As a landlord it is your responsibility to your tenant to ensure that the gas fires and other gas operated appliances in properties are kept in good order and well maintained. A Tenby Landlord, David Ian Douglas-Law has recently been prosecuted and fined after the Health and Safety Executive investigated a property owned by the landlord.
Complaint from Tenant Revealed Problems
The tenant living in the property was concerned about the damp in the property and the cold which was causing problems. They approached the Pembrokeshire County Council environmental offices with their concerns over the living conditions and so the property was investigated and proceeded to serve Mr Douglas-Law with and Improvements Notice. The environmental officers discovered that the gas appliances were also causing a point of concern and so they reported their findings to the Health and Safety Executive.
Lucky to Be Alive
The following investigation revealed that the gas fire had not been checked each year for a period of six years. The gas fire was also in a poor condition and therefore not deemed safe. The tenant and her son were promptly sent off to the hospital for checks to see if they were suffering from carbon monoxide exposure after the readings came out high inside the property.
Mr Douglas-Law pleaded guilty to breaching a number of regulations of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 which were:
- Regulation 36(2)
- Regulation 36(3)(a)
- Regulation 36(3)
- Regulation 36(4)
Haverfordwest Magistrates Court fined Mr Douglas-Law £8,500 and also ordered the landlord to pay court costs of £1,500 and a victim surcharge of £15. Landlords have a duty to ensure the safety of their tenants and must make sure that all gas appliances in the property are safe. Tenants should not be exposed to carbon monoxide, the silent killer, and therefore all work on gas appliances needs to be carried out by a person who is on the gas safe register.
Tenants have the right to ask to see a copy of the gas safety record for appliances in their rented property. Any concerns about the property and the maintenance of the gas appliances should be raised with the landlord or the local council. Ignoring problems such as these can cost lives.
Gas Safety
Landlords must ensure that yearly checks are carried out on the gas appliances in their properties. This work must be performed by a qualified gas safety registered engineer. Gas Safe has now taken over the CORGI register which was used previously. Tenants and Landlords should be aware of the changes and make sure that the engineer is suitable for the job. Tenants should then be supplied with a copy of the record.
Knowing the Laws and Responsibilities Concerning Health and Safety
Health and safety consultants are able to make you aware of your duties and legal responsibilities. Using the various health and safety services such as training can raise awareness as to what is expected from you and help you to apply this into your working life. Call 0800 1488 677 to find out more.
