Gas certificates

[bungeejumper]

Being dutiful landlords, we always make sure that the gas certificate on our rental flat is done on time. The company we usually use charges us £90 or so and issues the certificate, and there's never been a problem. But this year they say they want another £40 to check the boiler.

So, given that our gas system consists of (a) a gas meter, (b) a few metres of gas pipe, and (c) a boiler, and (d) nothing else, what exactly have they been doing all these years for their money? Checking the system pressure, I suppose, but our boiler servicing engineer does that anyway. So what's changed? Are they having a laugh?

BJ

[Gerry557]

Have you tried getting additional quotes? Have the rules changed recently

Ive not looked but await your research

[Mike4]

Being dutiful landlords, we always make sure that the gas certificate on our rental flat is done on time. The company we usually use charges us £90 or so and issues the certificate, and there's never been a problem. But this year they say they want another £40 to check the boiler.

So, given that our gas system consists of (a) a gas meter, (b) a few metres of gas pipe, and (c) a boiler, and (d) nothing else, what exactly have they been doing all these years for their money? Checking the system pressure, I suppose, but our boiler servicing engineer does that anyway. So what's changed? Are they having a laugh?

BJ

Nothing has changed since 1998. but no they are not having a laugh. Or at least not if they are honest and ethical gas bods, and not all are.

A landlord gas safety inspection is (in essence) safety checking. There are four specific safety checks to carry out on each appliance defined in the legislation. Servicing an appliance comprises taking it to bits to clean it, and safety checking it. So you can no doubt see a big crossover in the work involved. For the LGSC there are a few further checks involved too, e.g. inspecting the pipework for things like wrong materials, sleeving through walls, checking tenant has access to the emergency gas on/off valve, gas meter properly fitted and bears correct labels (gas emergency phone number, how to work the on/off valve). Most of a LGSC is stunningly basic and obvious, so basic you'd not think it needed checking.

Most of the time doing one is taken up by driving to the address, parking, waiting for the sleeping tenants to open the door, reminding them their gas inspection is booked for today and persuading them to let you in, finding the meter and all the gas appliances, and filling in the form. Servicing the boiler while you are already there is sometimes (but not always) an extra 15 mins work. If the gas bod is honest and actually does it, that is... and how would you know? The service schedule varies widely from boiler to boiler these days and is set out in the boiler manual. Some firms do a 'poke and go' service which means sticking a flue analyser in the flue terminal and if the readings are good, declaring it 'serviced'.

Also, might be good to check with your tenants someone actually turned up, because there exists the possibility of doing dozens of LGSCs in a day for a really dishonest gas firm when they have copies of last year's certificates. No need to actually go to the house, if you get my drift.

[UncleEbenezer]

Speaking as a tenant for most of my life, I had the annual gas checks between 2005 and 2019. Previous to that either the rules didn't apply or the landlords/agents ignored them.

As a tenant it was mostly painless, except in that the agent from 2013-2019 never consulted me over when they were turning up, and didn't always even bother to tell me. The men always did turn up, checked with me what gas appliances existed, ran what looked like perfunctory tests, and ticked boxes. I think once they went so far as to brush something down in the boiler.

At one time I did have a smell of gas. Fortunately that was at the 2005-13 address, where the Agent was conscientious about such things and got it fixed without the need to escalate to a big conflict. The gas checks hadn't picked up the fault, and the fix no doubt cost the landlord another call-out fee.

I'd say the main thing to concern yourself about as landlord is to consult the tenant: agree a time that works for them, rather than impose one that may not.

[dealtn]

So, given that our gas system consists of (a) a gas meter, (b) a few metres of gas pipe, and (c) a boiler, and (d) nothing else, what exactly have they been doing all these years for their money?

Possibly undercharging you.

Still, now you have the opportunity to go elsewhere if you aren't happy with the new tariff.

[bungeejumper]

As a tenant it was mostly painless, except in that the agent from 2013-2019 never consulted me over when they were turning up, and didn't always even bother to tell me.

As the landlords we have keys, of course, but it would take a dire emergency (or a very obstinate tenant) before we used them in any situation where the tenant wasn't present. Fortunately, though, SMS text messaging means that we can consult and get permission at short notice and without much fuss. We have pretty good relations with all our tenants, although there have been a few exceptions in the past, so there's a lot of trust there that we take care not to abuse.

Wildly off topic, but I recall the time that my parents took it into their heads to come down and visit me without any warning. Knowing that I was at work, they let themselves quietly into my house one morning with their key, and went upstairs to unpack their bags in the bedroom. Which was when they encountered my girlfriend, who was almost as surprised to see them as they were to see her. Took a year or two before they forgave me!

BJ

[fisher]

Can you not get the gas safety certificate and the annual service done at the same time? That's what we used to do and it worked well. We paid less than £100 for both a year or so ago.