Gas, carbon monoxide, electrical safety and Energy Performance Certificates

Gas safety

If gas is supplied to the property, a Gas Safe registered engineer must issue a current gas safe report to cover all appliances and installations. This must be done at least every 12 months as required by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (as amended).

The safety of the gas installation and appliances must be constantly maintained.

Carbon monoxide

A carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in any room which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers) as required by the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (for non-licensable HMOs) and the Housing Act 2004 (for licensable HMOs). The carbon monoxide alarm(s) should be compliant with British Standard BS 50291 and kept in proper working order.

Electrical safety

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) must be obtained every 5 years, or less if determined by the latest report, following an electrical inspection carried out to the property by a qualified and competent electrician; as required by The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.

If the report contains any Code 1 (C1), Code 2 (C2) or Further Investigation (FI) items, the necessary investigative and/or remedial work must be carried out by a qualified and competent person within 28 days, or less if specified in the report. Failure to comply with the regulations may result in enforcement action and a civil penalty notice up to £30,000.

Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) give information on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and making a home more energy efficient.

As of 1st April 2020, it became illegal to rent a property on all new and existing tenancies where the EPC rating falls below the minimum E rating requirement.

For the purposes of HMOs, an EPC is required for:

  • shared houses HMOs – one EPC for the property
  • mixed self-contained and non self-contained accommodation – one EPC for each self-contained flat but no EPC required for the remainder of the property
  • self-contained flats (Section 257 HMOs) – one EPC per flat

A copy of the most recent EPC should be provided to the local authority on request.