How to Get Gas Safety Certificate

How to Get Gas Safety Certificate

You must regularly check the state of your gas appliances and fittings through a certified engineer. Once the engineer has tested the system, they provide you with a safety certificate detailing their findings and the necessary actions you should take.

Here is all the essential information you need to know about getting a gas safety certificate in the UK.

Gas Safety Responsibility

The gas safety responsibility is provided for by The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. The law provides for all landlords to ensure that every gas fittings, appliances and chimneys are in the right working condition. This is to ensure they are safe for human use. These regulations apply to all rental spaces like residential premises and both short and long term stay accommodations.

The law provides that you must ensure annual safety gas checks by a registered engineer. The engineer issues you with a gas safety certificate which you must, in turn, provide a copy to your tenants. You need to deliver to every tenant a copy of the safety records before the start of a tenancy and within 28 days of subsequent checks.

Also, you have to ensure the proper maintenance of your gas facilities. Keep the pipes, chimneys and appliances well at all times. Keep these parts tightly fit and regularly perform visual checks to take note of any changes or alterations.

As much as the law exempts from the mandatory checks for gas appliances owned by tenants, you must ensure they are in a safe condition.

How to Find a Certified Engineer

Before you contact anyone to check your gas, you have to confirm that they are registered with the Gas Safe Register. Checking from the register helps you get a qualified engineer for your household safety.

Registered technicians come with IDs that outline their areas of expertise. The ID has a seven-digit code you can use to verify their details from the register. Verify the photo on the ID and expiry dates before you allow the technician to start working on your appliances.

The other way of finding a gas technician is by asking the people in your circles. Get recommendations from family and friends on some of the technicians they have worked with before. Getting a recommendation is a safe way to find an expert, as someone will only recommend those they liked their output. Once you have the right person, you still have to run their details through the register and verify their job ID.

Lastly, you can find a registered technician by using online resources. Even though, most fake technicians are likely to advertise online, rely on reputable sites like TrustMark tool to find your person. Some online sites like Thompson and Yellow pages only allow technicians with valid registration; hence you can use them exclusively.

Gas Safety Certificate Declaration

Once you have the qualified technician, let them proceed to perform all the gas installations and appliance checks. After which they will provide you with the gas safety certification.

Here are some of the primary information on the gas safety certificate:

• Location and description of all the appliances tested.
• Results and any defects or safety issues noted on the tested appliances.
• All the actions needed for compliance in case of defects.
• The date of inspection
• Name and details of the technician.
• Name and details of the landlord or the agent of the property.

Difference Between Gas Check and Gas Service

Gas check and gas service are some of the most confusing terms with most people thinking they are interchangeable. Well, they are different. Gas service involves a thorough examination of the appliances, including a gas check. Gas check, on the other hand, is to look for necessary operational checks to ensure gas safety.

The gas check involves checking the alignment of the chimney to ensure proper removal of combustion fumes. It also includes checking the presence of enough air for adequate gas burning and the state of any other appliances to work correctly.

Unlike gas check that provides ways on how to make changes to ensure safety, gas service makes all these necessary changes. Gas check shuts the appliances off until after a gas service.

The Cost of Gas Safety Certificate

The cost of getting a gas safety certificate varies. It depends on your location, the gas engineer and the number of your appliances. Generally, the prices can start from as low as £30 up to £150 depending on your condition.

With this information, you might be tempted to go for a lowly priced engineer. That is a bad idea. Most engineers who advertise as cheap tend to offer substandard services. They also come with some hidden costs, which ends up being more expensive in the long run. Thus, you are better off investing in a pricey service for your assured safety.

To get the best prices, consider shopping around. Talk to different gas engineers, to determine their services in comparison to the costs.

The Validity of Gas Safety Certificate

The validity of gas safety is one year. Keep all the records safely so that you do not miss the subsequent dates of recheck.

Gas Safety Certificate for Homeowners

Even though not provided for by the law, it is still crucial that you get a gas safety certificate as a homeowner. This comes in handy in several ways like;

• Improving the safety of those living around your home.
• Assurance of repair by the manufacturer if the warranty terms provide for a safety check.
• Some insurance policies provide for the safety check.

Bottom Line

A gas safety certificate is one of the most basic safety precautions in your premises. Whether provided for by law, like for the landlords or for safety, like for homeowners, it comes with several benefits. For a valid and legal certificate, make sure you work with a certified gas engineer.

The whole process of getting a gas safety certificate in the UK takes a short time, and the certification lasts for an entire year.