Many people have purchased second or third properties as an investment in recent years which has led to a huge increase in the number of private landlords. It is important for landlords to take their responsibilities in relation to the safety of the appliances in their rented properties seriously.
In a recent case, a landlord received warnings and an Enforcement Notice from the Health & Safety Executive after he repeatedly failed to check gas appliances in a property. He ignored such warnings for a four year period. Failing to check the gas appliances clearly exposed his tenants to health risks.
The Health & Safety Executive carried out an investigation following which proceedings were taken. The prosecution was successful and the landlord was fined £9,000 plus costs of £3,941.
Landlords have a legal duty to ensure that gas appliances in properties they rent out are checked out every 12 months by a competent gas engineer. The landlord should provide a Landlord Gas Safety Record.
The obligations imposed on landlords have increased considerably in recent years. It is now obligatory to place deposits received from tenants in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme and landlords will be faced with the prospect of checking the immigration status of income tenants, to name but two.
If you would like to discuss the legal implications of renting out your property, contact us.