This information is aimed at landlords and explains some of the main requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 as amended by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018. It also gives guidance on how to comply with them (see boxed text). The leaflet will also be of interest to tenants, making them aware of landlords’ duties.
Each year people die from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues which have not been properly installed or maintained. Many others also suffer ill-health.
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 as amended specifically deal with the installation, maintenance and use of gas appliances, fittings and flues in domestic and certain commercial premises. They place duties on landlords to ensure that gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants’ use are safe.
These duties to protect tenants’ safety are in addition to the more general ones that landlords have under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
* Details can be found on HSE’s website on statistics.
What type of property is covered?
The duties generally apply to appliances and flues provided for tenants’ use in ‘relevant premises’, that is those occupied for residential purposes under either a licence, a tenancy agreement for a set term, or a lease as defined in the Regulations. Essentially any lease under seven years is covered.
What are my main duties as a landlord?
You are required to:
- Ensure gas fittings and flues are maintained in a safe condition. Gas appliances should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If these are not available, it is recommended that they are serviced annually unless advised otherwise by a Gas Safe registered engineer;
- Ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance/flue. Before any new lease starts, you must make sure that these checks have been carried out within one year before the start of the lease date, unless the appliances in the property have been installed for less than 12 months, in which case they should be checked within 12 months of their installation date.
- Keep the record of the gas safety check until two further checks have been carried out (this may be longer than two years);