GAS SAFETY
UK landlords with gas appliances and fittings, including central heating boilers and flues, must ensure an annual safety check is conducted by a Gas Safe engineer
Which Gas Appliances Need to Be Checked?
Your legal duties as a landlord cover any gas appliances that you own and provide for the use the tenants of your property. If the tenant supplies their own gas appliances, then you will be responsible for its installation parts and pipework, but not the appliance itself.
For full guidance refer to regulation 36(3) of the HSE Approved Code of Practice, on the duties of landlords with respect to safety checks.
What about servicing and maintenance?
The HSE regulations make a distinction between gas safety checks and the related servicing and maintenance activities that may need to be undertaken. As a landlord you have the responsibility of ensuring all appliances (specifically boilers), as well as pipes and flues, are operating safely at all times.
The gas safety check does not constitute a full service. Normally, as a stand alone cost, a full service costs more than a gas safety check but if done at the same time the extra cost is very little. We believe it is important to always carry out a service. Manufacturers and installers will void warranties on boilers and parts if you cannot prove annual servicing has been carried out.
WHY have we standardised prices?
There is a huge variation in charges made by Gas Safe registered companies and contractors. Most companies and contractors expect to be met at the property and price accordingly. For letting situations that is impractical so we expect our contractors to collect and return keys.
Standard Prices
Landlord Gas Safety Check and Certificate including a boiler service £84
…add £34 for a gas fire check
…add £28 for a gas cooker check
…add £22 for a gas hob check
There are always contractors who will agree to do it for less. The Gas Safe contractors on our preferred list are trustworthy, reliable and have a proven track record. We firmly believe there are no short cuts with gas safety – this is one responsibilty that should always be done the right way.
How do prices compare?
OpenRent
A nationwide company, charge £100 for their boiler gas safety inspection and service plus additional costs for other appliances.
Landlord Gas Safety Check and Certificate £45
…plus £15 per additional gas appliance
Annual boiler service £55 (boiler warranties are invalid if not serviced annually)
(https://www.openrent.co.uk/gas-safety-certificate-CP12?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg9qsmK_T5QIVgrHtCh2oKgbyEAAYASAAEgI3I_D_BwE)
British Gas
British Gas only charge £75 for a boiler gas safety check. The downside is this does not include a service, you have to be an existing customer, they do not check additional appliances, they are quite inflexible appointment wise and will not pick up keys from our office when a property is unoccupied, all adding greatly to your overall costs. OpenRent also need someone to be at the property to let them in.
Landlord Gas Safety Check and Certificate from £75 (only for new and existing customers adding to their product holding for the first year and paying by Direct Debit, does NOT include annual service).
…additional appliances not covered
(https://www.britishgas.co.uk/home-services/landlords/landlord-home-and-boiler-cover/Gas-Safety-Certificate.html)