LANDLORDS
Are your properties safe and legal? As you are aware, each gas and electrical appliance and installation in UK rented accommodation should be checked and certified safe. In an event of an accident you must be able to prove that all appliances had an inspection and classified safe. The only way you can be absolutely sure they are safe is to subject each appliance to gas and electrical safety checks in order to get them certificated with both an electrical and gas safety certificate (CP12) issued by one of our specially-trained engineers.
Not only can you be fined for not having proved that each appliance is safe, you can also be fined for causing carbon monoxide poisoning in an event of a defective gas appliance. Landlords cannot ignore their liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence. Gas installations can leak deadly carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxide is undetectable: you can't see it, smell it or even taste it but it could injure you or even kill you if you breathe it in.
Electricity is also very dangerous. According to RoSPA, 3,000 people were hospitalised in just one year due to electrical current accidents. In 1995 electricity killed 66 people, injured 23,756 and caused 7,500 fires.
Landlords must have annual inspections for gas installations and appliances in rented accommodation, checked and certificated safe. Penalties for infringement can be severe - with fines of up to £5,000, six months’ (or more) imprisonment, or both! Plus the Housing Act (the HHSRS) requires that electrical appliances and installations are checked and tested in accordance with the Safety Regulations.
The Safety Inspection Landlord Protection Plan (LPP) includesincludes gas and electrical safety checks designed to ensure you do not fall foul of the relevant legislation, comprising:
Gas Inspection Checks
Inspection and test of the gas installation and up to three appliances, i.e. gas boiler, cooker and gas fires which also identifies any gas leaks or poisonous carbon monoxide (CO).
Gas Boiler Service
Neglected gas boilers can be a principal source of leaks and CO. Regular servicing improves gas safety and not only protects your tenants, it extends life of the boiler and ensures economic running.
Electrical Inspection
A visual and functional inspection of up to six domestic appliances and a polarity and earth loop test to 10% of the sockets within the property.
Electrical Installations
Landlords should ensure that the electrical installation (fixed wiring, etc) is safe to use. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to ensure the electrical installation is safe when the tenancy begins, and that it is maintained in a safe condition throughout that tenancy. One way of ensuring safety is to undertake a regular visual inspection of the installation, looking for any obvious signs of damage such as damaged cables, socket-outlets showing scorch marks, etc. In addition, the Institution of Electrical Engineers recommends that electrical installations are formally inspected and tested by a competent person on change of occupancy, and at least once every ten years.
Formal inspection and testing should only be undertaken by someone competent to do such work, such as an Approved Contractor. Formal inspection and testing should be more frequent where the risk is found to be greater, for instance where the installation is very old, where damage is regularly found during inspections, etc.
Electrical appliances
Official guidance issued by the Department of Trade and Industry strongly advises estate agents, letting agents, landlords and anyone else who lets furnished accommodation to seek independent advice as to who is responsible for the safety electrical appliances supplied in the course of business. If landlords provide any electrical appliances (cookers, kettles, toasters, washing machines, immersion heaters, etc) as part of the tenancy, the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 require them to ensure the appliances are safe to use when first supplied. Each time the property is re-let, it will be classed as supplying to that tenant for the first time.
Landlords therefore needs to maintain the electrical equipment they supply, taking reasonably practicable precautions to ensure the appliances are safe. A combination of visual inspection, and formal inspection and testing by a competent person such as an NICEIC Approved Contractor, should help achieve this.
