If you own commercial property, then you need to be aware that you are responsible for the safety of those people who use your property. Whether you are the landlord of a residential property, (and this can include but is not limited to those properties that are classed as a private household) a bed sit, or even a hotel then you are required to have a valid annual Gas Safety Certificate in place for each property.
Gas testing and the law
Failing to obtain a valid Gas Safety Certificate on an annual basis is a criminal offence. The responsibilities that a landlord has in respect are outlined in The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and advise landlords that they are required to make sure that any gas appliances, gas fittings and chimneys or flues that are provided in their properties are safe for their tenants to use. These rules do not apply to any gas appliances that the landlord has not provided in a property.
Annual service
As a landlord, one of the easiest ways in which you can make sure you have carried out these duties in regard of any commercial properties that you own is through an annual service. This should be carried out on any gas boilers or indeed gas fires or gas heaters that are in your properties. An annual service is simple to arrange, can be done at a time that suits you and your tenant and really doesn’t take that long. Once the service has been completed the company carrying out the service will issue you with the necessary paperwork in the form of a Gas Safety Certificate. This should give both you and your tenants peace of mind that everything is working as it should.
Who can issue a gas safety certificate?
In order to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate, you will need to make sure that you use a GasSafe registered engineer; they are the only people who can issue you with the appropriate certification.
The engineer will attend your premises and carry out a number of tests on each gas appliance that you have. This will include a visual inspection, and tests for functionality, pressure and operation. They are also required to inspect any appliances that use an extraction system in order to remove combustible gases. These tests will determine if the extraction method being used is suitable or not
Maintenance
In addition to making sure that an annual check of all gas appliances in a commercial property take place the landlord of that property is also responsible for making sure that any maintenance is carried out on as appliances should any issues occur. The tenant has a responsibility to report any issues to the landlord so that they can arrange for them to be sorted out as soon as possible.
If you are a landlord looking for gas testing, London then there are a few things that you should take in to consideration. In order to make sure that you get the appropriate certification for your commercial properties you need to make sure that the company you use are GasSafe registered engineers. If you own a number of commercial properties it is a good idea to look for a company who are available to carry out any repairs at short notice.
