Landlords Annual Gas Safety Certificate
Harpenden, St.Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Watford and Tring

3 Counties Heating engineers are GAS SAFE-registered and therefore qualified to check all gas appliances and issue Gas Safety Certificates for Landlords.

Gas Safety Regulations

Every year in the UK, about 30 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning through poorly installed or badly maintained gas appliances and flues. Carbon monoxide (CO) is widely known asthe ‘silent killer’ as it is highly poisonous but cannot be detected by the senses. Exposure to even low levels of CO can cause brain damage and death.

All landlords (or their agents) have a duty under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (currently enforced by the Health and Safety Executive) to arrange maintenance by a GAS SAFE-registered installer for all pipe work, appliances and flues, which they own and have provided for their tenants use. They must also arrange for a gas safety check to be carried out every 12 months by a GAS SAFE-registered installer.

The regulations apply to appliances such as gas fires, gas cookers, central heating boilers, water heaters and swimming pool boilers. If there is more than one appliance in the property, each individual appliance must be checked and the results must be recorded in a gas safety certificate.

Severe penalties for non-compliance can be imposed and deaths could result in manslaughter charges for landlords and agents. Non-compliance is a criminal offence and courts can impose unlimited fines and custodial sentences. The standard penalty is a £6,000 fine for each item and/or 6 months imprisonment. This may also invalidate your property insurance and could subsequently lead to high claims for civil damages.

The Gas Safety Certificate

A landlord’s annual gas safety certificate should contain the following information:

• the address of the property;
• the name and GAS SAFE registered number of the plumber or engineer;
• a list of all gas appliances in the property and confirmation that they are safe to use;
• a statement that the flues have been checked and are clear;
• a list of any remedial action needed.