Budget-Friendly Options: Where to Find Affordable Gas Safety Certificates

The safety of properties and their occupants has always remained a concern. Gas is safe, economical, and environmentally friendly compared to traditional energy sources like oil and coal. However, we cannot rate it as risk-free energy.

The risks associated with gas are commonly explosions and fires. Another major risk is the possibility of emission of carbon monoxide. Collectively, these three risks have caused many mishaps over the years. To reduce the chances of any gas accidents, the UK Government promulgated different laws in the past. The basic law regulating the use of gas for domestic and non-domestic purposes came into force in 1998 under the title “Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998”, followed by various amendments. The basic law and its further amendments aimed to make the use of gas as safe as possible for the end users.

Under these regulations' provisions, landlords must obtain a gas safety certificate for their rented properties and have a detailed gas safety inspection conducted annually.

Gas Safety Regulations?

In the recent past, gas accidents like fire and explosions have registered an upward trend in the UK. Many such incidents were reported. The upward trend in gas accidents, the “Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998” was introduced. Later on, it was further amended in 2018, under the title "The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018,” to make it even more effective and consumer-friendly. So, the idea behind all these legislations is to ensure the safety of people and properties against the risks associated with gas usage.

The outcome of these regulations is quite noticeable. A recent survey revealed that more than 60,000 homes in the UK have successfully avoided gas-related accidents with strict adherence to the relevant laws. Another report highlights that one or more faulty gas appliances were found in one out of every five homes inspected by Gas Safety Engineers. So, the annual gas safety inspection process for issuing the gas safety certificate has proved to be very helpful in improving the safety of the end users.

Gas Safety Certificates        

The above law and its subsequent amendment have made it compulsory for landlords to obtain gas safety certificates for their properties. This certificate can be issued by a gas safety engineer, who must be registered with the Gas Safe Register. To fulfill this legal requirement, the property has to be inspected by a gas-safe registered engineer. This process of inspection is known as the annual gas safety check. The engineer will give the required gas safety certificate after conducting a comprehensive safety check on all gas appliances installed on your property, such as cookers, heaters, boilers, and flues. The gas pipework is also included in this annual inspection.

Types of a Gas Safety Certificate

Gas safety certificates can generally be classified into three different types:

1. New build gas safety certificate: This certificate is for newly constructed buildings. It includes inspecting the entire new gas infrastructure provided in newly constructed properties.
2. Residential gas safety certificate: This certificate is for residential properties. It involves inspecting all gas appliances installed in the home, including the boiler and flues.
3. Commercial gas safety certificate: This certificate is for buildings and properties used for commercial activities. It involves a more comprehensive inspection of the entire gas installations in the building.

What is CP12?

CP12 is the old name of the landlord's gas safety certificate. Before the gas safe register was commenced, the CP12 gas safety certificate was in practice. Afterward, this name was abandoned and is now called a homeowner or landlord gas safety certificate. However, many people still use the name CP12 but remember it is not in practice these days. It has been replaced with its new name, landlord gas safety certificate.

Benefits of Landlord Gas Safety Certificate

The landlords are legally bound to obtain a gas safety certificate. Apart from being a legal requirement, it also carries various benefits for the landlords, some of which are summarized below:

• A gas safety certificate proves that all gas appliances installed on your property have been inspected for gas safety and are declared fit for use.
• A gas safety certificate is a useful document in case any mishap related to gas occurs in your home. It may absolve you from any legal complications in case of any such incident. The nonexistence of a valid certificate may result in serious consequences. It may include heavy penalties plus possible imprisonment of 6 months.
• If you don't have any gas appliances installed in your home, you are still required to get a gas safety certificate. Reason? Provision of gas supply at your home is the responsibility of the landlord. When renting this property, your tenant may use his gas appliances. You will be at fault if you don't have a valid gas safety certificate. In this case, you may face legal action. To avoid such unwanted eventuality, you must get a gas safety certificate, even if you don't have any gas appliances installed at your home.
• In case of an unfortunate gas accident in your premises involving the loss of human life, you may have to face a serious legal process. In this case, you have legal protection against such happenings if a valid gas safety certificate exists.

The Process of Gas Safety Check

Annual Gas Safety Checks should include the following:

• Visual inspection of gas installations and appliances, including boilers and flues.
• Detection of any gas leakages.
• Checking gas burner pressure.
• Checking that the gas is burnt perfectly. The incomplete combustion of gas results in the emission of carbon monoxide. Hence, this step is important to avoid emissions.
• Examine the performance of the ventilation system.
• Check the working of the safety devices.
• Check boiler performance, including the pressure vessel.

The gas safety engineer will issue the gas safety certificate after inspecting all the gas appliances installed on the property and mentioning their status against each one. The appliances considered unfit are categorized as ID, AR, and NCS:

1. ID stands for "Immediately Dangerous" – These are unfit for use and need immediate replacement.
2. AR means "At Risk." These are also unfit for use but are at lesser risk than ID.
3. NCS denotes "Not to the Current Standards." Appliances rated as NCS can still be used but should be replaced with new ones as soon as possible.

The landlord has to pay a fee to the inspecting engineer, as may be decided before hiring him. However, the cost of inspection and issuing a gas safety certificate may vary depending on the scope of work.

The Cost of Gas Safety Certificates

As discussed above, the annual gas safety inspection and issuance of a gas safety certificate involves a cost, charged by the inspecting engineer. This cost may vary based on the property's location, the scope of work required, and, more importantly, the service-providing company.

Many such service providers are operating in different parts of the UK. The cost charged by them is also variable. Before you hire a gas safety engineer, you need to consider the following important points:

• The gas safety engineer must be from a reputable company. Companies are required to have gas-safe registered engineers. Always verify the credentials of the company and the engineer, whether they are registered with the Gas Safe Register.
• Not every gas engineer is capable of inspecting all types of gas appliances. Make sure that the company has qualified gas safety engineers who can handle all the required work at your premises.
• The most important thing is the price. Search the market to determine the prevailing cost charged by different companies in your area.

Affordable Gas Safety Certificates

Considering the above parameters, you need to select a reputable and cost-conscious company to conduct the much-required annual gas inspection and issue a gas safety certificate. Here at Gassafetycerts.com, we offer the most reasonable and affordable price range.

It starts from as low as £34.00. The job is conducted by the UK's most experienced, qualified, and gas-safe registered engineers. The cost may vary with the location and the number of appliances installed on your premises. Above all, we provide an all-in-one service package, so you don't have to hire separate companies or engineers for different gas safety tasks.

Conclusion

Getting a valid gas safety certificate is a legal requirement under the prevalent gas safety regulations in the UK. It is the legal responsibility of the landlords to get this certificate for their rented-out properties to ensure the safety of their tenants.

The certificate can only be issued by a qualified and gas-safe registered engineer. The issuance cost of this important certificate is variable, mainly depending on the scope of work and the location of your property. Most importantly, it depends on the service provider's credibility and repute. You may get a lower quote from a company, but you need to hire one with a good reputation and experience in handling this sensitive task.

So, do consider the cost but not at the cost of your safety.