GAS SAFE NEWS 2012

Landlords could be putting students’ lives at risk

25th September 2012

Gas Safe Register issues warning to students: know your rights

Gas Safe Register is warning students who are about to move into rented accommodation of rogue landlords. This comes as new research has found that private rental landlords in Great Britain are ignoring their legal responsibilities to keep tenants safe. Only half of tenants received a gas safety record when they moved into their property, despite this being a legal requirement for landlords to provide.

By law, landlords must ensure gas appliances in their rented properties are checked annually and regularly serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants must also be given an up-to-date landlord gas safety record.

Earlier this year a landlord from Oxford was fined for endangering the lives of his student tenants after he failed to provide safety records for gas appliances at a property he rented out in Didcot. The students suffered from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, a deadly gas which can be mistaken for a hangover or flu.

As students head back to university and move into private rented accommodation, Gas Safe Register is urging them to follow these top tips to stay safe:

Always ask for a copy of the landlord’s current gas safety record before you move in.
If you think a gas appliance is faulty, turn it off and let your landlord know immediately.
Don’t mistake carbon monoxide poisoning with a hangover or flu. The six symptoms include headaches, nausea, breathlessness, collapse, dizziness, loss of consciousness.
In an emergency call the gas emergency helpline on 0800 111 999.

Download Gas Safe Register’s student factsheet for all the information you need to stay safe at www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk/students.

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