Gas safety: changes to concealed flue requirements

Posted: October 26, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Dilapidations, Disrepair, Houses in Multiple Occupation, Housing Act, Landlords, Leasehold Property, Property Law, Residential Property, Tenants | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

From 1 January 2013, technical instructions to Gas Safe registered engineers will change in relation to concealed flues.

Landlords may need to take action now to avoid boilers being turned off after the deadline. Concealed flues run through voids in buildings, so the change will mainly affect landlords who own flats and apartments.

The Gas Safe Register is the gas safety registration scheme that replaced CORGI. Landlords have duties to keep gas appliances and flues safe, and ensure that gas appliances are checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. For more information the HSE has published answers to tenants’ FAQs on gas safety on their website.

The Gas Safe Register has made the following recommendations:

-Landlords should fit inspection hatches as soon possible to enable inspection of concealed flues. Inspection will ensure flues are correctly fitted, and safe from dangers such as carbon monoxide leaks.
-Hatches should be at least 300mm square and positioned within 1.5m of any joint in the flue system.

From 1 January 2013, if the engineer cannot view a concealed boiler flue along its length, it will classify the installation as “At Risk” for the safety of the occupants (the previous classification was “Not to Current Standards”). The engineer will formally advise occupants that the boiler is “At Risk”, turn it off with their consent and advise them not to use it until inspection hatches are fitted.

A tenant who is advised to turn off a boiler after 1 January 2013 might argue that its landlord is in breach of its repairing covenant or refuse to pay rent. It follows that landlords may need to act promptly, both as a matter of good practice and to avoid future conflict.

Private rented housing: inquiry announced

Posted: October 24, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Bury & Walkers, Houses in Multiple Occupation, Housing Act, Landlords, Leasehold Property, Letting Agents, Property Law, Residential Property, Tenants | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

The Communities and Local Government Committee is conducting an inquiry into the private rented housing sector. The inquiry will focus on the quality and regulation of private rented housing, and the rent levels within the sector.

The Committee is interested in submissions from interested parties and suggests that the following topics are relevant to its inquiry:
• Steps to ensure that all housing in the private sector is of an acceptable standard.
• Rent control and the interaction between housing benefit and rents.
• Regulation of landlords, and how to deal with rogue landlords.
• Regulation of letting agents, agents’ fees and charges.
• Regulation of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
• Terms of tenancy agreements, their length and security of tenure.
• How local authorities are discharging their homelessness duty by placing homeless households in the private sector.

Housing supply is not a topic for consideration in this inquiry. The closing date for submissions is 17 January 2013.

This inquiry demonstrates that the government is alert to the housing crisis, particularly acute in London and evidenced by long council housing waiting lists and rising rents. However, although regulation of the private rented sector is overdue, the inquiry is unlikely to quieten calls for an increase in home building, rent capping and increased housing benefit.