All you need to know about Gas Safety Certificate in UK

All you need to know about Gas Safety Certificate in UK

All landlords in the UK are required by the law, under the Gas Safety Regulations 1998, to get their gas fittings and all appliances checked by a registered engineer, who is authorized to carry such an examination. After inspection, the engineer will enter all the details of what he has checked on a Landlord Gas Safety Record Form. This form is also called as the Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 certificate. The engineer will provide copies of the certificate for both the landlord as well as tenants.

The certificate was made legally necessary because of the many gas explosions happening in the UK. Flue emissions and carbon monoxide poisoning were also among the issues. The certificate was necessary to prevent damage to property, and danger to human life, because of accidents related to gas leaks. Most of the accidents that happen are due to faults in the fittings and appliances and can easily be prevented. During a gas safety check, the engineer may come across issues like a faulty flue or a damaged pipe, and it can be rectified by conducting necessary repairs. In this way, all such potential dangers can be taken care of, and accidents can be prevented.

Is the Gas Safety Certificate compulsory? Landlords are legally obliged to ensure that all the gas fittings, appliances, etc. are free from danger and safe for their tenants. Getting the check done by a qualified engineer and obtaining the certificate is compulsory even if the tenant is not going to use the gas connection. The rule is that if there is a live supply of gas to a property, it has to be checked.

Benefits for the landlord: A thorough check by a certified engineer and obtaining a Gas Safety Certificate will protect the landlord from getting blamed for any accident that may occur. He will also be saved from losses due to any suit filed against him.

Benefits for the tenant: For the tenant, the certificate will be an assurance that he can stay without having to constantly worry about the danger of mishaps due to faulty gas fittings.

How often should the safety check be carried out? If you are a tenant you need to carry out a Gas safety check once every year. If you have just recently had a check, then the next check should be done within twelve months.

The procedure for obtaining a gas safety certificate: For obtaining a certificate, you have to first select a registered engineer who is qualified to carry the check. Then you can book an appointment with him. The engineer will make a thorough inspection of all the gas fittings and appliances in your home. He will also examine the pipes for detecting any leakages and ensure that they are in optimum condition.

Who is a registered engineer? Not all gas engineers are qualified to carry out gas safety checks. Before getting your gas fittings checked, you need to check the Gas Safe Register which has a list of all the people authorized to conduct safety checks. An authorized gas engineer who is on the list will possess a Gas Safe ID card. So the first thing you need to do before the inspection is to verify the ID card of the engineer to ensure that he is properly qualified.

After the check is completed: After checking all the appliances and fittings, the engineer will hand you a copy of the Gas Safety Record Form, that will contain the result of the check conducted. You are also obliged to give a copy of the certificate to your tenant. For those tenants who are just about to move into a house, they need to get their copy before moving. For those tenants already staying at a property, they need to get their copy within 28 days after the gas safety check.

Details to be present on a Gas Safety Certificate:

The Gas Safety Certificate or Gas Safety record form should contain the following information:

• The date of the gas safety check.
• Address of the house or property on which the check was carried out.
• Details and the location of the appliances and flues on which the checks were conducted,
• Details of the landlord or agent, such as name and address.
• Name of the engineer who conducted the check, along with the registration number and signature.
• Any fault that has been found by the engineer during checking, and any step taken to rectify it or any step that is required to be done.
• A confirmation that the Gas Safety Check has been conducted on all the appliances and fittings.

The cost of obtaining the Gas Safety Certificate: The cost depends on factors such as the number of appliances that have been checked, and also the engineer who has been selected for the check. In your best interests, it is better to first obtain quotations from the gas companies for you to compare. You can select the one that is the most ideal one for you. The cost of a certificate starts from 35 pounds and may even go up to 150 pounds.

If you are a landlord having a property that you have rented out to some tenants, it is legally required for you to get a Gas Safety Certificate by getting a safety check done every twelve months. The certificate will be a guarantee that all gas pipes, all appliances, and fittings are safe for use and are not capable of causing explosions or fires due to faults or leakages.

The safety certificate will benefit you and your family by preventing financial losses due to property damage and also prevent physical harm. It will also prevent any legal hassles that may happen as a result of any untoward incidents that may take place. It would also be beneficial if you have smoke alarms at your property along with carbon monoxide alarms. You should also get all your new appliances or boilers checked to ensure that they are compliant with the proper gas safety body. The tenant also receives the same benefits as you, and he can have a peaceful stay at your property free from worries of accidents.

So remind yourself to conduct a Gas Safety check of all your gas fittings and appliances every twelve months by an authorized engineer and get a Gas Safety Certificate, and keep your house safe from accidents for yourself and your family.