Compliance

COMPLIANCE MADE SIMPLE (PART 1)

Part 1 in our series on “Compliance made simple” As property investors and letting agents, we are regularly having conversations with people about compliance. What often comes across is that people find it changeable and confusing. It is changeable, this is true, but it needn’t be confusing. With this in mind, we have put together a series on some of the most common compliance issues, in an attempt to explain them in a way which is succinct and non-confusing. The first in this series is one that the majority of us will have heard of – Gas safety. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and subsequent amendments THE REGULATIONS:

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations came into force on 31st October 1998 and replaced all previous gas safety regulations. These regulations place legal duties on landlords, agents and contractors who are dealing with the rental of the property. Requirements & Duties:

There must be a valid gas safety certificate in place during the whole duration of the tenancy, covering all gas appliances which are within the property. This certificate must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

The following items must be safe: Penalties:

• Gas Appliances • Pipework leading to the appliances • Flues from the appliances • The following checks must also be done: • A mandatory yearly check to assess whether or not the system and appliances are safe and meet current standards • A check on the meter to make sure that there is no gas escaping Complying with the regulations is a legal requirement, failure to do so is deemed to be a criminal offence! The penalty for non-compliance is an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment. Should a tenant or occupant die as a result of the regulations not being adhered to, more serious charges may be brought. There are no grey areas when it comes to compliance - your tenants’ safety should be non-negotiable. When it comes to compliance it’s really simple and straightforward; make sure you know it, apply it and keep updated on it. If you do this, then your tenants will be safe and so will you! These are issues that we deal with day in, day out, so, if we can help or assist in any way, simply give us a call on:0117 440 6789 contact us via our website, email us at angie@kpa.co.uk or benedict@kpa.co.uk or, you can find us on Facebook under KPA Property Management.