Scope

Housing 21 acknowledges and accepts its responsibilities under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

Housing 21 will:

hold accurate records against each property it owns or manages setting out the requirements for gas safety checks and servicing of all gas fittings, appliances, and flues.
carry out gas reconciliations every six months to ensure adequate assurance that gas supply data held against the organisation’s property assets is accurate and up to date.
ensure that each property requiring a gas safety check and/or service will have a landlords’ gas safety record (LGSR) that has a completion date not more than 12 months following the completion date of the previous LGSR relating to the property or installation date of new installations.
ensure that where properties are served by individual gas appliance, copies of all LGSR/s are provided to residents within 28 days of completion or, where there is a communal gas appliance the certificate will be displayed in a common area where necessary upon completion of the LGSR.
will manage (see ‘Guidance Note 1’) gas supplies to all properties when they become void. If an LGSR has not been completed in the previous 12-month period, an LGSR should be programmed prior to re-let. If a property is to be void for a period more than 30 days, the gas supply should be capped off.
manage (see ‘Guidance Note 1’) gas supplies to all new build properties at handover if the new tenancy is not commencing immediately at the point of handover.
ensure that gas safety checks (see ‘Guidance Note 1’) are carried out prior to, or immediately following the commencement of any new tenancy (void properties), mutual exchange and/or transfer and that the resident receives a copy of the current LGSR prior to, or immediately after moving in.
carry out gas safety checks of any residents’ own gas appliances and will carry out a five-point safety check for gas cookers and service to gas fires where the manufacturers’ instructions are available (location/flueing/ventilation/signs of distress/stable and secure). Appliances include cookers and gas fires. Where appliances are found to be faulty these will be disconnected, and a warning notice issued.
test and replace as necessary all carbon monoxide detectors as part of the annual gas safety check visit. This may include replacement with battery operated smoke alarms.
carry out an annual gas safety check to all properties where the gas supply is inactive (capped) at the request of the resident. This is to ensure that gas supplies have not been reconnected by the resident.
operational teams will carry out annual assessments of properties where residents have chosen for personal reasons not to use the gas supply in the property. This is to check the resident’s wellbeing and to assess that the lack of gas heating is not adversely affecting the condition of the property.
ensure that only suitably competent Gas Safe accredited engineers undertake gas works for the organisation.
carry out a gas safety check and issue a new LGSR for the component following the installation of new gas appliance.
not service or maintain gas appliances in homes that are owned or part-owned by the resident i.e., leasehold, or shared ownership flats where the resident retains responsibility under the terms of the lease.
ensure that robust processes and controls are in place to manage works to void and occupied properties that may affect existing gas installations.
have in place a robust process to gain access to all properties including where resident vulnerability issues are known or identified whilst ensuring the organisation can gain timely access to any property to be compliant with this policy and safeguard the wellbeing of the resident.
ensure that where applicable, all solid fuel, chimney stacks, oiled fire appliances and flues are inspected and maintained at least annually and that this work is completed by a suitably competent engineer.