Suspended sentence for landlord who risked tenants lives by defective gas appliance.

A private landlord from Hull “blatantly and deliberately disregarded” the law regarding dangerous and defective gas work,was told he risked his tenants lives to the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning.

All landlords by law must have a gas check very six months by a registered engineer.
Hull magistrates heard that  he completely ignored an enforcement notice served by HSE which gave him three weeks to have the gas check carried out. He flagrantly refused to carry out the work even when an inspector phoned him before the Improvement Notice expired in June 2011.

Upon visiting the tenant’s home, a Gas Safe Registered Engineer immediately found a dangerous defect in the lounge’s gas fire which could have led to the tenant’s being exposed to lethal carbon monoxide.
HSE were further shocked to hear that the tenant had not received a landlord’s gas safety record in over two years, and neither had any servicing of any sort or work undergone by a registered engineer on behalf of the landlord. 
 
The landlord pleaded guilty to two breaches of gas safety regulations and failure to comply with an Improvement Notice.
 
  • He was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for 12 months, ordered to undertake 260 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £500 towards the prosecution costs.
  • He also received a court order giving him 28 days to carry out a gas safety check for the property in question.
Speaking after the court case, Mr Welsh said: "There is no doubt that the landlord, despite being given several opportunities over many weeks to fulfil his legal duties toward the tenant, intentionally chose to ignore them all.
  • "All landlords are legally required to ensure that gas appliances installed in their rented properties are properly maintained and have a gas safety check carried out by a registered engineer every 12 months. A copy of the gas certificate should then go to the tenant.
  • "Lack of such a check can mean dangerous defects are not identified, defects that can lead to carbon monoxide exposure or even explosions."