Advice and safety regulations Landlords need to be aware of.

Some safety aspects come under criminal law, a Landlord could face a heavy fine or be imprisoned or both for failing to comply with some regulations. There is also a civil liability which could be very expensive should a tenant make a claim against there Landlord. Damages awards can be substantial.

Gas Safety

The Gas Safety (installation and use) regulations 1998 assert that all gas appliances in a property to be let must be checked and certified safe annually by an approved Corgi Registered gas engineer. The Landlord will be given a CP12 certificate and a copy to give to the Tenants to prove that the required checks have been done and are up to date. This CP12 certificate must be obtained prior to any tenant taking up residence in the property. We will also need to take a copy before we can let the property for you. If you do not have a current gas certificate we can arrange to have an inspection carried out for you. If you require this then please let us know.

If a Landlord does not comply with this regulation and lets the property then they will be committing an offence which could lead to a hefty fine or possible imprisonment. Worse than that, it can put the lives of your Tenants at risk.

RLS Lettings also recommend the use of Carbon Monoxide detectors in any property where there is a gas appliance, these are relatively inexpensive to buy and easy to fit. We can arrange to have some supplied and fitted if you require them, just contact us for the current prices. Having all the relevant detectors and alarms fitted and working gives a better impression to a Tenant of their Landlord, which can be a big benefit in future relations between them.

Electrical appliances.

All electrical appliances that are to be included as part of a property subject to a Tenancy, must be in a safe working condition. Such appliances are covered by The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.

Currently there are no statutory requirements to have all electrical devices checked prior to a Tenancy being taken up but a Landlord has a duty of care to ensure that all items are in a safe working condition. All such appliances must also have a full set of instructions (in English) as to their use, otherwise they will be deemed as ‘unsafe’.

Three point plugs must be ‘sleeved’ and be fitted with the correctly rated fuse for the appliance.

Furnishings.

All upholstered furniture which is included in a property which is to be let must comply with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1998 (as amended in 1993).
What this means is that a Landlord must ensure that all upholstered furniture carries a permanently fixed tag showing that the furniture complies with this legislation. Any furniture made prior to 1950 is exempt unless it has been re-upholstered since that date.

Smoke Detectors.

There are no statutory requirements on Landlords to fit smoke detectors in their properties. The current legislation (The 1991 Smoke Detectors Act) only applies to newly built properties. However we feel very strongly that all properties should be fitted with working smoke detectors as they have proven to be very effective as life and property saving devices. Also in the event of any such fire causing injury to Tenants or damage to their property Landlords could also face a claim of negligence for failing to supply smoke detectors.

All fitted detectors must be checked to ensure they are working before any Tenants move in.

Smoke alarms are available at very reasonable prices, so there is no reason not to have them fitted. We also recommend providing a fire blanket and a small fire extinguisher in the kitchen of your property. Should you require any detectors, blankets or extinguishers then please let us know as we can provide them, just contact us for the current prices.

Water Meters.

If your property does not have a water meter you need to be aware that owing to legislation passed in the year 2000 any Tenant renting a property for longer than six months can now apply to have a water meter fitted without the Landlords permission. To avoid this happening it will be necessary for the Landlord to keep the water bill in their name and to continue paying the bill as and when it is necessary. This can be reflected in the rent charged but must be dealt with at the outset of any tenancy. Please advise us in writing if you wish to keep the water rates in your name.