Here at K and M Maintenance, we take landlord gas requirements seriously, and work with many property and business owners to make sure that their annual legal obligations are met. However, a recent news report has suggested that this is not the case for tenants across the UK.
Key findings from the report:
With one in ten tenants with no heating over winter, the UK rental market has been described as “nightmarish”. A study by Help Link revealed that around a fifth of all UK tenants are living in terrible conditions. Consequently, damp, mould, and almost permanent water leaks have been reported by 20% of tenants. A further tenth of tenants have no functional heating.
These findings haven’t come as a shock to many though. Citizens Advice revealed over a year ago, that UK landlords are making over £5 billion in rent for homes that fail to meet legal requirements. More than 700,000 homes are deemed unsafe and the landlords have fallen short of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
In addition, further issues include explosion risks, and rat infestations. Unfortunately, many families with children under 8 are living in these properties. These living conditions are thought to be detrimental to health.
So, what should landlords be doing?
Landlords have a number of gas related responsibilities. This is because gas issues pose a potential threat to tenants. These responsibilities include:
- A gas safety check. This is where an engineer assesses the suitability and safety of all the gas appliances within the property.
- An annual boiler service. This is where an engineer assesses the boiler for performance and efficiency and makes any repairs or updates as necessary.
- Carbon monoxide testers. These need to be installed in accordance with the instructions and placed in every room with a gas appliance.
The legal requirements for landlords can save lives.
If you are a landlord and need some support meeting your legal obligations, why not contact us at K and M Maintenance for more advice and further information?