Gas Safety Week: Landlords legal responsibilities for a Gas Safe nation

Gas Safe Engineer

Landlord legal responsibilities – Annual Gas Safety Checks

Landlords are legally responsible for the safety of their tenants. Landlords must make sure maintenance and annual safety checks on gas appliances are carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

We are proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2020, taking place 14 – 20 September.

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is coordinated by the Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning, as you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.

If you’re a landlord, you are legally obliged to make sure that:

  • ⦁ Gas pipework, appliances and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition.
  • ⦁ All gas appliances and flues provided for tenants’ use have an annual safety check. Your tenants can report you to the HSE if you don’t provide one, so it’s important to remember! You can set a free email and/or text reminder so you don’t forget, to visit StayGasSafe.co.uk.
  • ⦁ A Gas Safety Record is provided to the tenant within 28 days of completing the check or to any new tenant before they move in.
  • ⦁ You keep a copy of the Gas Safety Record until two further checks have taken place.
  • ⦁ Maintenance and annual safety checks are carried out by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.
  • ⦁ All gas equipment (including any appliance left by a previous tenant) is safe or otherwise removed before re-letting.

Before any gas work is carried out always check the engineer is qualified to carry out the work that needs doing e.g. natural gas, domestic boiler. You can find this information on the Gas Safe Register website or by checking the back of the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card. Encourage your tenants to also check the card when they arrive at the property.

For more information and to find or check an engineer visit GasSafeRegister.co.uk.

PlusHeat uses only Gas Safe™ engineers, tradespeople and expertly trained staff to give you the finest, and safest, service available.

Gas Safety Week: Fighting for a Gas Safe Nation

Gas Safety

Gas Safety Week: Fighting for a Gas Safe Nation

Helping the public stay gas safe

We are proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2020, taking place 14 – 20 September.

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is coordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly and without warning, as you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.

By taking care of your gas appliances properly you are taking care of your home and your loved ones.

 

Follow these few simple checks to keep you and your family safe.

⦁ Check your gas appliances every year. Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants – make sure your landlord arranges this. Set a reminder so you don’t forget at StayGasSafe.co.uk.

⦁ Look out for friends and relatives. Some people may be unable to arrange their own gas safety check or may be unaware of what they need to do to keep safe. Help your loved ones by ensuring that they have their appliances checked and serviced regularly.

⦁ Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered. You can find or check an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

⦁ Check your engineer is qualified for the type of gas work you need doing e.g. natural gas, domestic boiler. You can find this information on the back of their Gas Safe ID card and on the Gas Safe Register website.

⦁ Check for warning signs that could indicate your (or others) appliances are not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow /orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out and too much condensation in the room.

⦁ Know the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.

⦁ Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm and make sure your friends and relatives have one too. Check they are marked EN50291 and display the British Standards’ Kitemark.

For gas safety advice and to find or check an engineer visit the Gas Safe Register website at GasSafeRegister.co.uk. Alternatively call the free helpline on 0800 408 5500.

Electric vehicle charging at home

Electric vehicle

How to charge an electric vehicle at home

While you can use an EVSE supply cable for a 3-pin plus socket as an occasional backup, choosing a dedicated home charging point is much faster and has built-in safety features. You should have a home charging point installed by qualified specialists where you park your electric car.

How much does it cost to install an electric car charger?

A home charging point, fully installed after 1st April 2020, costs from £449 with the government OLEV grant.

From 1st April 2020, electric car drivers get a reduced £350 grant for purchasing and installing a home charger with the OLEV grant.

Once installed, you only pay for the electricity you use to charge.

The typical electricity rate in the UK is just over 14p per kWh, while on Economy 7 tariffs the typical overnight electricity rate in the UK is 8p per kWh.

How fast can I charge an electric vehicle at home?

The time it takes to charge an electric car can be as little as 30 minutes or more than 12 hours. This depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point.

The charging speed for electric cars is measured in kilowatts (kW). A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty to full with a 7kW charging point.

Home charging points charge your car at 3.7kW or 7kW giving about 15-30 miles of range per hour of charge (compared to 2.3kW from a 3-pin plug which provides up to 8 miles of range per hour).

How do I get an electric car charging point installed at home?

Electric car charging points need to be professionally installed.

The typical installation takes around two-three hours to complete. However, this depends on the requirements of the driver and the complexity of the installation.
Your installer will position and fix the charger by drilling and clipping the cable to the wall. They’ll install the RCBO and connect it to your main supply. Once final safety tests are done, they will usually provide you with a demonstration.
The charge point must be located in your off-street parking area and be fixed at a height where it can’t be hit by a vehicle.

How often should I charge my electric car at home?

As often as you need to.

While most don’t need to charge every day, you may want to plug in each time you leave your car to give you maximum flexibility in case you have to make an unexpected trip.

You can take advantage of cheap nighttime electricity rates by charging overnight and driving for as little as 2p per mile.
You don’t need to unplug once the battery is full with a dedicated home charger as charging will stop automatically.
Overnight charging also ensures the car’s battery is full each morning for the day ahead.

Homeowners warned to watch out for burglary spike this summer

Homeowners warned to watch out for burglary spike this summer

While most of us have spent more time at home than ever during lockdown, burglaries have significantly reduced. However, experts warn that as restrictions ease, burglars are more likely to strike this summer.

As homeowners have been advised to be cautious, here are some inexpensive ways to protect your home against intruders:

Have the right insurance in place

Households should have adequate home and contents insurance as this should cover their belongings should the worst happen and their home be broken into.

 

Always lock up

Did you know that most burglaries happen during daylight hours (between 10 am and 3 pm) and 34% of burglars enter through the front door?

Remember to use window locks, lock garages and lock sheds. Even if you’re not going far and even when you’re in the house, when doors and windows aren’t in use, make sure to lock up.

Ensure you have suitable locks for your needs, including front doors, back doors, windows, conservatory doors, garages and sheds.

Tenants are advised to be just as vigilant. If you live in a flat, you should keep the main access door locked and ask your landlord for any security systems you think they might need, for example, an alarm or better locks on your door.

Inspect your entry points

Inspect all entry points, especially those on the first floor and replace, repair or reinforce them as needed. Don’t forget, even if your locks are solid, a well-placed kick on a weak and flimsy door or window could allow someone inside in seconds.

Keep valuables out of sight

Burglars have been known to reach through letterboxes and hook out keys left on the side table. Don’t put valuables like electronics, jewellery, cash, personal documents or keys where people can see through a window.

Keep tools, bikes and other easy-to-grab items locked up when you’re not using them.

Leave your spare key with a neighbour

Hiding a key in a predictable place like under the welcome mat or in a flowerpot near the door makes things way too easy for an opportunist. Give your spare key to a trusted neighbour instead, or pick up a combination lockbox installed in a concealed place.

Technology

Having good security is important to keeping a home safe. Smart security is becoming increasingly popular as households turn to enhanced tech to protect their home.

Such popular items include smart doorbells, smart door locks, smart thermostats, smart lightbulbs and smart alarms. If you have these devices, you should contact your insurer, as it may help reduce premiums.

Going away?

If you’re leaving town, make your house look lived in. Ask a neighbour to open curtains or blinds in the morning and close them in the evening. If you’re able to, set porch or outdoor lights to a timer.

Don’t showcase your absence on social media – you never know who’s watching.