I’ve been a tenant in the same property for eight years. Recently I looked through the two gas certificates I have. The duration between the first and second was longer than the 12 month inspection interval, so I asked my landlord for the remaining 6 years of certificates. All were past the service interval from between 6 and 16 weeks. Also the smoke alarms, which haven’t functioned for several years are ticked as working. Plus there is no CO monitor, but it is indicated that one is present and functioning.
Who shall I speak to, the council or HSE?
Have you spoken to your Landlord?
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Yes, still waiting for an answer. It’s been over a week, so thinking they don’t want to answer
A longer interval between gas checks doesnt mean the installation is unsafe. If fact if no issues were raised on the cert, there would appear to be no issue. Why do you feel you need to speak to HSE?
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I didn’t say the appliance was unsafe. The landlord has not fulfilled it’s statutory requirements on several instances. The advice I’m seeking is what official body is best placed to deal with it.
Are you planning to stay or move on?
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The landlord has committed a technical breach of the legislation, which if you point it out to him he may be willing to correct in future, unless that is not your motivation.
I doubt that the HSE would be interested, but it would possibly prevent him serving a s21 notice on you.
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The landlord has failed to execute a gas safety test on time over eight consecutive years. The landlord has not provided a certificate within 28 days. The landlord states that two smoke alarms are present and have been tested. There are no working smoke alarms. The advice given by the landlord is to contact the fire brigade, as they give them free sometimes. There is no CO monitor, the landlord has also checked and passed this non existent device.
Your advice ‘ point it out to him he may be willing to correct in future,’ Not my job, but it is the statutory duty of the landlord.
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there is more to this than meets the eye. Are you planning to stay or leave ?
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We are planning on staying
I would write again and say you are reluctant to contact the council but will do if he does not sort the alarms
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Regarding gas safety check: House owners do not do them in general. If you are a house owner and get your boiler serviced then you get free one but again they do not test gas hob! Unless you pay them extra.This doesn’t change the fact that this is Landlord’s responsibility but I wanted to put things into perspective. There are probably millions of households without certificate. Smoke alarms tested beginning of every tenancy and I guess they either developed a fault or batteries discharged. I expect a tenant to change the batteries which should not be a big deal.
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Why didn’t you ask for the Gas Safety Inspection Certificate on the day you moved in and then on yearly basis instead of waiting 8 years?
Since you are planning on staying in the property , your request for previous certificates seems you are planning to raise a case against your Landlord and they are aware of it and reluctant to give you the opportunity.
Stay focused on the current safety state of the house and follow that up every year that’s what matters now
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British Gas’s annual service contract actually translates to servicing being carried out just a few months apart! They agree to do it once in any 12 month period, not every 12 months. So sometimes the scheduling results in a service being done literally just a few months after the previous one.
Tenant responsibility to change batteries in smoke alarms.
Carbon monoxide detector only very recently mandatory.
As long as safe now is the main thing. Advise if he doesn’t supply CO detector within a month then you will purchase and will require payment for it.
Incidentally have never had my boiler serviced or gas safe test in my own home.
Do you really want to waste council and HSE time when you can easily resolve this yourself?
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As a landlord and gas engineer the landlord has only to keep the last two copies and the engineer 5years
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I have the certificate from when I moved in. The engineer also produced a certificate on another two occasions. Even though the test was beyond 12 months in each instance. Beyond that no certificate was produced, the landlord was asked for each and every one. Applying pressure has resulted in the supply of the missing certificates.
Currently there is no CO detector, which renders the property unfit for human habitation.
Both smoke alarms are battery operated sealed for life types with a expiry date of 2017. These have not worked for years. The landlord has been informed on 12 occasions
As the landlord did not supply and fit CO monitors by July 15th this year, it makes the house unfit for human habitation.
I would think the Council.
Isn’t the HSE for places of work?
So house hasn’t been inhabitable since you moved in?
unfit for human habitation . You are having a laugh. If you are that concerned buy one and bill the landlord . You have a hidden agenda/grievience here. There is something more than this miffing you
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