The Health and Safety Executive is proposing  an ‘MOT-style’ system for gas safety checks that it says will save landlords time and money.

The HSE  is to undertake a consultation on changing the current regulations. At present  landlords must carry out gas safety checks “at intervals of no more than 12 months since it was last checked for safety”.

The HSE is proposing that checks should be carried out between 10–12 months of the previous check but to be treated as if they were carried out on the expiry date.

The HSE stated “In order to ensure that checks are carried out at intervals of not more than 12 months, many landlords start the process for gaining access to properties at around 10.5 months after the last check, according to a survey carried out by CORGI Technical Services.

“However, since in about 75% of cases landlords do gain access promptly, this leads to a shortening of the safety check cycle year-on-year.”

“If landlords carry out a gas safety check every 10.5 months this results in 10 annual gas safety checks being completed over a nine-year period, instead of the statutory nine.”

If you would like us to help you please contact Iain Lock at ilock@qandalaw.co.uk or call us  on 01920 463777