Gas safety cert

churchrat

hello all
student housing question. My ds has moved into a shared house, usual problems, shelves coming of walls, legs falling off beds etc, nothing unexpected really! BUT--the gas safety cert does not cover the grill and oven (seperate unit) in the kitchen. The rest of the stuff is mentioned, boiler and hob, but the engineer said that the oven was too dirty to be tested. It looks as tho someone has had a go at cleaning it, (still not very cean) but the cert was not updated. Rang the ll, and he says that what the cert says is enough.

What should ds do? can he use the oven?

thanks for any help

churchrat

clutton_2

ring the gas engineer who tested it - details on the cert... but i expect he will tell you not to use it.

LL is wrong... ALL gas appliances need to be included on a LGSC - if the test was done less than 28 days ago the LL can effect repairs and the engineer can come out and re-issue the cert with appropriate notation...

prudryden

churchrat wrote: »

hello all
student housing question. My ds has moved into a shared house, usual problems, shelves coming of walls, legs falling off beds etc, nothing unexpected really! BUT--the gas safety cert does not cover the grill and oven (seperate unit) in the kitchen. The rest of the stuff is mentioned, boiler and hob, but the engineer said that the oven was too dirty to be tested. It looks as tho someone has had a go at cleaning it, (still not very cean) but the cert was not updated. Rang the ll, and he says that what the cert says is enough.

What should ds do? can he use the oven?

thanks for any help

churchrat

Is he saying the oven wouldn't light because it was too dirty??? All they do in our place is light the oven and look at the colour of the flame. Perhaps, he just neglected to specify the oven from the hob on the form.

shellsuit

If it's a gas oven/hob/grill, then it needs to be checked and included on the forms along with the other gas appliances.

If it's not good enough to test, then it's not good enough to be using, so I'd get back onto the LL and see what he/she is going to do about it.

theartfullodger

Don't p** around with uncertain Gas items..Don't use!!!

get the tenants (not you..) to write (write, keep copy,) to LL & agent listing issues (gas & the rest..) and inviting their plan for resolving them.

No offence but isn't part of going to university learning to manage one's own affairs??

If they don;t get a sensible reply involve local council environmental health and UNI private lettings/accommodation office: They may already "know" about this fine upstanding landlord.. (err.. it ain't my student let is it??)

Cheers!

Artful

churchrat

hi

thanks for all the replies. The engineer wrote on the cert that it was too dirty to light and test, although he did test the hob. I shall tell ds and others in the house what you have said and get them onto the LL.

artfulodger--of course they will do it themselves, however with no internet, land line etc at the house at the moment, they texted for advice. i was not sure of the correct answer either, which was why I asked here. A big part of being a responsible adult and managing ones own affairs is to know when you dont know the answer and when to ask for advice. My ds was asking for advice, which was the correct thing to do. I am not involved with the running of the house, ( apart from paying the rent) but I have no intention of saying "thats it, you are on your own now dont you dare ask my advice about anything". I am assuming that you have teenage dependents of your own, and that is what you say to them?

tbs624

churchrat wrote: »

hello all
student housing question. My ds has moved into a shared house, usual problems, shelves coming of walls, legs falling off beds etc, nothing unexpected really!

Most student housing is not like this these days and for any that is, the LL deserves voids.

Presumably your ds didn't go via the Uni's list of accredited LLs, who generally have to be signed up to a specific code of practice?

churchrat wrote: »

BUT--the gas safety cert does not cover the grill and oven (seperate unit) in the kitchen. The rest of the stuff is mentioned, boiler and hob, but the engineer said that the oven was too dirty to be tested. It looks as tho someone has had a go at cleaning it, (still not very cean) but the cert was not updated. Rang the ll, and he says that what the cert says is enough.

The LL is talking bovine manure. *All* gas appliances supplied by the LL have to be covered under a current gas safety certificate.

If the oven (or anything else) is unclean then your son and his housemates need to note that clearly on any inventory form, and keep a copy for themselves. (photos useful too)

Your son can read up LLs and gas safety on the HSE website and/or speak to the local council's private sector tenancy relations officer (TRO) and/or EHO (Env Health Officer)

Failing to comply with the gas safety regs is a criminal offence.

Treat your son to a carbon monoxide detector (battery operated type) Tell him to use the microwave and/or a sandwich toaster until that oven/grill has been properly checked out.

Guide for newbie renters up at the top of this board, Uni should have a guide, NUS does, tell him also to check out Shelter's excellent website.

All repairs issues should *always* be reported in writing, even if initial concern made via phone/text. Copies to be kept safely with tenancy agreement.

Tell himt o check that the tenancy deposit gets registered - if no confirmation from LL or LA then check at DPS, TDS mydeposits.

tbs624

churchrat wrote: »

hi
-of course they will do it themselves, however with no internet, land line etc at the house at the moment, they texted for advice. i was not sure of the correct answer either, which was why I asked here. A big part of being a responsible adult and managing ones own affairs is to know when you dont know the answer and when to ask for advice. My ds was asking for advice, which was the correct thing to do. I am not involved with the running of the house, ( apart from paying the rent) but I have no intention of saying "thats it, you are on your own now dont you dare ask my advice about anything".

It's difficult to get the right balance: it's hard as a parent when you are paying the rent/tenancy deposit to stand back if your son or daughter is having difficulty with what appears to be a slightly dodgy LL. It's good practice though for the student tenants to "square up" themselves to such a LL, backed with the necessary knowledge. It's good that he checked with you.:)

theartfullodger

churchrat wrote: »

artfulodger--of course they will do it themselves, however with no internet, land line etc at the house at the moment, they texted for advice. i was not sure of the correct answer either, which was why I asked here. A big part of being a responsible adult and managing ones own affairs is to know when you dont know the answer and when to ask for advice. My ds was asking for advice, which was the correct thing to do. I am not involved with the running of the house, ( apart from paying the rent) but I have no intention of saying "thats it, you are on your own now dont you dare ask my advice about anything". I am assuming that you have teenage dependents of your own, and that is what you say to them?

Thanks for your kind words: Good job I didn't touch a nerve, eh?

Cheers!

Artful

churchrat

theartfullodger wrote: »

Thanks for your kind words: Good job I didn't touch a nerve, eh?

Cheers!

Artful

The problem is that on an open forum lots of people give "advice" which is not helpful or relevant or sometimes, just helpful, or in your case, a mixture of the two. I find it very unhelpful in that it can put some people off from asking for advice, because they should be able to stand on thier own two feet and not ask anyone for anything.

And yes, you did touch a nerve, mainly because I want my ds to reach a happy and healthy old age, and not be blown sky high by a greedy LL who sees students as uniformed and easy money. Not a bit like yourself, I know.

theartfullodger

My 3 sons are 25(yesterday!), 29 & 31, thankfully finished with renting at college. Sadly I was not/am not a perfect parent, but it must be wonderful were one to be one.

When renting a house, as a greedy landlord, to students it has been my privilege from time2time to meet tenants' parents, including forceful ones who launch into their "I'm here to protect little Johnny.." routine. The look on the offspring's face is instructive...


Cheers!

Artful