Tenants in Preston - Helping Everyone Stay Gas Safe

If you’re renting in Preston, Leyland, Chorley or the surrounding areas read on to see how to keep gas safe in your rental property.

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly and without warning, as you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.

By taking care of your gas appliances properly you are taking care of your home, your loved ones and even looking out for your local community. Follow these few simple checks to keep you and others safe.

✔️ Check your Landlord’s Gas Safety Record. By law, your landlord must keep gas pipework, appliances and flues supplied for you to use in good condition. They must arrange a gas safety check of the appliances and flues every year and give you a record of the check.

✔️ Look out for any warning signs from your gas appliances. If you’ve spotted any dark staining or sooty marks around your appliance, excessive condensation indoors or pilot lights that frequently go out, your appliance may be unsafe. Contact your landlord, or, if you own the appliance, a Gas Safe registered engineer to check it. You can find a registered engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or by calling 0800 408 5500.

✔️ Don’t block vents.  Your gas appliances will need ventilation to work safely.  Blocking vents could prevent this.

✔️ Know the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness.

✔️ From 1^st October 2022 all landlords must ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is provided in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).  If you haven’t got one speak to your landlord or letting agent immediately.

✔️ Get your own gas appliances safety checked annually. Your landlord is not responsible for gas appliances that you own, so you should arrange for these to be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

✔️ Check your engineer is qualified for the type of gas work you need doing e.g., natural gas, domestic boiler. You can find this information on the back of their Gas Safe ID card and the Gas Safe Register website.  Don’t be afraid to ask to see ID when your landlords gas engineer come to the property.

For gas safety advice and to find or check an engineer visit the Gas Safe Register website at GasSafeRegister.co.uk.

Share this information with your friends, relatives and neighbours to ensure they are gas safe too!