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Home and community

Domestic gas installation and health and safety

As a homeowner, tenant, landlord or gas installer you have rights and responsibilities, where gas safety is concerned.

Landlords

As a landlord, you are responsible for the safety of your tenants. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 specifically deal with the duties of landlords to ensure that gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants' use are safe. Landlords should:

  • ensure installation pipe work, appliances and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition
  • ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each appliance and/or flue that you provide for tenants use
  • ensure maintenance and annual safety checks are carried out by a CORGI registered installer
  • keep a record of each safety check for 2 years
  • issue a copy of the safety check to each existing tenant within 28 days of check being completed and to any new tenant before they move in
  • ensure all gas equipment (including any appliance left by a previous tenant) is safe or otherwise removed before re-letting
  • if a managing agent is used to help the landlord in meeting their duties, make sure that the management contract clearly specifies who is to make arrangements for maintenance and safety checks to be carried out and for keeping records. However, the landlord maintains overall responsibility for ensuring duties are met, irrespective of whether a managing agent is employed
  • ensure that anyone carrying out work on gas appliances/fittings and/or flues provided for tenants use has the required competence and that only CORGI registered installers are used

Tenants

You should allow your landlord access to the property to carry out maintenance or safety checks on appliances and/or flues that they provide for your use.

That gas appliances and/or flues you own should be regularly maintained and a safety check carried out at least once every 12 months by a CORGI registered installer.

That, if there is any doubt about the safety of gas equipment it should be turned off and not touched until checked by a competent installer, and remedial action taken as necessary.

Home Owners

As a house-owner you have a responsibility to yourself and the residents in your home to ensure that your gas fittings and appliances are safe. Ensure that all gas appliances and/or flues are regularly maintained and a safety check carried out annually or at any other time if there is a safety doubt by a CORGI registered installer.

Health and Safety

Every year about 30 people die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues which have not been properly installed or maintained. Many others also suffer ill health. When gas does not burn properly, as with other fuels such as coal, wood or oil, excess CO is produced which is poisonous. You can't see it, taste it or smell it but CO can kill without warning in just a matter of hours. The Health and Safety Executive website contains information gas consumers need to know in order to manage gas appliances/equipment safely and tells you what to do in an emergency. It also provides advice for landlords, and letting agents on how to comply with the law.

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