Gas Safety Checks in the UK May 14th
The UK has five million privately rented properties but gas safety is still not a primary cause of concern for landlords and renters. It is important to note that several property owners, home renters and even small business energy users do not realize that they need annual gas safety checks. Failing this, their insurance could become invalid.
As a serious concern for safety, poorly fitted gas appliances can lead to explosions and even fires. In some occasions, regular fuel leaks are known to create carbon monoxide poisoning as well. Fines for failing to do these checks could range in thousands of pounds.
Is the UK not strict on gas safety?
Unfortunately, not. Currently, the regulations for gas safety change from place to place. The Landlord License Scheme is the only savior in this region. It makes annual gas safety checks mandatory and makes the landlords prove that they have met these legal requirements before they rent out. However, only 40 local authorities have enforced this scheme because of which problems occur frequently.
Because of these discrepancies, some users are at a constant threat of fires and explosions. Negligent landlords can continue to throw the rules out of question because they have not been formally enforced by the authorities. Some of them do not repair or check the gas equipment annually. This isn’t all. 250,000 illegal gas jobs are done in the UK by 7,500 unregistered gas fitters who are not certified or properly trained to do their job.
All this happens because the consumers are not aware of the energy rules that their landlords must abide by. Leave alone homeowners, even small businesses using mains gas have no idea that they need to get their gas equipment checked. 23% of the small business owners are completely unaware of this rule while another 18% haven’t had a check in over one year.
How should gas safety be ensured?
Here is what landlords need to do in order to keep their buildings safe from accidents, per business gas supplier Flogas Energy.
- Ensure proper maintenance
Keep checking regularly for foul smells and unusual activity. If a broiler stops working or other appliances fail to work frequently, get them checked by a certified Gas Safe engineer. Remember, getting the framework checked by an unregistered engineer will not be useful and won’t save your insurance policy from a lapse.
- Do annual safety checks
Annual safety checks will ensure that all your appliances are in working order, there isn’t any servicing overdue and no problems arise in the future. Also, it helps in avoiding the lapse of your insurance policy. Ensure that you keep records of all checks.
The good news is that landlords can now schedule a safety check up to 2 months in advance. This will help them in keeping the building’s energy supply in top shape. The new ‘MOT-style’ check helps in getting the equipment checked before the 1-year deadline expires. Your insurance provider will also appreciate this proactive approach. To find your local Gas Safe registered engineer, visit: www.gassaferegister.co.uk.
May 14th
The UK has five million privately rented properties but gas safety is still not a primary cause of concern for landlords and renters. It is important to note that several property owners, home renters and even small business energy users do not realize that they need annual gas safety checks. Failing this, their insurance could become invalid.
As a serious concern for safety, poorly fitted gas appliances can lead to explosions and even fires. In some occasions, regular fuel leaks are known to create carbon monoxide poisoning as well. Fines for failing to do these checks could range in thousands of pounds.
Is the UK not strict on gas safety?
Unfortunately, not. Currently, the regulations for gas safety change from place to place. The Landlord License Scheme is the only savior in this region. It makes annual gas safety checks mandatory and makes the landlords prove that they have met these legal requirements before they rent out. However, only 40 local authorities have enforced this scheme because of which problems occur frequently.
Because of these discrepancies, some users are at a constant threat of fires and explosions. Negligent landlords can continue to throw the rules out of question because they have not been formally enforced by the authorities. Some of them do not repair or check the gas equipment annually. This isn’t all. 250,000 illegal gas jobs are done in the UK by 7,500 unregistered gas fitters who are not certified or properly trained to do their job.
All this happens because the consumers are not aware of the energy rules that their landlords must abide by. Leave alone homeowners, even small businesses using mains gas have no idea that they need to get their gas equipment checked. 23% of the small business owners are completely unaware of this rule while another 18% haven’t had a check in over one year.
How should gas safety be ensured?
Here is what landlords need to do in order to keep their buildings safe from accidents, per business gas supplier Flogas Energy.
- Ensure proper maintenance
Keep checking regularly for foul smells and unusual activity. If a broiler stops working or other appliances fail to work frequently, get them checked by a certified Gas Safe engineer. Remember, getting the framework checked by an unregistered engineer will not be useful and won’t save your insurance policy from a lapse.
- Do annual safety checks
Annual safety checks will ensure that all your appliances are in working order, there isn’t any servicing overdue and no problems arise in the future. Also, it helps in avoiding the lapse of your insurance policy. Ensure that you keep records of all checks.
The good news is that landlords can now schedule a safety check up to 2 months in advance. This will help them in keeping the building’s energy supply in top shape. The new ‘MOT-style’ check helps in getting the equipment checked before the 1-year deadline expires. Your insurance provider will also appreciate this proactive approach. To find your local Gas Safe registered engineer, visit: www.gassaferegister.co.uk.
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