Gas Safety and Annual Gas Safety Check

Gas leaks

Gas Boilers will be serviced annually. However, if you smell gas or fumes you should:

• Turn off the appliance.
• Turn off the gas supply at the meter.
• Don’t switch any electrical appliances on.
• Put out cigarettes.
• Do not use matches or naked flames.
• Open doors and windows to allow the gas to disperse and keep them open until the leak has stopped.
• Do not use a mobile phone anywhere near the leak.
• Check to see if a gas tap has been accidentally left on or if a pilot light has gone out.
• Call NATIONAL GRID UK immediately on 0800 111 999 from a phone outside the property and report the leak.

Your call will be passed to SCOTIA Gas Network who will attend and trace the leak, and, if necessary, carry out any repair for which they are responsible.  If more extensive work is needed SCOTIA Gas Network will make safe and inform us. We will then arrange to have the necessary repair carried out promptly.

Never attempt to fit, repair or service your gas fire, central heating or cooker yourself. Gas can be extremely dangerous and any work connected with it should only be carried out by suitably qualified individuals who carry the appropriate Gas Safe registrations.

Annual Gas Safety Check

We require to carry out an annual safety check of all our properties with a gas supply. Tenants will be contacted by our Contractor, advising them when this will take place. The Contractor will letter tenants the week before they are due to carry out the annual safety check.

The Contractor will provide you with a safety certificate when the annual servicing and safety check is carried out. You cannot refuse access for this work to be done as it is a requirement of your tenancy agreement and a legal requirement that we do this work. If you do not let us in we will write to you requesting that access is made available to the contractor.  Should you continually fail to provide access to your home we shall ultimately write notifying you of when the contractor shall call to carry out the safety check, and if acess is not provided we shall force entry. Any costs which we incur as a result of this action will be recharged to the tenant.

Gas Safety Register

If you are looking to have someone to fix or install a gas appliance, then make sure that the contractor is on the new Gas Safe Register. The new register replaced the CORGI standard on 1st April 2009, meaning only:

Gas Safe engineers can legally install gas appliances, boilers, hobs, ovens or fires in your home.

Appointed by the Health and Safety Executive and run by Capita Gas Registration and Ancillary services Limited, the Gas Safety Register exists to protect your family, and your home from dangerous gas work.

Incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained gas appliances are a major cause of lethal carbon monoxide poisoning, and can also lead to gas leaks and explosions.

When looking for an approved contractor look out for the yellow Gas Safe Register triangle and not the old orange CORGI registration badge. All our gas & heating contractors are now registered with the Gas Safe Register.

If you would like more information this can be found by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk

Electrical Safety

• How to use your electricity safely.
• Remember that most accidents involving electricity can be avoided if you follow some simple advice such as:
• If your sockets are faulty or are overheating contact us at the office.
• Never tamper with electricity, get expert help.
• Never overload electrical power points.
• Use electrical socket adaptors as little as possible and use adaptors only  for low loaded items such as table lamps, radio’s, alarm clocks etc.
• Make sure all plugs are wired correctly with the correct fuse fitted.
• Never take electrical appliances in to the bathroom.
• Always unplug appliances when they are not in use.
• Check flexes regularly.
• Never use damaged flexes or run them under carpets or rugs.
• Consider buying plug safety covers if you have young children.
• Always use a circuit breaker when using any electrical appliance outside e.g. hedge trimmers, lawn mowers etc.
  

NEVER TAMPER WITH ELECTRICITY – IT CAN KILL!!