As a landlord, you are responsible for making sure that any gas and electrical installations in your rented properties are safe.If you let a property connected to a mains gas supply, you must arrange an annual maintenance check of gas pipe work, appliances and flues. This should be carried out by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register - formerly Corgi.You should keep inspection records for at least two years and give copies of the reports to your existing tenants within 28 days of each check. You should also give copies to new tenants before they move in.Your tenants are responsible for any gas appliances they own, but you must still maintain the parts of any associated gas installations - like flues and ventilation grilles - and the pipe work.www.gassaferegister.co.uk (external website)www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg238.pdf (external website)Electrical safetyAs a landlord you are required by law to ensure:
that the electrical installation in the property is safe when the tenancy begins
that the electrical installation is maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy, and
that any appliance provided is safe and has at least the CE marking (which is the manufacturer’s claim that it meets all the requirements of European law).
In order to meet the requirements as a landlord you will need to carry out regular basic safety checks to ensure the electrical installation and appliances remain in good working order.A good landlord should have an electrical inspection carried out by an electrician before a new tenant moves in. A copy of the inspection report (known as a periodic inspection report) should be made available to tenants and if the appliances have been checked then each electrical appliance in the property should have a PAT (portable appliance test) sticker on the plug showing the date it was tested. If you are a landlord of a house in multiple occupation (HMO) then the electrical installation should be checked every five years and a periodic inspection report showing the property continues to be electrically safe must be available.Fire SafetyYou must make sure your tenants have an escape route from your properties in case of fire. Depending on the size of the property, you may also have to provide fire alarms and extinguishers.If you have a house in multiple occupation( HMO) - you may be asked to carry out a fire risk assessment by the fire service.
The assessment is designed to:
identify fire hazards
reduce the risk of hazards that may harm occupants
decide what physical fire precaution measures, like fire doors, and management procedures may be needed - if any risks are found, you may be asked to make changes, like clearing fire escapes
You must follow the fire-resistant furniture regulations if you let furnished accommodation to tenants. Furniture manufacturers will usually label their fire-resistant products. If a property is let on a one-off, short-term basis - for example, while you work away from home - the regulations do not apply.Graphical Version l
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