Safety in the Home - Landlords' Responsibilities and The Law
Safety in the home is important and becomes a legal obligation when someone else occupies your home.
The law now obliges landlords of residential property to meet specific safety requirements and indeed it is a criminal offence not to comply. This could result in substantial fines and possibly imprisonment. The safety of your property and the implications of failing to meet these requirements are very important. It is therefore essential that a full safety check is made before a tenant occupies the property.
To this end, arrangements will be made with engineers who are fully aware of the appropriate safety standards for both electricity and gas regulations. CORGI registered engineers carry out the gas safety checks and qualified electricians undertake the electrical tests.
Furniture
In March 1993 regulations were introduced to require all furniture in rented property to meet the ‘cigarette test’ of fire retardance.
You may be familiar with the swing ticket displayed on new furniture. All furniture should be permanently labelled in this way. It is a legal requirement for landlords to comply with these regulations if they are letting out investment properties. If you are letting your own home on a temporary basis, there is also an obligation to comply with these regulations.
Fire Precautions
In all new homes built since January 1992 the building regulations require smoke detectors to be installed. We recommend that in all properties a smoke detector should be installed on each floor of the property, together with a fire blanket in the kitchen and at least one fire extinguisher situated in a convenient place in the house.
Gas Safety
The Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1994 (as amended) require all landlords to ensure that all gas appliances in their properties are ‘safe’. This legislation further requires every landlord to:
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provide a copy of the safety certificate to the existing tenant of premises to which the safety check relates within 28 days of the date of the check.
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provide a copy of the last safety certificate made in respect of each appliance or flue to any new tenant of premises to which the safety check relates, before the tenant occupies these premises.
Therefore, prior to any new letting taking place we will, (as will any responsible letting agent) require a copy of the gas safety certificate(s) to be given to the intending tenant prior to the signing of the tenancy agreement.
Appliances and flues have to have their safety certificate renewed annually – this is a completely different requirement from, and is not to be confused with, an annual servicing contract with British Gas or any other CORGI registered engineer.
Electricity
The Health and Safety Executive requires landlords to ensure that the electrical installations and appliances in tenanted properties are safe and to have them inspected at frequent intervals.
What to do next
If you intend to let your property it is essential that the necessary safety checks have been carried out.
Please print off and complete the information form (opens in a new window) and return it to us with the appropriate fee and we will arrange the necessary checks for you. If you already have a current gas safety certificate from a CORGI registered engineer please forward this to us.
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