Student Accommodation And The Landlord Gas Safety Certificate – What You Need To Know

As a landlord, you must be aware of the safety of your tenants and understand that you have a level of responsibility for their overall welfare. Your legal obligations are applicable to a variety of properties occupied under lease or licensing.

This includes but is not limited to:

●    Residential premises provided for rent by local authorities, housing associations, private sector landlords, co-operatives, hostels.

●    Rooms let in bedsit accommodation, private households, bed and breakfast accommodation including hotels.

●    Rented holiday accommodation such as chalets, cottages, flats, caravans and narrowboats on inland waterways.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 highlights that one of the duties of landlords is to ensure gas appliances, fittings and chimneys/flues provided for tenants are completely safe. Students are like any other tenants in that the landlord needs to ensure that any gas appliances in the property are safe for general usage. For the majority of students, gas safety is unlikely to be at the top of their priorities list. The vast majority of landlords facilitating student properties are professional and take their responsibilities extremely seriously. Nevertheless, reports have indicated that a third of tenants have stated having problems with gas appliances that haven’t been dealt with efficiently by landlords.

Making sure that a property is safe and all appliances including the boiler, central heating and gas are all in working order is essential and also a reflection on the quality of the landlord. If a landlord isn’t bothered about the most basic and essential of safety requirements such as gas safety and hasnt acquired a Gas Safety Certificate, what else have they neglected to do? This helpful guide is designed to give you the necessary information regarding gas safety for students moving into a new property.

The Landlords’ Gas Safety Certificate explained 

It’s a legal requirement that landlords have all gas applications checked yearly. This is to ensure that you are providing a safe place to live for these young people who are potentially living independently for the first time in their lives. 

The Gas Safety Certificate is sometimes known as the CP12 and again, is a legal requirement for any rented property. This certificate can be acquired by annual inspection and is put in place to ensure that all appliances are in good working order and are safe to use. If the building has just been let out, a section of it is rented, or you manage it on behalf of someone else- you are still responsible for gas safety. The certificate must be provided for existing tenants within 28 days of it being completed prior to them moving in to the property. 

The certificate will contain all the gas safety checks and include any recordings of remedial action that has to be taken as a result of the checks. If you’re a landlord, make sure you keep these certificates as you are required to do so for a minimum of two years. It’s crucial that this check is carried out by a gas safe registered engineer otherwise you won’t receive the necessary legitimate legal documentation. If a tenant has brought gas appliances into the property with them, your responsibility is just for the required pipework that supplies it. It’s usually worth the landlord including this in their annual check. 

Tenants should be well informed on gas safety and what to do incase of an emergency. It’s important they know how to turn the gas off at the mains,have carbon monoxide detectors in the house and also know how they work

The landlord must provide this in rooms that are used by the inhabitants and this again is a requirement.

How much will a certificate cost?

The cost is dependant on the Gas Safe Engineer that you select as the cost isn’t regulated by the Gas Safe Register. It’s recommended you get a couple of quotes to choose from. Generally, the price can range anywhere from £50 – £150 depending on the number and type of gas appliances you have.

How to ensure you have a gas safe engineer?

The gas safety certificate can only be allocated if it is carried out by a gas safe engineer. Bearing this is mind, it’s advisable to take a look at the gas safe register to find a trusted engineer from a reliable company. Take into consideration that not all engineers are qualified to do all kinds of jobs, and every registered Gas Safe engineer is required to have a Gas Safe ID card.

Gas safety check list 

If you are a student and looking to view potential accommodation, there’s certainly a few things to consider when looking at properties for your academic year:

Ask to see The Gas Safety Certificate

Although the majority of landlords are professional in matters of safety, there’s absolutely no harm in asking to see the certificate for peace of mind and reassurance as much as anything else.

Make sure that the CO detectors are in place and work

As previously mentioned, all student properties require these, particularly in rooms that have fuel appliances such as a gas cooker or boiler. Request your landlord or letting agent to show you where the CO detectors are located when you view the property.

Be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning is known for being very similar to food poisoning or a general sickness bug. You may feel nauseous, light headed and have an unpleasant headache. It’s important if you suspect Carbon Monoxide poisoning to consult with a medical practitioner.

Be aware who can assist

If something seems amiss in your student accommodation or you are uncertain about something regarding your gas safety, you can seek information from your University Accommodation Services. You can also access all the necessary information regarding gas safety and understand what you are entitled to on the Health and Safety Executive.

Getting your boiler serviced

Ensuring your boiler is serviced is essential for any property, not just student accommodation. A faulty or broken boiler can be extremely dangerous. Implementing an annual servicing is essential in the prevention of gas leaks or fires. Having the boiler serviced is crucial in safeguarding your tenants and is good professional practise. An annual boiler service can ensure that the boiler is in good working order and is all a part of the due diligence required in being a landlord.

Central heating installation

When you are seeking a central heating gas engineer – the chances are you are after one key thing – warmth in your property. You want to have the reassurance that if there is any kind of issue regarding your central heating or installation, this will be resolved safely and as soon as possible. This is why it’s imperative that you have a qualified and registered engineer who is punctual, reliable and will honour a prearranged quote. And just as significantly, you should have a reliable point of contact in case anything were to go wrong or if you needed any general assistance with central heating, gas, or perhaps needed a boiler replacement or service.

Here at West London Gas, we have been providing West London with central heating, boiler repairs and breakdown cover for years. We also provide a 10-year warranty on a range of our products andwe’ll be on hand to help if you have any kind of problem.

Our expert team of heating engineers are able to assist with a variety of enquiries, from central heating breakdowns to gas servicing, meaning you’re in the best possible hands. You can save yourself some cash by signing up for our Customer First or Landlords First scheme. On top of giving you a discounted rate on our services, they’ll give you priority when it comes to booking your service. If you’re based in Kensington, Greenford, Richmond, Wembley, all you have to do is get in touch.

For more information on how we can help you, visit our website or give us a call and speak to a dedicated member of the team on 020 8434 3644 to receive a free estimate.