Gas safety is a major issue for landlords and tenants and if any of your properties have gas boilers or heating systems fitted, you need to be aware of the changes concerning concealed flues, which come into effect at the end of December 2012.
How do the changes affect landlords?
The rules were changed in 2010. Gas engineers were given new guidance notes regarding the inspection procedures relating to concealed flues, for example, flues hidden behind wall cavities or above ceilings (a common practice in flats and apartments). If the gas engineer could not perform a visual inspection of the flue because there were no inspection hatches, as long as a carbon monoxide detector was present, this was to be considered sufficient protection for the tenant.
However, the two year phasing-in period is about to end and as of the end of this month, if a gas engineer comes to service or make repairs to a gas central heating system and a visual inspection of the flue is found to be impossible, he will be forced to determine that the system is ‘At Risk’ and the appliance will be decommissioned until appropriate changes have been made.
What must landlords do?
If any of your properties have gas boilers or gas central heating systems, you must make sure there is a suitable inspection hatch fitted so that the flue can be viewed by a gas engineer. If there is no inspection hatch and the boiler or heating system has been installed after 2000, you will need to have inspection hatches fitted.
