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With autumn’s arrival and cooler nights ahead, ensuring the safety of your gas appliances is vital. Today is the start of Gas Safety Week 2024, running from the 9th of September until the 15th of September. This week is the perfect time to review your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
Why Gas Safety For Tenants Matter
As a tenant, ensuring gas safety in your home might not be the first thing on your mind, but it's a critical part of living in a safe environment. Poorly maintained gas appliances can lead to devastating consequences, such as gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Understanding your rights and responsibilities can protect you and your loved ones from these dangers.
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a silent killer. It is a highly poisonous gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. Unfortunately, it can cause severe illness and death if it goes undetected. Some common signs of CO poisoning include:
Nausea
Dizziness
Headaches
Breathlessness
Loss of consciousness
If you or someone in your household is experiencing these symptoms and feels better after leaving the house, it could be a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning. This is why having a carbon monoxide detector in your home is crucial for your safety.
Your Rights as a Tenant
In the UK, tenants are entitled to a safe living environment, tenants rights include gas safety. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, your landlord is legally responsible for ensuring that gas appliances, fittings, and flues provided for your use are safe and well-maintained.
Annual Gas Safety Check
Landlords must arrange an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer for all gas appliances and flues provided for the tenant’s use.
You have the right to receive a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate (also known as the Gas Safety Record) within 28 days of the check.
If you are moving into a new rental property, your landlord must provide you with the most recent Gas Safety Record before you move in.
Who is Required to Maintain Gas Safety in Your Home?
Your landlord is responsible for ensuring that gas pipework, flues, and appliances are maintained in a safe condition.
While the gas appliances your landlord provides should be checked regularly, appliances you own (such as your own cooker) are your responsibility. Make sure you arrange for them to be checked annually.
How to Report Gas Appliance Faults as a Tenant?
If there is an issue with gas appliances or pipework, your landlord must fix it within a reasonable time frame. If you report a problem, such as a faulty boiler, gas leak, or carbon monoxide detector failure, your landlord must respond quickly.
Your Responsibilities as a Tenant
While landlords have legal obligations regarding gas safety, you as a tenant also have responsibilities to ensure a safe living space. Here’s what you should do:
Report Faults Immediately
If you notice any signs of a gas appliance malfunction, such as an orange or yellow flame (instead of the usual blue), black stains around the appliance, or increased condensation in the room, report it to your landlord immediately.
A faulty boiler that turns off frequently or error messages on an appliance’s control panel should not be ignored.
Do Not Block Vents
Gas appliances need proper ventilation to function safely. Blocking vents or flues can lead to dangerous buildups of carbon monoxide.
Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector
While landlords are responsible for providing carbon monoxide detectors in certain circumstances, you should ensure one is fitted and working in your home.
Carbon monoxide alarms should meet British Standard EN 50291 and should be tested regularly.
What to Do in a Gas Emergency for Tenants
If you suspect a gas leak or carbon monoxide poisoning:
Turn off the gas supply - If safe to do so, turn off the gas at the meter.
Ventilate the property - Open doors and windows to allow fresh air in.
Evacuate the premises - Leave the house and get to a safe area.
Call the Gas Emergency Service - For mainland UK, call 0800 111 999; for Northern Ireland, call 0800 002 001.
Seek medical attention - If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek medical help immediately.
How to Stay Gas Safe
Staying gas safe is simple if you follow a few key tips:
Check for warning signs like yellow or orange flames, black marks around appliances, or too much condensation.
Test your carbon monoxide alarm regularly and ensure it’s marked EN 50291.
Never attempt to fix gas appliances yourself - Always contact a Gas Safe registered engineer.
In Summary
Gas safety is a shared responsibility between landlords and tenants. Keeping yourself informed about your rights and responsibilities, reporting faults quickly, and ensuring regular checks, will keep yourself and your household safe.
For further advice, visit the Gas Safe Register website https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk or call the helpline on 0800 408 5500.
For more information on your home safety, read our property safety blog and download our free safety checklist. https://www.ecosafegroup.co.uk/post/a-simple-property-safety-checklist-your-guide-to-a-safer-home
Why Choose Ecosafe Group?
Ecosafe Group provides high-quality Plumbing and Heating services in Dorset, Poole, Bournemouth and across the South Coast. We provide a personalised service with a fully insured, experienced, and accredited team for your peace of mind.
At Ecosafe Group, we’re all about making sure your home is not just a place to live, but a place where you feel truly safe and comfortable. Our slogan, ‘Safer Homes, Brighter Futures,’ highlights what we’re all about: creating homes that provide peace of mind and a solid foundation for the future. We’re dedicated to high standards and quality work because we know that when your home is safe and maintained, you and your family can look forward to a brighter, more secure future.
If you would like more advice on maintaining a safe and secure property:
Dial 01202 017 917
Complete a contact form
Send an email to sales@ecosafegroup.co.uk
And we will be happy to help!
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