Understanding gas cover for landlords

As a landlord, you have a responsibility to make sure all gas appliances in your properties are safe. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (1998) outline your duties to keep your tenants safe, which is why gas cover makes sense.

Maintain, Check, Record

If any of your properties rely on gas for heating or cooking, then you as a landlord are responsible for maintaining and checking pipework and appliances and keeping a record of your gas safety checks.

Maintain: all pipework, appliances and chimneys or flues in any of your rented properties must be maintained properly. That includes regular servicing by a Gas Safe registered and insured engineer.

Check: each chimney or flue in the property must have a gas safety check annually. There is also a legal requirement to have all gas appliances and pipework checked each year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Failure to maintain pipework and flues in a safe and usable condition is against the law.

Record: You’ll need to keep a record of all gas safety checks for a minimum two year period. New tenants should be provided with a copy at the start of their tenancy period, while you should provide a copy to established tenants within 28 days of the gas safety checks being completed.

Work with your tenants

It’s a wise move to let your tenants know how to turn off the gas and to agree an emergency plan – that’s why gas cover makes sense as a registered Gas Safe engineer can be with you as quickly as possible. If your tenants are using their own gas appliances you don’t have a responsibility to check them, but you do have a duty to keep all pipework and chimneys/flues safe and well maintained. Even if you only have short-term holiday lets like caravans and chalets, you still have a duty to maintain, check and record any gas installations.

Why you need gas cover

Gas cover takes the guesswork out of gas safety checks in your rental properties. You’ll stay on the right side of your legal responsibilities and your tenants can rent safe in the knowledge that all gas appliances are well maintained and fit for use, and that a Gas Safe registered engineer will be there as quickly as possible if any problems arise.

Whether you have long or short-term lets, you need Gas Safe certificates so contact us today to discuss your Gas Safe cover.