23 August, 2010

The seventh part of our guide to letting property covers safety regulations for your let property.

Landlords are responsible for ensuring that their property meets the latest relevant safety standards.

The landlord should make sure onsite inspection and testing is performed where applicable to appliances within a rented property. An up to date formal record of these should be kept.

Gas Safety

 All appliances in a rental property must be checked on an annual basis by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register.

• The tenant must be provided with the inspection certificate and records should be made accessible by the landlord at all times.
• If an appliance becomes defective within the rented property it must be replaced immediately.
• Instruction manuals for all gas appliances should be made available to the tenant at all times.

Furniture Fire Safety

The Furniture and Furnishing (fire) (safety) Regulations 1998 set out regulations for fire resistance levels for domestic upholstered furniture and furnishings manufactured after 1950 (carpets and curtains are not included).

These regulations do not include furniture manufactured prior to 1950 or reupholstered furniture manufactured prior to this date.

All new furniture (barring mattresses and bed bases) must carry a permanent label stating accordance with these regulations.

Product Safety Regulations

Landlords are responsible for showing due care and attention to the general safety of their tenants whilst in their property.

Instruction manuals for items used in the property e.g. televisions should be made available to the tenant.

For useful sources of information on the letting of property please visit our Let Property Information page.

Please note that this article is meant only as a guide to some of the pertinent issues related to renting property in the United Kingdom. It is based on Cornish Mutual's current understanding of the law however anyone acting on the advice contained in this guide is deemed to have satisfied themselves of the correct legal position by having contacted and involved the relevant knowledgeable person or organisation.