GAS SAFE NEWS 2012

Landlords fail to comply with gas safety law

12th August 2012

New research finds that landlords could be putting tenants’ lives at risk

New research has found that private rental landlords in Great Britain are ignoring a legal requirement to provide tenants with an assurance of the safety of their gas appliances.

By law, landlords must ensure tenants are given an up-to-date Landlords gas safety record, yet a new poll carried out for Gas Safe Register has found that only half of tenants received one when they moved in.

It would appear this is not just an oversight, as 75 per cent of these tenants were left without a valid record for their entire tenancy. As part of Gas Safety Week (10-16 September), landlords are being reminded of their responsibility and tenants are being encouraged to ask for a copy of this important document to protect themselves from danger.

Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said:

“What we are seeing is both an alarming number of landlords who are failing to comply with the law and tenants who do not realise it is their legal right to see a valid gas safety record. Faulty gas appliances can lead to CO poisoning, which can kill quickly, and it is therefore imperative that landlords take their responsibilities to keep tenants safe seriously”.

Department of Health research showed that around 4,000 people will present themselves at hospital with CO symptoms in a twelve month period. In the last year there have been more than 50 deaths as a result of CO poisoning, with 16 of those attributable to faulty gas appliances. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness. CO is particularly hard to detect as it’s a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas.

The poll also revealed that people are putting affordable rent over and above their safety, with 89 per cent claiming cheap rent was important when choosing accommodation, and only 41 per cent cited gas safety.

Richard Price, Director of Operations at the National Landlords Association, said:

“By law, landlords must ensure they carry out annual gas safety checks using Gas Safe registered engineers. The gas safety record should then be passed on to the tenant. In addition, it is good practice to install carbon monoxide detectors to warn tenants of any leak, although this is no substitute for the mandatory checks.”

“Providing safe homes to people is a huge responsibility and minimising the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning is an essential safety measure.”

“The NLA provides advice and guidance for landlords and tenants at www.landlords.org.uk. It is essential that landlords provide a safe home for their tenants.”

Gas Safe Register has launched Gas Safety Week to raise awareness of gas safety issues and carbon monoxide poisoning, for more details see www.GasSafeRegister/GasSafetyWeek. 

Gas Safe Register advises:

• Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fix, fit and service gas appliances
• Make sure gas appliances have a safety check every year and a regular service
• Find a registered engineer at www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500
• Always ask to see the engineer’s Gas safe ID card
• You can’t see of smell CO but it can kill quickly without warning
• Recognise the symptoms of CO poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.
  

 <<Back to news releases