Gas safety checks - what needs them?
All permanent and portable gas appliances and flues in the property require an annual gas safety check.
- Any gas appliance that you own and provide for the tenant's use is included in your legal duties
- If a tenant has their own gas appliance that you have not provided, you are responsible for parts of the associated installation and pipework, but not for the appliance.
For more information see Regulation (36)(3)(a)(b) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998
Does a mobile space heater eg LPG heater need a gas safety check?
Yes it does.
Who is responsible for checking tenant-owned appliances and flues?
Tenants are responsible for the gas safety checks of their own appliances and the flue if the flue only services their appliance. But we recommend that you include all flues (eg chimneys) connected to gas appliances within the gas safety check, even where they do not serve appliances that you provide.
I have sold an appliance to a tenant
Once they have bought an appliance, the tenant is responsible for the annual gas safety check and maintenance. So they should have it checked before they buy it.
A previous tenant has left a gas appliance
You should either remove the appliance or arrange for it to be checked for safety by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You should make it clear who owns the appliance before you rent the property again.
What about appliances in communal areas?
Where a building has a communal appliance (eg boiler) used by multiple dwellings, the landlord must ensure that the appliance is maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer and is checked as part of the annual gas safety check. This may involve co-ordinating safety activity with the building owner if that is not the landlord.
There are no gas appliances in the property but pipework/flue passes through the property
As there are no gas appliances, there is no requirement for an annual gas safety check. But you must still maintain the pipework in a safe condition and carry out any required repairs.
There's an appliance in the bedroom
Since 31 October 1998, any room converted to use as sleeping accommodation should not contain these types of gas appliance:
- A gas fire, gas space heater or a gas water heater (including a gas boiler) over 14 kilowatts gross input unless it is room sealed
- A gas fire, gas space heater, or a gas water heater (including a gas boiler) of 14 kilowatts gross input or less or any instantaneous water heater unless it is room sealed or has an atmosphere-sensing device
If a room contains either type of appliance and was used as a bedroom before 1998, you need to do a risk assessment to determine if it can still be used as a bedroom.
How often do I need to arrange a gas safety check?
You must ensure that a gas safety check is done every year on each gas appliance/flue. Before any new lease starts, you must make sure that these checks have been done within one year before the start of the lease date.