The boiler season is now in full swing, with tenants switching on the central heating in their droves. So it is more than worrying that a dishonest maintenance contractor has been carrying out illegal gas safety checks on rented properties in Devon. Acting for managing agents and landlords, he filled out gas safety records when in fact he wasn't a registered GasSafe engineer.
It brings to light the issue of trust. As a letting agent you probably have a bank of contractors you dispatch to properties but it's worth checking their professional status on a regular basis. Every registered GasSafe engineer carries an ID card, which shows who they are and confirms what type of gas work they can complete. If you're in any doubt, you can check the GasSafe register at www.gassaferegister.co.uk.
Roy Fuller, Sales Director at Everything Lettings, says: "When gas safety is in question there are legal implications for the landlord and also a sense of emergency. It's quite easy to rely on your usual contractors, which is great if you know their GasSafe status. However, as the number of boiler and gas appliance breakdowns rise as we head towards the coldest months, agents might be turning to untried trades people in a panic. It's worth thinking about the wider implications of using an untested source of labour. As well as putting a tenant's safety in jeopardy, you risk gaining a bad reputation for supplying unqualified workmen. Adverse media coverage is the last thing an agent wants."
Everything Lettings offers a comprehensive gas safety service, which includes GasSafe inspections and boiler servicing by registered and qualified engineers. Should an appliance fail a gas safety inspection, our engineers can often fix the problem on site, keeping down the cost and minimising the hassle for a landlord while making a property safe during the same visit. As well as inspections, agents and landlords particularly like the Everything Lettings boiler servicing programme, which pre-empts problems, extends the life of a boiler and keeps efficiency on track.
Roy Fuller concludes: "Risk taking and gas safety should never mix, so we urge all agents and landlords to exert caution when commissioning a gas engineer. At Everything Lettings we only work with registered engineers, for utmost peace-of-mind. One call to us and we'll look after all your gas safety obligations."
Everything Lettings - providing the rental industry with property maintenance plans, gas safety care programmes, Out of Hours coverage and 24/7 365-day emergency maintenance cover, EPCs and PAT testing.
Everything Lettings - Tel: 0844 272 2442 Mobile: 07970 840561 - Email orders@everything-lettings.co.uk
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