Gas Safety

Most of our homes have a gas supply to fuel the heating system or for cooking appliances. If you are at tenant, under the Gas Safety Regulations 1998, as your landlord, we have a legal responsibility to: 

• Carry out an annual gas safety check of the gas appliances in your home that we have provided for heating and hot water. 
• Check that gas appliances are serviced by the manufacturer’s instructions. 
• Make sure that these checks have been carried out within 1 year before the start of a new tenancy, unless the appliances in the property have been installed for less than 12 months, in which case they should be checked within 12 months of their installation date. 
• Have all installation, maintenance and safety checks carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. 
• Keep a record of each safety check for at least two years. 
• Issue a copy of the latest safety check record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being completed, or to any new tenant before they move in.  
• We will arrange an appointment with you at a convenient time for you and will send you a gas-safety certificate to confirm that we have carried out the check.  
• We do not service your own appliances. We will carry out a visual inspection and if we deem them unsafe we will take action. 

 If you need a copy of your certificate please compliance@sbhg.co.uk

• You must allow us access to complete these necessary safety checks. If you fail to do so, we will take legal action to gain access. You will be liable for court costs. 
• You are responsible for making sure that the appliances you have fitted yourself, such as gas fires and cookers are checked by a qualified gas engineer. We recommend that you arrange for a reputable gas engineer to check that your appliances are safe every year.  If you remove one of your own gas appliances you must provide us with evidence this was completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer. 
• Keep communal gas cupboards clear of personal belongings and refuse to ensure you and your neighbours can safely access your meter should you need to in an emergency.  Gates securing communal areas are only permitted if all residents have a key.  Blocking access to meters and emergency control valves is extremely dangerous. 
• Please ensure both gas meters and electric meters are in credit before an annual gas safety check.  This reduces the amount of time we spend on wasted visits and helps us provide a better service. 

If a gas appliance has been badly fitted or poorly serviced, potential risks include gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Here’s what to do if you smell gas or suspect it’s CO poisoning.

What to do if you smell gas

It’s crucial to act quickly in a gas emergency. These are the steps you need to take to stay safe:

• Get fresh air immediately; make sure you open all doors and windows to ventilate the area.
• Turn off the gas emergency control valve (also called gas emergency shut off valve) at the meter, unless the meter is located in a basement or cellar or at the LPG bulk tank or storage vessels.
• Extinguish all naked flames and don’t smoke.
• Don’t operate electrical switches (including turning light switches on or off) because this can ignite escaping gas.
• Contact the relevant National Gas Emergency service number for your area. We’ve listed these numbers in the next section.
• If the attending emergency operative identifies an issue with any gas appliances, follow their advice concerning the use of the equipment. Where advised, contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to fix the appliance and check it’s safe.
• If you’re feeling unwell, visit your GP or hospital immediately and let them know you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide.
• Don’t turn the gas supply on again until it’s been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Who to call in a gas emergency

If you smell gas, want to report a gas leak or require gas emergency services, there’s a free, 24-hour National Gas Emergency Helpline you can call: 0800 111 999

Here are some gas safety tips from Gas Safe Register. Gas Safe Register is the only official gas registration body of gas businesses and engineers in the United Kingdom.

 

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous gas produced by the incomplete burning of any carbon fuel such as natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This can happen when a gas appliance has been incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained. It can also occur if flues, chimneys or vents are blocked. Solid fuels, such as coal, wood, petrol, as well as oil, can also produce carbon monoxide when they burn.

CO can be deadly and is especially dangerous because you can’t see, taste or smell it, and some symptoms mimic the effects of viruses and even a bad hangover. It’s important to know the physical symptoms of CO poisoning to ensure you seek help quickly.

The six main symptoms of CO poisoning are:

1. Headaches
2. Dizziness
3. Nausea
4. Breathlessness
5. Collapse
6. Loss of consciousness

Any of the following could be a sign of CO in your home:

• Floppy yellow or orange flame on your gas hob or oven, rather than a crisp blue flame
• Dark, sooty staining on or around gas appliances
• Pilot lights that frequently blow out
• Increased condensation inside windows

If you believe you have any of these signs, please get into fresh air and contact your emergency services provider. 

As a leaseholder or shared owner you own the gas appliances in your home, it is for you to ensure they are safe by getting checks done regularly. We reccomend you get your boiler and gas appliaces tested once a year by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. Apart from being dangerous, failing to adequately maintain your gas appliances could make your contents insurance void. You can find registered Gas Safe engineers for your area, here.