Whether you’re a tenant or a homeowner, everyone’s equal when it comes to gas safety.
No matter whether you own or rent the roof over your head, it pays to have your gas appliances serviced annually.
Failing to do so costs lives, as badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it, but it can kill quickly with no warning.
And with winter on the way, if appliances such as boilers are working inefficiently, it’ll also end up costing you more money to heat your home.
Gas Safety Week
The twelfth of September this year sees the launch of the first ever Gas Safety Week. It’s run by Gas Safe Register, the compulsory registration scheme for gas engineers in the UK, which replaced CORGI in 2009.
Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said: “You wouldn’t drive your car year in year out without checking it to ensure the brakes and lights work. It’s no different with gas appliances. You risk endangering your family’s health and, in some cases, their lives.
“We are encouraging everyone to take care and be gas safe this week so that fewer people will suffer from preventable accidents.”
Tenants and landlords
If you live in rented accommodation, your landlord is responsible for arranging an annual service of all gas appliances by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
A record of this annual service must be given to tenants and landlords must keep a copy of it for two years.
If you’re a tenant worried about energy-efficiency and high winter bills, now is the time to shop around for a cheaper supplier.
Lisa Greenfield, energy analyst at Confused.com said: “Tenants often wrongly think they can’t switch supplier but this isn’t the case.
“Check the small print of your tenancy agreement as this will usually outline whether you need to inform your landlord, but generally being a tenant doesn’t automatically mean you can’t switch supplier.”
Find a legal gas engineer
When having any gas work carried out, always use a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Always ask to see their Gas Safe ID card and check the back of it to ensure they are qualified to carry out the specific type of gas work you need.
Anne Mitchell, from Pontypool, south Wales, knows all too well how important it is to hire a legal engineer. Her 14-year-old daughter died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning a year after they had a central heating system and gas fire fitted.
It later turned out that although the engineer was registered, he was working illegally as he was not qualified or registered to carry out work on gas fires. He received a two-year sentence for manslaughter.
Anne says: “He took my daughter’s life, and he took my life away. My message to anyone who wants gas work done in their home is never use an illegal gas fitter and always check the fitter’s card to make sure they are Gas Safe registered and qualified to do all the work you need doing.
“And I would urge everyone to fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm. If something does go wrong it can save your life.”
A carbon monoxide alarm looks similar to a smoke alarm and is easy to fit yourself. You can buy one for less than £20 at your local DIY store, supermarket or from your energy supplier.
Signs your gas appliance is not working properly
· Your appliance has a lazy yellow or orange flame instead of crisp blue
· You can see dark staining around or on gas appliances
· The pilot light keeps going out
· There is increased condensation inside windows
Cash in on boiler scrappage
Boilers account for around 60 per cent of household spend on
gas and electricity bills, according to the
Energy Saving Trust, so opting for an energy-efficient boiler can make a big difference.
British Gas is offering customers £400 off a Worcester Bosch boiler when they trade-in an old one, or a £200 discount off any other new boiler.
It's also worth considering whether to protect your boiler against breakdown this coming winter.
NPower is offering comprehensive boiler care and central heating care from £10.50 per month, with 50 per cent no call-out cashback, as well as a £300 discount when you trade in your boiler for a Vaillant, Worcester Bosch or Glow-worm model.
Contact your energy supplier to see if they are running similar boiler care schemes.
Energy best buys
The cheapest dual fuel tariffs (where you take gas and electricity from the same firm), for a medium energy user, paying by direct debit, as at 21 December 2011*.
*Average annual UK bill, based on a medium energy user, defined by energy regulator Ofgem as using 16,500 units of gas and 3,300 units of electricity a year.
