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Gas and Electrical Safety Advice

By: Stephen Drummonsy


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As a landlord you have got a legal obligation to make sure that the building you let is not dangerous for your tenants to live in. Normally speaking, gas and electrical systems and appliances present the top risk of injuries. It really is essential that you make certain that these systems are safe.

Gas Insallation
It is advisable to ensure that all fittings and flues are looked after properly as well as in a safe state. Which means you must have gas installations and appliances serviced every 12 months and also you ought to keep a record of this service.
You should have a gas safety check administered on all gas appliances and flues yearly. A Gas safety certificate is a legal requirement.
Ideally, check gas installations and appliances immediately before the beginning of any new occupancy, even if the gas safety certificate continues to be existing. Your managing agent ought to do this for you.
Only a Gas Safe registered plumber or central heating engineer is trained to repair or certificate everything attached to the gas system. For example, dealing with boilers, flues or cookers. I actually live in London so I always look for a business by searching the internet. Make certain that you keep a record of every safety check for 2 years. Your Gas Safe engineer will issue this certificate. Also you must ensure you give a copy with the Gas Safe engineer’s safety check report and certificate to your tenants.
The statutory regulations are: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. These regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.

Electrical Installation
Whilst there isn't any requirement by law to get the fixed wire electrical system checked for safety, it is excellent practice and often a condition by a great property management agency, to supply a Periodic Inspection Report. If the system is safe and in good condition it may have a Satisfactory Inspection listed on the PIR document. A check every 5 years is normally deemed suitable.
All properties built since June 1992 are bound by building regulations to have inter-connected, mains operated smoke alarms fitted on every level of the property. In older homes this isn’t a requirement.
Nevertheless, landlords are well recommended to produce at least battery operated smoke alarms as a duty of care. If you ever fit battery-operated smoke alarms regrettably, it will be the owner’s liability to check them regularly and for the batteries to get changed regularly. This makes installing a mains operated smoke alarm look more appealing and price efficient in the long run.

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and the Plugs and Sockets (Safety) Regulations 1994 stipulate that every electrical equipment in tenanted residential properties have to be safe. E.g. Kettles, cookers, microwaves, televisions and washing machines. Technically a PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) procedure must be implemented. This is a test for each appliance to make sure it is safe. A sticker with the pass date is stuck onto it and also a record kept.
For landlords with multiple properties this can be time consuming and expensive. Ideally keep the quantity of electrical equipment you supply to your tenant at an complete minimum.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Being a Landlord myself I’ve encountered many problems over the years. But I am glad to say "none of my tenants have ever had an accident while living in one of my properties". I have always had my homes maintained by the identical electrician london company, and over time they've saved me a lot of money just by giving me some advise.

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