| The UK law is very detailed and prescriptive when | | | | highly recommended that landlords install carbon |
| it comes to the requirements of safety checks of | | | | monoxide detectors to protect the tenants. |
| rental accommodations. Annual gas safety | | | | Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas |
| inspection must be undertaken by a certified Corgi | | | | that is the result of incomplete burning within the |
| gas engineer to ensure the legal requirements are | | | | boiler, and is normally a result of poor boiler |
| met. The law allows for a fine of up to 5,000 and | | | | installation. The gas, which is a combination of a |
| an imprisonment of up to six months if the | | | | single molecule of carbon with a single molecule of |
| landlords failed to meet this requirement. | | | | oxygen, is very dangerous as it causes serious |
| According to the law, landlords are required to | | | | breathing difficulties, potentially leading to lethal |
| ensure the following: | | | | consequences. |
| * No open flue gas appliance is located in the | | | | The law is very strict with landlords, forcing them |
| same room where people are sleeping, a | | | | to ensure all domestic boilers are checked and |
| bathroom or a shower room. | | | | serviced every year. Such statutory requirement |
| * All work relating to the repair, service or | | | | causes major headaches for large landlords and |
| installation of gas appliances to be carried out by a | | | | housing associations. These groups struggle with |
| CORGI certified engineer. | | | | the administrative and logistical effort of providing |
| * Both mobile and fixed gas appliances in the | | | | access to the Corgi certified engineer to the |
| property must be kept at a safe working | | | | property. |
| condition and inspected on an annual basis by a | | | | Analysing this industry shows that it can prove |
| Corgi registered engineer. | | | | very difficult for a landlord of a large block of |
| * Any work done to any gas appliance in the | | | | flats to arrange access to each property for the |
| property is then approved through a series of | | | | gas engineer. During normal hours, most flats are |
| safety tests by a CORGI certified engineer. | | | | empty (while the tenants are at work), with very |
| * Users of the premises must have free access | | | | few tenants willing to stay at home and wait for |
| to all documentation regarding the gas appliances, | | | | the gas engineer to call in. As tenants are |
| such as manuals, safety documents etc. | | | | reluctant to take a paid leave to stay at home |
| *A clear set of records is kept detailing the dates | | | | for such gas safety check, it is difficult for |
| of safety inspections and any defects identified | | | | landlords to meet their legal requirements. |
| and respective work undertaken. The tenants | | | | Landlords, who are obliged to comply with the |
| must have access to a copy of these records | | | | law, may have to resort to obtaining an entry |
| within 28 days of the safety inspection or prior to | | | | warrant if the tenant does not co-operate. This |
| new occupants moving into the property. | | | | can incur additional cost of approximately 500 per |
| Carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for | | | | dwelling for police attendance and making good. |
| around 20 - 30 deaths in the UK every year. It is | | | | |