. Landlords can schedule a gas safety inspection with a Gas Safe registered engineer, or they can do it themselves via our user-friendly platform. We suggest arranging a Gas Safety Check at least once every 12 months to make sure that all of the appliances are in good order and are not posing any dangers to the people living in the premises. It is not the obligation of tenants to obtain the issue of a gas safety certificate, or have their appliances checked. It is the landlord's responsibility arrange an annual inspection, and issue the certificate of gas safety. How Much is a Gas Safety Certificate Cost? Gas safety certificates are an obligation that landlords must obtain to ensure the safety of their rental properties. The cost of a gas safety inspection will vary depending on the size and the location of your property, as well as how many gas appliances need inspection. It is important to inform your tenants and let them know when the inspection is scheduled to take place to ensure that they are prepared for it. how long does a gas safety certificate last to explain to them the reasons why they should allow the engineer to do 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 their privacy or that they could be put in danger if the engineer doesn't have access to check the boiler, fireplace or other appliances. It's important to remind them that it's a legal requirement that could result in them facing fines or even criminal charges if they don't allow access and a problem with your appliance is discovered, like carbon monoxide poisoning. When what is a gas safety certificate is finished carrying out the inspection, they will provide you with an original copy of your gas safety certificate. The certificate will contain the date and the contact information of the engineer along with your address at the property and the list of all the appliances and installations that were examined. The report will also list any appliances or installations that failed the test, as well as any work required. A Gas Safe certificate will usually be an ordinary black and yellow document. Your engineer will give you the certificate for each appliance or installation that they have examined. This documentation should be kept for future reference and you should also provide a copy to each tenant. The gas engineer will provide you with a copy of the Gas Safety Record, which is valid for 12 months from the date of inspection. You must renew your Gas Safety Certificate prior to its expiration. You should also provide an original copy to any new tenants moving in.