Bristol landlord fined for unsafe boiler

North Avon Magistrates’ Court heard how Bristol landlord, Michael Bull, failed to have the required checks carried out on a gas boiler at his rental property in Mangotsfield.

Bull was fined £2,360 and made to pay full legal costs of £1,532 after he pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 36(2)(a) and 36(3)(a) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) were alerted to the situation after the family who rented out the property suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

With the boilers ignition button not working, the tenants had removed the boiler's casing to enable them to relight it, unaware of the risks of leaving the case off.

The five tenants fell ill and were treated in hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning.

HSE Inspector, Matthew Tyler commented:

 “It is important that domestic landlords understand and meet their legal obligations to ensure that gas appliances in their tenanted properties are checked for safety annually and regularly serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This case demonstrates that where this is not undertaken that tenant can be exposed to the products of combustion including Carbon Monoxide which in the most serious cases can result in death.”

Read the HSE advice on landlords gas safety

Take advantage of our discounted landlord insurance rates