Gas-safety

Updated: 09 May 2011

Checking your gas appliances

If you are a Gateway resident and have a gas appliance, each year one of our gas engineers will visit your home to carry out an annual gas safety check.

By law, we must check all fitted gas appliances that we own and are responsible for, such as central-heating boilers and gas heaters. We must also check gas pipes for leaks that could cause an explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning. We carry out a gas-safety check in every rented property once a year. We also offer gas servicing to our leaseholders for a competitive fee.

Beware: If you do not allow us access to your home for your annual gas safety check, we can legally force entry to your home. It is very important to let us know if you cannot make an appointment.

It is part of your tenancy agreement that you allow us access to check your gas appliances. If you do not let us into your home to do this, you are breaking your tenancy agreement and we may charge you legal costs.

What happens at a gas-safety check?

A registered gas engineer will do the following:

• protect the area around the appliance they are working on, such as using a dust sheet;
• test the pipes between the gas meter and the boiler or heater for leaks;
• service all the gas appliances we own to the manufacturer’s recommendations;
• check the flue that the appliance it is connected to;
• check that ventilation is fitted and that it is not blocked;
• put all the appliances back together and make sure everything is working and
• provide a copy of the gas-safety record within 28 days of the check.

The gas-safety check and service will usually take less than an hour, although this will depend on the number and type of gas appliances in your home.

How you can help us

Gas heaters and boilers need either a balanced flue or proper ventilation so that poisonous fumes can be carried away safely.

We will service the gas installations we own each year, but you can help by making sure that ventilation is kept clear.

You should be very careful with gas or water heaters in the bathroom. Make sure the flue is clear and the room is well ventilated by opening the door or window.

Never try to repair any gas fault yourself.

Gas safety

If you smell gas inside your home, you should do the following:

• immediately turn off the gas at the meter;
• do not turn any electrical switches on or off. They can cause a spark which in turn could cause an explosion if there is a gas leak;
• do not use your phone indoors as it could cause a spark;
• do not smoke or use a naked flame;
• open all doors and windows;
• check to see if you have left any gas appliance on or if a pilot light has gone out and
• go outside and call the National Grid’s 24-hour helpline on 0800 111 999.

An enhanced service

Gas cooker chains - if you have a free-standing gas cooker, we will fit a cooker chain free of charge at your annual gas safety check, to improve safety.

Hard-wired smoke alarm - our gas engineer will carry out a safety check of your hard-wired smoke alarm at the same time as your gas safety check, if the alarm has been fitted by us.

Gas-safety checks for leaseholderes - our gas engineers can perform a gas-safety check for leaseholders, if you ask. There is a fee for this service and we will send you an invoice once the check has been carried out. Details are available from our gas servicing officer on 020 8709 4353.

Gas-safety publicity - we publicise the importance of allowing us access to carry out your gas-safety check in every issue of our newsletter, Open Door.

More notice of gas-safety checks - we start the process of our gas safety checks before your gas safety certificate (CP12) expires. This will allow sufficient time for you to make arrangements for us to gain access before we take any legal action.

Letterhead - our gas safety letterhead includes a statement about the importance of gas safety checks in six languages.

If you need more information, help or advice on gas-safety checks, please call our customer service team on Freephone 0800 052 9922 or email us.

Gas-safety checks (549 KB)

Please note we only provide a gas safety service to Gateway residents.

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