Handling lettings in a Realistic manner!

Do I need a gas safety certificate?

Yes you do.

Carbon monoxide gas is known as the 'silent killer' because it's invisible and has no smell. It's also very poisonous and can kill quickly. Carbon monoxide can be produced if

• gas appliances are not installed or maintained properly
• gas appliances are broken or not working properly  
• flues or chimneys become blocked
• rooms are not adequately ventilated.

Children, elderly people, pregnant women and people with respiratory problems are particularly at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning. The symptoms are similar to those of flu, and include tiredness, headaches, nausea, chest pains, sudden faintness, erratic behaviour, diarrhoea and stomach pains.

By law you must:        

• Ensure installation pipe work, appliances and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition
• Ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each appliance and/or flue that you provide for tenants use
• Ensure maintenance and annual safety checks are carried out by a Gas Safe Register™ certified installer
• Keep a record of each safety check for 2 years
• Issue a copy of the safety check to each existing tenant within 28 days of check being completed and to any new tenant before they move in
• Ensure all gas equipment (including any appliance left by a previous tenant) is safe or otherwise removed before re-letting
• If a managing agent is used to help the landlord in meeting their duties, make sure that the management contract clearly specifies who is to make arrangements for maintenance and safety checks to be carried out and for keeping records. However, the landlord maintains overall responsibility for ensuring duties are met, irrespective of whether a managing agent is employed.
• Ensure that anyone carrying out work on gas appliances/fittings and/or flues provided for tenants use has the required competence and that only Gas Safe Register™ certified installers are used.
• A leaflet explaining some of the main requirements of landlords, under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, is available from Health and Safety Executive.

Breaching the gas safety laws puts lives at risk and can mean an unlimited fine and/or prison sentence.

Do I need an electrical safety certificate?

Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) have a requirement to have a Period Inspection Report (PIR) of circuits and wiring carried out every 3 years. Landlords are also required to carry out Portable Appliance testing (PAT) on any electrical equipment they provide (toasters, kettle, fridge, TV etc) every three years (although PAT’s are in themselves only valid for one year).

From 3.9.07 the Tolerable Standard within The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 has been extended. Electrical wiring, components and fittings must be adequate and safe to use.

An electrical check such as a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) is likely to be the only way to be certain that wiring is adequate and safe to use.

Do I need a Residential Energy Performance Certificate?

Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in Scotland earlier this year. They have been introduced in a bid to reduce rising energy emissions from households throughout Europe. Realistic Property Lettings can arrange for your property to be inspected by a fully qualified assessor who will issue your certificate.  Please contact us for more information.

Does rented property need a Smoke Detector?

From  3. 9.07 all rented property must meet the Repairing Standard.  As part of the new Repairing Standard, landlords must make sure that the property they rent out has “satisfactory provision for detecting and giving warning of fires.” 

To meet the standard there has to be at least one working smoke alarm on each floor of a property. Any smoke alarms installed from 3.9.07 must be mains wired. Existing smoke alarms can be either mains powered or battery powered. If broken smoke alarms are replaced after 3.9.07 they must be mains wired.

In the case of HMO property where there is a more stringent smoke alarm requirement, this part of the Repairing Standard will only be met when the HMO smoke alarm conditions are met.

You may need a Building Warrant to fit a hard wired smoke alarm.