Citypadz is committed to ensuring all of our properties meet safety regulations before allowing a tenant to move in. The following are requirements are the responsibility of the owner (the landlord), and where we manage the property, they are also ours as agents. Therefore to protect all interests, we ensure full compliance with the appropriate regulations, at the owner’s expense.
Gas
All landlords must make sure that their gas appliances are fully compliant with the Gas Safety (Installations and Use) regulations 1994 (amended 1996). All appliances must be checked annually by a CORGI-registered engineer and the certificate, issued after this inspection, retained along with information on the inspection dates. Landlords are also advised to keep a list of any faults identified and subsequent corrections.
A current safety certificate must be available to any tenant before occupancy.
Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs & Sockets etc (Safety) Regulations 1994, electrical installations and equipment in tenanted premises must be safe. Although (unlike gas) no safety certificate is legally required, it is recommended that a qualified electrician is employed to perform a visual check of electrical equipment, fittings and leads before renting out your property.
Energy performance certificates
Energy performance certificates (EPC) are a legal requirement for all rental properties and have been in place since 1 October 2008. An EPC provides ‘A’ to ‘G’ grading for the property, offering ideas on how to make the property more energy efficient.
Citypadz can organise for an accredited energy assessor to evaluate your property and product an EPC prior to renting.
For more information visit http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/SellingYourHome/DG_076370
Every property built after 1992 must have a mains-powered smoke detector and alarm, which of course must be tested regularly and fully working.
Furniture and furnishings
All furniture and furnishing must meet the necessary fire resistant levels outlined in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1998 (amended 1989, 1993 and 1996). The guidelines apply to all upholstered furniture, and beds, headboards and mattresses, sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles, nursery furniture, garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling.
General product safety
Your property must comply with the General Product Safety Regulations 1994, which cover building structure and the contents. You should make an exhaustive examination of your property to avoid potential risks.
House in multiple occupations (HMOs)
The Housing Act 2004 introduced mandatory licensing of all privately rented HMOs of three or more storeys and occupied by five or more people who form more than one household. In order to be classed an HMO property it must be used as the tenants’ only or main residence and used solely or mainly to house tenants.
If a landlord lets a property which is one of the following types it is classed a HMO:
- An entire house or flat which is let to three or more tenants who form two or more households and share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet;
- A house which has been converted into bedsits or other non-self contained accommodation and which is let to three or more tenants who form more households that share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet;
- A converted house which contains one or more flats which are not wholly self contained and which is let to three or more tenants who from two more more households; and
- A building which is converted entirely into self contained flats if the conversion did not meet the standards of the 1991 Building Regulations and more than one-third of the flats are let on short-term tenancies.
