Gas oven without ignition-is this legal?

juliushibert

I've recently moved into a new property in Scotland. The oven is fully gas (hob, grill and oven all run off gas). The gas safety inspection certificate notes a fault that the ignition hasn't been connected to the electrics, so the ignition switch on the cooker doesn't work at all.

On moving in day, I mentioned this to the lettering agent who's managing the property and they said I should just stick a firelighter or match in there to light the oven, despite protesting.

I don't mind lighting the hob this way, but the oven and especially the grill (which seems very difficult to light without a mini gas ball forming). Especially if I or my partner are tired or have been drinking.

This doesn't feel very safe and is there anything I can do to get the Landlord or Letting Agent to fix the problem and connect the ignition? Are they in breach of any law or aspect of the tenancy contract (the one we signed seemed like a generic one)?

davidmcn

Daft question but can't you plug it into a socket yourself?

Not sure that electric ignition is actually a safety requirement (pretty sure I've seen older cookers in use in let properties without inbuilt ignition), though if your tenancy agreement says the landlords are meant to maintain the appliances they should probably get it fixed.

juliushibert wrote: »

Especially if I or my partner are tired or have been drinking.

Please don't cook drunk (this is why chip pan fires are so "popular" in Scotland...).

anselld

If it wasn't legal it would not have been given a pass certificate.

Are you sure it is even mains powered? Can you see a mains lead? The last fully gas cooker came across had battery powered ignition and just needed a new battery occasionally.

AnotherJoe

juliushibert wrote: »

I don't mind lighting the hob this way, but the oven and especially the grill (which seems very difficult to light without a mini gas ball forming). Especially if I or my partner are tired or have been drinking.

Seriously? Perhaps consider if your lifestyle is an issue rather than a missing spark device.

xylophone

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MasterClass-Electronic-Gas-Cooker-Lighter/dp/B002AT1F6C/ref=asc_df_B002AT1F6C/?!!!!!googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=232328122683&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8390599618498086332&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044978&hvtargid=pla-422637605943&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

might be safer?

theartfullodger

Invite local fire service to comment on ( general..) risks you are worried about, then copy report to landlord,agent, council, keep copy.

unforeseen

Nothing in the gas cooker apiance safety regulations to say it needs an igniter

juliushibert

Thanks for all the advice.

I realise what I'm asking maybe a bit superficial and that operating anything under the influence of alcohol isn't advised.

What's odd is, on the wall there's a standard UK plug with one switch for a socket and another that says 'cooker' on it. I've tried flipping the later on and off but still the igniter doesn't work on the oven. I've looked on the back of the oven with a torch and there's no plug that looks immediately obvious. For where it could be hooked up to the electrics.

I've now bought a longer candle lighting stick. Which is fine for the hob. The main oven is now much easier to light. However the grill still feels very dangerous to use. It's not easy to tell where the gas grill is filling from and the gas grill covers the entire top of the grill area.

hazyjo

Ignition thingies break easily. The one on my last cooker broke. Just got a pack of similar things xylophone linked to.

-taff

The one that says cooker on it is for an electric cooker to be wired to. You dont have an electric cooker.
Why don't you write and tell the letting agent you think it's dangerous...

juliushibert

I'm going to tell them tomorrow when they're back open. I want to make sure I'm prepared in case they refuse.