Propertymark has pledged its support for Gas Safety Week, taking place 16 -22 September 2019, and will be raising awareness about the importance of gas safety to its members and the public.
The ninth annual Gas Safety Week sees organisations from across the UK working together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Gas safety is important all year round, but it is important to make agents, landlords and prospective landlords aware of their responsibilities.
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and toxic gas that can cause unconsciousness and death at high concentrations. Around 50 people die every year from CO poisoning caused by gas, oil and solid fuel appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated.
A recent example which shows the consequences when responsibilities are not adhered to;
Suspended prison sentence for failed checks
A Torquay landlord was sentenced after failing to ensure proper landlord’s gas safety checks were undertaken at his tenanted property. Mr Mehmet Sevim, a former Gas Safe Register gas engineer and landlord of residential properties, had contracted a fitter who was not a member of Gas Safe Register to undertake a landlord’s gas safety check at one of his properties.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Mr Sevim repeatedly maintained that he had used a person who he could not name to undertake the landlord’s gas safety check for him. He failed to make any checks on the individual, including checking if he was registered with Gas Safe Register. The investigation also found the landlord’s gas safety certificate used false Gas Safe Register engineer details which Mr Sevim admitted he had produced the fraudulent certificate.
Mr Sevim of Ellacombe was sentenced to 26 weeks prison and ordered to pay costs of £5,330.
For further information on your legal responsilibiltes as a Landlord contact us at; 01524 68811 or lucy@suebridges.co.uk
