UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all,

Just wondering if you could assist me. I have a flat that uses an electric boiler I think and all hobs are electric. The only gas are the heating radiators which I can control but it is part of the service charge. There are no gas bills for the property other than gas paid as part of the service charge. Does this mean I don't need a gas safety certificate?

Thanks
Vincent

Hi Vincent,

If you have ANY gas appliances in your property (including your radiators), you need to get a gas safety certificate! Also, the property will have gas pipework, which needs checking!

Thanks propertyfag! 

Hello Vincent,

It sounds like your flat is in a building where the gas heating is centralised.  In a Boiler Room area normally off-limits to occupiers.  The hot water to suply the radiators is then pupmed throughout the building.  There is a probably no gas pipework passing thought your flay at all.  You have no legal obligation to get a gas safety inspection done on hot water pipeworks.

Additionally, the building owner is almost certainly legally oblidged to obtain a gas safety certificate for the building's installation.  Ask for a copy.  It is propably going to be OK to pass this onto your tenant.  The law says the gas installation must be inspected, it does not say the inspection and bill must be arranged and paid by you.  Although this happens in most cases, your circumstances may be the exception whihc proves the rule.

First of all you need to have the safety certificate for your appliances and also check the radiators properly working or not ..

Hello Alexbojj,

Vincent says he has no gas appliances in the flat.  The gas regs cover the supply of gas in the property (the pipes) and the devices which consume the gas (like boiler, fire, cooker).  The radiators will be pipe fed by hot water.  If the radiators or pipework leak then the problem is water damage.  Although annoying, a water leak is nowhere near as dangerous as a gas leak (sorry for stating the obvious!) and this is why radiators and water pipes are not covered by gas regs.

For a moment just imagine if they were: Would that mean the hot water feed to the bath would also have to be "gas safety" checked?  That would be madness, but both bath and radiators are just sets of hot water pipes.

Next time you get your annual inspection organised, follow the surveyor round.  He'll inspect each appliance.  He'll look at visable gas pipework.  He'll assume any hidden gas pipework is OK (he won't go digging up floors or walls!).  He won't give the radiators a look.

Lastly, this is a safety inspection.  It does not do anything to assess if the radiators are working efficiently.  That's your Heating Engineer's job.