With the winter season well underway, domestic gas and electricity usage is on the up - and it's your job to ensure that your property and tenants are as safe as possible by checking all the electrical and gas appliances in use.
Hiring a fully qualified, registered professional to tackle any gas and electrical jobs, whether large or small, is of the utmost importance.
A good lettings agent should be able to organise electrical tests and gas safety checks for you, whether in house or by recommending trusted contractors.
Electricity
You're legally obliged to ensure that all electrical items and household appliances supplied as part of your property letting are safe. Look out for:
Badly frayed or damaged insulationOld or exposed wirePoorly fitted or cracked plugsScorch-marked or damaged socketsPlugs without sleeved, insulated pinsBe sure to repair or replace any equipment or appliances that are past their best with new equipment that meets current BS and EC standards.
If you have a property requiring a house of Multiple Occupation License from the Local Authority, by law you will need to provide confirmation of electrical safety. But it will give you and your tenants real peace of mind if you arrange for on-going checks anyway. A qualified electrical engineer should test every appliance and help you to keep a log of:
Item make and serial numberItem conditionDates of Portable Appliance (PAT) testRemember, some insurance companies won't pay out if untested electrical items cause damage.
Gas
Any gas appliances and systems can pose a great risk if they are not fitted and maintained properly.
As a landlord, you are legally obliged to comply with the Gas Safety Regulations 1994 for any equipment that uses mains or liquid gas in your rented property.
Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a real danger that can cause severe illness and even death. Carbon Monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas, so you and your tenants may not even be aware of its presence until it's too late.
And any kind of gas leak can have catastrophic consequences, from gas poisoning to risk of fire.
A fully qualified GasSafe engineer should carry out an annual full check at any properties that you rent out.
It is important to be aware that a standard annual service offered by many tradespeople does not comply with the legal regulations for landlords and may leave your tenants and property at risk - so be sure that your engineer is GasSafe registered.
To comply with the regulations you must:
Hire a GasSafe registered engineer who is qualified to work on the particular appliances and systems in your propertyEnsure a full gas safety check is completed both prior to a let and every year thereafterEnsure all gas fittings and flues are maintained safely at all timesRepair or replace any defective gas appliances or pipework as soon as possible, ensuring any damaged items are not used until made safeWhen all checks have been completed, you must:Give a copy of the gas safety check certificate to your tenantsThe Julie Twist Properties Maintenance Team can take care of all these responsibilities for you: http://www.julietwist.co.uk/Maintenance-Division
For more expert advice on property safety and maintenance, visit our website using the link below.
Julie Twist Properties has rented and sold property in Manchester City Centre for the past 20 years, and is a leader in the market. Julie won Estate Agency of the year in 2005 and has been on the judging panel in London ever since. Apartments in Manchester City Centre are her passion and she has hundreds of Landlords that are currently seeing fantastic returns on rented property.