Landlord fined over gas safety

Landlords should know the score over gas safety. If you have gas appliances you need to have a gas safety check (GSC) every year.  If you don't have one then you be in line for a serious fine amounting to  thousands of pounds.  Regulation 36(3)(a) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, states clearly that:

 "Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (2) - covering gas fittings - a landlord shall (a) ensure that each appliance and flue to which that duty extends is checked for safety within 12 months of being installed and at intervals of not more than 12 months since it was last checked for safety (whether such check was made pursuant to these Regulations or not)."

Despite all this the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham managed to overlook the GSC on 21 privately leased properties between 2008 and 2010. 

This amuses me as so often Government and Councils are held up as paragons of virtue where as private landlords are lambasted as money grabbing individuals who care nothing for the welfare or safety of their tenants.  So who are tenants safest with?  Maybe the answer isn't as clear cut as detractors of the private sector like to maintain!

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