Leasing your own property can be a daunting experience, especially if you have never done it before. As a landlord do you know what your responsibilities are? To help you avoid any confusion or nasty surprises, here is a summary of electrical, gas and plumbing responsibilities that you should be aware of.
Gas
All gas appliances should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. This includes pipework, appliances and flues. You are required to ensure they are serviced annually by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer once a year.
You must supply the tenant with a a record of your gas safety check within 28 days of it being completed, or give to new tenants before they move in. Landlords must keep copies of all records for two years.
If the tenant has their own gas appliance, which you have not supplied, then you are only responsible for the maintenance of the pipework and not the appliance.
You must ensure that your tenants know where to turn off the gas in case of emergencies.
Electrical
The landlord is responsible for: Electrical wiring, repair to electrical appliances, fires and heaters that were fitted by the landlord, door entry systems, sockets, switches and lighting.
All electrical equipment installed/provided by the landlord must be safe and maintained throughout a tenancy.
There is no requirement to perform an annual safety check, however regular checks are recommended to avoid future problems. Keep all records of inspections and provide tenants with a copy.
Tenants must be given copies of manuals for all electrical appliances.
Plumbing
A landlord is responsible for boilers, hot water cylinders, pipe work, radiators, blocked drains and external waste pipes.
If you need to schedule a gas or electrical inspection or have any maintenance requirements then please get in touch.
Image courtesy of Bartek Ambrozik.
