Rented flat faulty fire leaking Carbon Monoxide

Lol

Any help or advice on this would be greatly appreciated..

My partner and I are in rented accommodation.
Last week a new boiler was fitted in my kitchen, this took about 3 days. Before the gas man left he said he would check the gas fire appliance in the lounge also. He looked a little alarmed and asked if we had been feeling unwell at all. He then carried out a smoke test(?) and confirmed the appliance (in his words) had been 'spewing out carbon monoxide'. He went away for an hour and back to his office to discuss with his colleagues there. When he returned he informed me that the landlord told on the last check that the fire needed to be replaced. (I don't think he confirmed at that point whether that was as a result of a test being negative or that they just recommend that because it is old). He then decommissioned it and placed a red warning sticker on it.
So I called my doctor and informed him, asking what we should do. He said go straight to A&E and get a test done. We both had an Arterial Blood Gas test done. The doctor did warn us it was not a pleasant experience. I am perfectly ok with needles etc so I wasn't too concerned. But during my procedure which took 10 minutes he told me he couldn't find the artery and by the time he had it had shut which meant the whole procedure for me was very unpleasant to say the least.(though he did his absolute best).My body was very hot and I was having cold sweats throughout. I am not even clear if I actually passed out or not. They kept me in for observation after. Something to do with him touching the nerves in my wrist too much? As we understand it, though it was a little unsure I think there is some level of it in my test, but not cause for concern unless I get further symptoms. He then gave me plenty of reading on carbon monoxide poisoning.
doctor said he'd rather we didn't go back to flat, but we had to. That was a week ago. I've heard nothing from my landlord but have been in touch with the gas people twice asking them if the previous test was ok on the fire. A lady there is telling me it was. We have asked them for a copy of their log for the fire, but she says the landlord will have a copy and he can provide that to us. This was a week ago, my landlord is BOUND to have been informed but we have still heard nothing from him. I feel quite upset about it as the experience was so bad and feel he hasn't instigated any concern for his tenants yet. I want to write a letter to just let him know what has happened, and to welcome his views on the issue. We are genuinely good tenants and won't be withholding our rent but at the least I would have expected him to offer us some sort of recompense for all stress of it, and to have at least called out of concern..
Any thoughts advice on what to do.........?

melancholly

turn the fire off and don't turn it on

demand to see your landlord's gas safety certificate - which legally has to be dated within the last year

if you think you have any problems, try a support group to find out more:
http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.com/
http://www.co-awareness.org/

this could have been extremely dangerous and am i a bit shocked by the lack of action from your landlord.....

redcar_2

I would get on to the council pronto - today - to force the landlord to take some action. Are you sure that all other gas appliances are safe in your home? Your landlord sounds as if he is gambling with your lives and is probably in serious trouble if he has not complied with gas safety issues that have been notified. You should have had a gas check cert when moving in - it sounds as if this fire might have been OK at the time from what you say but was that within a year? I got this newsletter yesterday which is helpful on landlord's responsibilities but you can read it as a tenant to be clear how serious this is. http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/BlogNews/LandlordLOGJan08.pdf

Please keep yourselves safe.

CO-Gas_Safety

Do please email me ([EMAIL="office@co-gassafety.co.uk"]office@co-gassafety.co.uk[/EMAIL] ) and I'll give you our number to ring. We are an independent registered charity. Do visit our website www.co-gassafety.co.uk
I will need to talk to you to help you properly.
Best Wishes
CO-Gas Safety

clutton_2

having looked at the site, it appears that the vast majority of deaths in property were in fact owner occupiers rather than tenants - which reminds me - when did i last have my own boiler checked out ?

real1314

First thing is that you are ok, which is the most important thing.

2nd thing - if the gas fitter thought it was unsafe last year, he'd have shut it off.

3rd thing - gas fires can last for years and years, so why would he have recommended replacement?

It's more likely that there's a chimney problem - a blocked chimney can cause CO to enter the room.

Don't use it until it's been checked. Phone the LL and ask him/her to get it sorted.

(INAE btw)

Canucklehead

Good afternoon: The Landlord Safety Certificate is a triplicate form ....the firm which issued the certificate is required to keep a copy on file...sounds as if someone is telling porkies:mad: . Contact the company again and request a copy....tell them you will contacting both CORGI www.trustcorgi.com and the Health and Safety Executive http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/index.htm to report their reckless disregard for gas safety and your life. It has been known for dodgy CORGIs to issue a LSC without even visiting a property and for duplicitous landlords to create fake certificates....anything to make or save a penny:eek: See an example of a certificate here... http://www.trustcorgi.com/obligations/Documents/Landlord%20Safety%20Check.pdf

HTH

Canucklehead

P.S. Homeowners...have your boiler serviced annually and install a CO alarm if you don't have one.

Gorgeous_George

Buy a carbon monoxide alarm and keep it in good repair.

I'd look to move because it sounds like your LL is a muppet.

I think the law is daft regarding gas safety certificates. My view is that tenants should arrange it and the AST should allow the cost to be deducted from the rent due once per year (upto say, £50). It is in the tenant's interest and would shift responsibility to where it should be IMO.

GG

scrummy_mummy_2

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

Buy a carbon monoxide alarm and keep it in good repair.

I'd look to move because it sounds like your LL is a muppet.

I think the law is daft regarding gas safety certificates. My view is that tenants should arrange it and the AST should allow the cost to be deducted from the rent due once per year (upto say, £50). It is in the tenant's interest and would shift responsibility to where it should be IMO.

GG

George, george, George. Whilst I agree the LL is a muppet, and a criminal one at that is what the OP says is true, it is the LL's LEGAL responsibility and he/she is LEGALLY obliged to comply with the annual test/inspection and provide a certificate (which, as one poster has already explained) is in triplicate...one copy for LL/agent, one for tenant to hold/kept in property and one for the Corgi inspector's files.
If a death is occasioned/caused as a result of non certified gas appliance in a rental property the LL can go to jail for a maximum period of 5 years for manslaughter (criminal offence) and be fined up to £5000.
If you let tenants sort it out, in my experience, it just wouldn't happen...not their problem....even when things ARE their problems, they struggle to cope (or refuse to assist/are deliberately obstructive!)
Every LL has a legal duty of care to their tenant and I do not agree that such important things should be left up to them at all....some of my tenants can't even manage to remember simple things like the date the rent is due let alone book an annual gas safety inspection for all of the gas appliances in the home with a registered Corgi operative!
I have British gas Homecare on all my properties to TRY to make things simpler for them and they still ring me to tell me the boiler isn't working or the heating's on the blink....D'oh!
It would be a disaster to let them have control of the annual inspections....what happens if you are changing tenants and they forget or it gets overlooked...WE, the LL would still be liable for their errors!
Not on my watch!
(George...Just for the record, I know you already know all of the above and I'm not trying to patronise you at all...just wanted to flesh out my post for other readers. I do value your opinion too....even though I disagree with you on this one!)

Gorgeous_George

scrummy mummy scrummy mummy scrummy mummy. I know it is the LL's legal responsibility.

I think that the law should be changed to make tenants responsible. It would be much more likely to be done and at a time that suits them. The LL could still fund the check. I would perhaps concede that the LL should priovide the initial certificate at the start of the tenancy.

If I hire a car, I am responsible for the tyres being legal. I see the gas safety check in a similar way.

But, I know the law and, when I install GCH to my BTL, I will comply fully. I will also provide a CO alarm each year to go with the smoke alarms already provided. I also provide a LL's certificate for the electyricity installation.

GG

red40

Lol wrote: »

Any thoughts advice on what to do.........?

I most certainly have Lol..............move! Cant believe landlords are still so blas! about gas, but then again I still think a small/medium number don't take their responsibilities seriously.

The company are correct you should approach your landlord to get any certificates.

As long as you dont use the fire, although I think I am correct when you say the fire has been de-commissioned, by that I take it you mean disconnected? So you wont use it anyway.

If you are looking for recompense seek legal advice.

If you need the fire sorting contact your local council as previously said or again seek legal advice.