A big part of operating a professional let is ensuring it remains legally compliant. And when it comes to safety checks, there are two key certificates that you legally have to obtain:
Gas Safety Certificate
Every 12 months, a Gas Safe registered engineer must carry out an inspection of all parts of the gas system. That includes the boiler and flues, gas appliances, hot water cylinder and gas meter.
Note that it is illegal for someone who’s not on the register to carry out work on any domestic gas appliance. The engineer must also be authorised to carry out the specific work they’re being asked to do.
If any repairs are needed, they must be carried out as soon as possible. Once the system is in safe working order, the engineer will then issue a Gas Safety Certificate.
- A copy of the certificate must be given:
- To existing tenants within 28 days of the check
- To new tenants before they move in
- The original certificate must legally be kept for at least two years, and ideally until the tenancy ends.
For more information, see our article, ‘Gas safety checks: what are they and who can make them?’.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
The full electrical system must be inspected and tested at least once every five years by a suitably qualified electrician – sooner if required by the last report.
You will then be issued with an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), and if any investigations or repairs are required, they must be completed with 28 days. As with the gas safety certificate, a copy of the EICR must be supplied to the tenant within 28 days.
Electrical appliances you’ve supplied don’t legally have to be tested or certified, but you must take reasonable steps to ensure they’re safe.
As such, it’s recommended that you have a Portable Appliance Test (PAT) carried out every 1-2 years and, ideally, between tenancies.
In Scotland, landlords must have an electrical inspection carried out before a tenancy starts, and at least once every five years during the tenancy. The inspection includes the EICR and also PAT testing on all electrical appliances provided.
For more on the testing and how to find a contractor, see our article, ‘Finding the right person to carry out...Electrical Checks’.
Other safety checks
Although there are no specific certificates to secure, two other important areas of safety that much be checked are:
- Fire alarms
Smoke detectors must be tested at the start of every tenancy to make sure they’re working. Ideally, they should also be checked during periodic inspections, along with any Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector. Test results should be recorded on the inventory.
- Legionella
Part of ensuring your rented property is safe for tenants is minimising the risk of legionella. This is a bacteria that can form in any hot or cold water system when the water is stored within a specific temperature range.
If the property is tenanted and the water system is in use, the risk from legionella is very low, but checks should be made between tenancies and when a property is vacant.
If checks aren’t carried out when they should be, and you don’t hold current valid gas and electric certificates, you are breaking the law and endangering the lives of your tenants.
In that case, you are opening yourself up to fines and possible prosecution. Even administration errors can impact the let in other ways, e.g. if the current gas safety certificate is not given to the tenant, any section 21 notice issued will not be legally enforceable.
Benefits of using an agent
Of course, you can arrange for these inspections, checks and certifications yourself. However, it will take time to make the arrangements, find reliable contractors and carry out the necessary administration.
Using a professional managing agent who’s a member of Propertymark or RICS, like Your Move, can not only save you a lot of time and effort, but also take some of the legal responsibility off your shoulders. It also means you can be confident that both your property and tenant are being looked after properly.
As ARLA Propertymark qualified member agents:
- We understand all the health and safety requirements to legally let property and our teams are kept well up to date with any legal changes.
- We have systems in place to ensure that appointments are always made in good time with reliable, suitably qualified engineers and contractors.
- If repair works are required, we can arrange for them to be carried out efficiently.
- We will make all other health and safety checks on your behalf, both before and during every tenancy.
And, as one of our landlords, you can access all the information and documentation via your MyMove account at any time.
The Your Move Content Marketing Team
