Housing Health and Safety

Information and guidance around keeping your home safe.

Heating safety

Our aim is keeping your home safe, warm and compliant.

As your landlord, we have a legal duty of care to repair and maintain the gas pipe work, flues and appliances within your home, in a safe condition. We will carry out an annual Gas Safety Check and Service in your home, performed by a qualified gas engineer. *Does not include resident owned appliances, though a safety check on these will be carried out.

The legislation

  • Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 – sets legal duties for landlords (Regulation 36);
  • Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 – homes must be safe and habitable;
  • Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations2022 – alarms must be installed and maintained by the landlord;
  • Housing Act 2004 and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS);
  • Other relevant safety laws (HSE requirements, Building Regulations).

Risks

What are the risks of unsafe gas appliances?

Three main risks can arise from having an unsafe gas appliance in your home:

  • Gas leaks – During a gas safety check, the engineer will inspect the gas pipework, check appliances are working safely and perform a pressure test to confirm there are no leaks;
  • Fires and explosions – Gas is highly combustible. Should gas leak from an appliance or pipework there is a risk of it igniting causing a fire or explosion;
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning – Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous gas that can be especially deadly because you can’t see, taste or smell it. CO detectors fitted in your home will sound an alarm when they sense dangerous levels of the gas in the atmosphere.

Landlord responsibilities

What East Suffolk Council must do as your landlord

  • Gas fittings, appliances, pipe work and flues installed by East Suffolk Council are maintained in a safe condition;
  • We will show you how to use your heating system efficiently;
  • Service all gas appliances and flues owned by East Suffolk Council within 12 months of the previous service;
  • Ensure all servicing and safety checks are completed by Gas Safe engineers;
  • Keep records of safety checks for at least two years;
  • Provide tenants with copies of the Landlord Gas Safety Record (LGSR) within 28 days of completion;
  • Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms;
  • Remove solid fuel systems deemed ‘Immediately Dangerous or At Risk’;
  • Cap off gas supplies in empty homes and check safety before new tenancies;
  • Carry out annual safety checks on oil and solid fuel appliances owned by East Suffolk Council;
  • We endeavour to carry out annual safety checks on air source heat pump, and electric systems;
  • Manage emergencies, follow-up works, and monitor contractors’ qualifications and performance.

Tenant responsibilities

  • Report to the Council any issues with their heating system as soon as they become aware of them;
  • Allow access to their home to undertake any repairs, maintenance or servicing- you will receive an appointment letter when your safety check is due;
  • Do not attempt repairs, alterations or attempt reconnection on any system or equipment without consent from the Council to do so;
  • Keep areas around home clear for operatives and engineers to carry out the work;
  • Test smoke, CO and heat detectors monthly to ensure they are working;
  • Do not remove or tamper with council-installed safety equipment (CO alarms, smoke alarms);
  • Heat and ventilate their homes sufficiently.

Annual gas service

  • East Suffolk Councils principal contractor – Gasway Services;
  • A safety check typically takes up to 1 hour to complete, During the safety check, we will service and repair all our gas appliances and complete a visual inspection of any appliances that you own, such as your cooker;
  • MOT style servicing- 2 months before annual due date;
  • Service reaches 10 months-  you will be sent an appointment letter for the check to be completed between Mondays to Fridays in normal daytime hours;
  • It is important that this safety check is completed as soon as possible. If you can’t be at home for this appointment, please let Gasway Services know and we’ll change the appointment to a more suitable time;
  • We can offer flexible dates/times such as evenings weekends upon request depending on your circumstances;
  • A total of 3 appointment attempts will be made. The housing team at East Suffolk will then try to engage with you if those 3 attempts have been unsuccessful;
  • Ultimately if there is no engagement then legal action may be necessary to complete the service.

Safety tips

How can I reduce the risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced during the combustion of natural gas, oil and solid fuels such as coal or wood. It can increase to dangerous levels when a gas appliance has been incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained.

Follow the steps below to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in your home:

  • Test the CO alarm regularly;
  • The most important thing you can do is to ensure that your gas appliances are safety checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer;
  • Gasway will inspect your CO alarm during the safety check and replace with a new unit should it be defective or due to expire;
  • Never tamper or remove the alarm from its location;
  • Ensure ventilation holes or air bricks are not obstructed or blocked;
  • Never use any room with an open fireplace or gas fire to sleep in;
  • Never use portable gas heaters or BBQ’s inside.

What should I do if I can smell gas?

If you think you can smell gas, it’s important that you follow these steps:

  • Turn off the gas at the meter using the emergency control valve (ECV);
  • Put out all naked flames, including cigarettes;
  • Open windows and doors to air the property;
  • Do not use any electrical appliances by turning them on or off. This includes doorbells, phones and light switches;
  • Call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999.

What happens next…….

  • They will talk you through their safety procedure and arrange for their Cadent engineer to visit within an hour. If your home has a door intercom system please open the door manually when the engineer arrives;
  • The Cadent engineer will ensure that the gas supply is safe but they will not carry out any repairs;
  • After their visit it is important that you report the problem to our Gasway our registered heating contractor.

FAQ’s

I don’t use gas or have a gas supply, why do I still need a Safety Check?

We still require access to ensure you are still not connected to the gas supply, check any existing pipework to make sure there has been no deterioration and record these details on our system.

How is the Gas Safety Check appointment made?

When your safety check is due, our registered contractor Gasway Services will write to you with an appointment date with the option to re-arrange if inconvenient. *The Councils access process allows for minor appointment changes within this process.

What will be checked during the Gas Safety Check?

  • All safety devices are functioning properly;
  • Any flues, chimneys and air vents are operating correctly;
  • The installation is in good condition by visually inspecting the pipework as far as reasonably practicable;
  • The gas pipework is tested to ensure there are no leaks;
  • Analysis of the combustion exhaust gases to ensure the appliance is burning gas safely;
  • A check of the appliance’s condition including signs of heat or distress, effectiveness of seals and gaskets, and cleanliness of heat exchangers;
  • Ensuring a working CO detector is fitted in each room that has a gas appliance.

How can I prepare for a Gas Safety Check?

The check takes approximately an hour and in preparation for your gas safety check, please ensure the following:

  • You have enough credit if you have a pre-payment gas and/ or electric meter to allow the safety check to be completed;
  • Ensure the engineer can easily access the boiler, radiators, airing cupboard and gas meter;
  • Turn off the gas boiler and all other gas appliances at least 1 hour before the engineer is due to call, to ensure the system has cooled down sufficiently to be worked on.

What happens if I don’t allow the gas engineer access?

  • Failure to allow access is a breach of your tenancy and if necessary, legal action will be taken to gain access to the property;
  • You will be recharged for the costs of obtaining a warrant and if access to the property is still denied further costs will charged for forced entry;
  • If you have an external gas meter and we have made repeated unsuccessful attempts to gain access, for your safety, we will isolate the gas supply so that it cannot be used until the safety check has been completed.

Further support available