About Landlord Gas Safety Checks in Lancashire

Who is required to provide landlord Gas Safety Certificates?

The landlord of a property is responsible for the safety of all the tenants who live within the building. It is the landlords legal duty to ensure that all gas appliances, flues and fittings are safe for tenant use.

The areas which need to be checked include all gas appliances and installations that a tenant has access to and within any communal areas. The landlord is responsible for maintenance, installation and repair of any gas pipework, flues or appliances.

How often does a Gas Safety Check need to be completed?

It is generally recommended that a Gas Safe registered engineer is employed to carry out an inspection of any property that you let out to tenants once a year to ensure that all of your appliances, pipework and fittings remain in a safe working condition.

Within 12 months of a new gas appliance installation, the landlord is responsible for ensuring that a Gas Safe registered engineer completes an inspection and continues to do so annually after that point.

Who is the Landlord of a Property?

A landlord is the owner of a property which has been rented out under a lease of less than seven years. A landlord is responsible for any of the following occupied accommodation:

• Residential premises which have been provided for rent by private sector landlords, local authorities, hostels or housing co-operatives.
• Rooms which have been let within hotels, private households, bed-sit accommodation or bed and breakfast accommodation.
• Rented holiday accommodation which include cottages, chalets, caravans, flats, and narrow boats located on inland waterways.

Who Can Carry out Gas Safety Inspections?

Any inspections, maintenance, repair work or installations of gas appliances must only be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Once a safety inspection has been completed, the landlord is required to keep a copy of the safety check record for 2 years.

Following a gas safety inspection, it is required that the landlord provide each tenant with details of the check. All existing tenants should receive a copy of the report within 28 days of the inspection and any new occupiers should be issued with a copy before they move into the property.

Can a Landlord gain access to a property to complete a Gas Safety Inspection?

The landlord of the property must make reasonable attempts to provide notice of the gas safety inspection so that the tenant is aware of the date of the checks and has access to your contact details.

A landlord should not use force to gain access to a property. Within the contract that is drawn up between the tenant and the landlord, it should be agreed that access is required for safety and maintenance inspections.