The following requirements are the responsibility of the Landlord.

Gas

Annual safety check

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 all gas appliances and flues in rented accommodation must be checked for safety within 12 months of being installed, and thereafter at least every 12 months by a competent engineer (e.g. a Gas Safe Register gas installer). 

Maintenance

There is a duty to ensure that all gas appliances, flues and associated pipework are maintained in a safe condition at all times.

Records

Full records must be kept for at least 2 years of the inspections of each appliance and flue, of any defects found and of any remedial action taken.  

Copies to tenants

A copy of the safety certificate issued by the engineer must be given to each new tenant before their tenancy commences, or to each existing tenant within 28 days of the check being carried out.   

Electrical

They include the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs and Sockets Regulations 1994, the 2005 Building Regulation - 'Part P, and British Standard B51363 relating to plugs and sockets. 

Although with tenanted property there is currently no specific legal requirement for a qualified electrician to carry out an inspection and issue a safety certificate (as exists in the case of gas appliances), it is now widely accepted in the letting industry that the only safe way to ensure safety, and to avoid the risk of being accused of neglecting your 'duty of care', or even of manslaughter is to arrange such an inspection and certificate.  

Fire

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (amended 1989 & 1993) provide that specified items supplied in the course of letting property must meet minimum fire resistance standards. 

The regulations apply to:

• all upholstered furniture

• beds

• headboards and mattresses

• sofa-beds

• futons and other convertibles

• nursery furniture

• garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling

• scatter cushions, pillows and non-original covers for furniture.

They do not apply to:

• antique furniture or furniture made before 1950

• bedcovers including duvets

• loose covers for mattresses

• pillowcases

• curtains

• carpets

• sleeping bags

Items which comply will have a suitable permanent label attached.  Non-compliant items must be removed before a tenancy commences.  

Smoke Alarms

All properties built since June 1992 must have been fitted with mains powered smoke detector alarms from new.

Although there is no legislation requiring smoke alarms to be fitted in other ordinary tenanted properties, it is generally considered that the common law 'duty of care' means that Landlords and their Agents could be liable should a fire cause injury or damage in a tenanted property where smoke alarms are not fitted.

We therefore strongly recommend that at least one alarm is fitted on each floor (in the hall and landing areas).