The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 set out the duties of landlords in order to make sure that gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants' use are safe.

As a landlord you are responsible for the safety of your tenants not only because of your legal duty, but also because of the dangerous risks associated with carbon monoxide. Your duties apply to the majority of tenancies where the lease is less than seven years and holiday lets are included.

According to CORGI, landlords who have breached gas safety laws and in doing so have put lives at risk have recently faced stringent sentencing in the courts. It is hoped that this will eventually put an end to illegal gas work and will minimise the fatal consequences associated with it.

As a landlord you have a number of guidelines to adhere to under the Regulations as follows:

• Gas fittings and flues must be safely maintained






• All installation, maintenance and safety checks must be carried out by a CORGI Registered Installer






• An annual safety check has to be carried out on each gas appliance or flue by a CORGI Registered Installer and this check must be carried out within twelve months of the start date of the lease unless the appliances are less then a year old in which case the check must be undertaken 12 months after the installation date.






• A record of each safety check must be retained for two years.






• A copy of the current safety check record should be issued to each tenant within 28 days of the check being completed, given to a new tenant before they move in or displayed clearly in a holiday let property.






• Any gas appliance left by a previous tenant must be checked for safety or removed before the next tenant takes occupancy.

You are not responsible for any gas appliance owned by a tenant and the flue or chimney attached to it, neither are you responsible for any appliance used in a non-residential area of the property.

An annual gas safety check does not constitute a service, and vice versa. In order to abide by the law and to provide the utmost in safety for tenants, both need to be carried out on an annual basis.

Only CORGI registered installers are allowed to carry out gas safety checks so make sure you check the credentials of your engineer. This means checking the photo ID card that shows the business's CORGI registration number and unique operative id.

As a landlord you have important responsibilities and these are set down in order to prevent accidents and deaths. By abiding by the Gas Safety Regulations you are adhering to your legal duties; by making sure that your property is a safe place to live for your tenants and by doing extra things like installing a carbon monoxide alarm for example, you are taking care of your moral duties. Gas safety saves lives so make sure you do everything you can to make your property safe.