Pin Point Issue 37 - 11th September 2024

Gas Safety Week: Every check counts

We are proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2024, taking place 9th-15th September.

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is coordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.

The theme for 2024 is Checking—Every Check Counts; from checking that you’re complying with your legal gas responsibilities as a landlord, to checking that you, and your tenants, know what to do in a gas emergency. Every check (no matter how big or small) helps to keep your tenants and your property gas safe!

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning, as you cannot see it, taste it, or smell it.

Landlords’ legal responsibilities

Landlords are legally responsible for the safety of their tenants. If you’re a landlord, you are legally obliged to make sure:

• Gas pipework, flues and appliances provided for tenants’ use are maintained in a safe condition.
• All gas appliances and flues provided for tenants’ use have an annual safety check. Your tenants can report you to the HSE if you don’t provide one, so it’s important to remember!
• A Gas Safety Record is provided to the tenant within 28 days of completing the check or to any new tenant before they move in.
• You keep a copy of the Gas Safety Record until two further checks have taken place.
• Maintenance and annual safety checks must be carried out by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. You can find this information on the Gas Safe Register website or by checking the back of the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card. It’s a good idea to encourage your tenants to also check the card when the engineer arrives at the property.
• All gas equipment (including any appliance left by a previous tenant) is safe or otherwise removed before re-letting.
• A carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is required to be fitted in every habitable room of a rental property containing gas appliances (excluding appliances used for cooking purposes). As a landlord, you are required to carry out a checks and tests to ensure that carbon monoxide alarms in the rental property are working the day any new tenancy begins.
• Before purchasing a CO alarm, always ensure it complies with British Standard EN 50291 and carries a British or European approval mark, such as a Kitemark. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations about how you should fit and test your alarm to ensure that the unit and the batteries are in good condition.

Additional checks that you can do to stay gas safe:

Check for warning signs that could indicate a gas appliance is not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow/orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out, too much condensation in the room, or error messages on the appliance’s control panel.

Check that vents or flues are not blocked. Vents are there to ensure gas appliances work safely; blocking them could prevent this.

Check your knowledge. Remember the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness.

Check before doing DIY. Before drilling or hammering, check that there is no risk of hitting a gas pipe. Never DIY on a gas appliance; if you suspect there is something wrong with the appliance or it is not working correctly, call a Gas Safe registered engineer. You can find one at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

Where can I find free advice?

For gas safety advice and to find or check an engineer visit the Gas Safe Register website at GasSafeRegister.co.uk. Alternatively, call the free helpline on 0800 408 5500.