Gas safety - what you need to know

• What the law says
• Making an appointment for your gas safety inspection
• Annual gas safety check
• Customer care
• Assuring you of our quality
• If you smell gas
• The dangers of carbon monoxide
• Contacts

Download our leaflet on Gas Safety here (PDF format)    

What the law says

You can’t see carbon monoxide, you can’t smell it and it’s deadly.  These deaths could be avoided if gas appliances were checked and serviced regularly.

As your landlord, we must make sure all our homes with mains gas have a gas safety inspection each year.  This is very important as it will make sure that you and your family are safe in your home.

During the safety check we will service and repair all of our gas appliances and advise you about any faults on your own gas appliances, such as your cooker.  This will help you to arrange any necessary repairs to your own appliances.  Appliances that are serviced regularly are less likely to break down.  Just think about the inconvenience when your heating system breaks down unexpectedly… no heating or hot water.

Making an appointment for your gas safety inspection

We will call you about three weeks before your gas safety check is due to agree a suitable appointment. If  we cannot contact  you, we will set the appointment and confirm the date and time by letter.  If this, or the agreed appointment does not suit you, please contact us and we will rearrange it to a time that suits you better.  If you cannot keep your appointment, please tell us beforehand.

If you are out when we visit, we will leave a letter to let you know we have been.  You must contact us as soon as possible to arrange another appointment.

If you don't answer our letters, or if you fail to keep two appointments we will have to make arrangements to break in to carry out the legally required gas safety inspection.  You will be re-charged for the costs even if you are in when we call to break in.  

Annual gas safety inspection

We will need gas and electricity to check your central heating. If you have prepayment meters, please make sure there is credit in them when we call.  If we cannot check your central heating because there is no gas or electricity, we will have to turn the gas supply off temporarily, for your own safety.

Customer care

Our gas engineers are all qualified and gas safe registered to ensure the work is carried out to a high standard.

They will:

• be polite and helpful at all times;
• show you their identity card;
• protect your home and belongings with dust sheets;
• explain what work has been done and tell you about any problems; and
• give you a copy of the gas safety certificate when they have finished the job.  This certificate is your guarantee that the work has been done to current gas safety regulations.

If you have any questions, please ask our gas engineer who will try to answer them.

Assuring you of our quality

We employ independent gas safe inspectors to carry out random independent checks on our work.  We might contact you so that one of these important checks can be done.

If you smell gas

Turn off your gas supply immediately.  Switch off the gas at the emergency control.  Once the gas has been turned off, open the windows and doors to let in plenty of fresh air.

• Do not use any electrical switches.
• Do not light matches or lighters.
• Do not smoke.

Immediately contact the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.  They will come to your home within one hour and make it safe.  

Visit your local Access Point or phone us on 0300 123 4566 if your home needs any repairs after they have left.

The dangers of carbon monoxide

Every year, around 40 people in the UK die from carbon-monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly fitted or maintained. When gas does not burn properly, carbon monoxide is produced.  Carbon monoxide is poisonous, odourless and tasteless.  You can’t see it.  You can’t taste it.  You can’t even smell it.  Carbon monoxide can kill, without warning, in just a matter of hours.  You are most at risk when you are asleep.

Carbon-monoxide poisoning symptoms are like flu symptoms.

To reduce the risk of carbon-monoxide poisoning:

• make sure your gas appliances are installed by a qualified person;
• make sure your gas appliances are serviced and maintained by a qualified person, and that the manufacturer’s instructions are followed;
• do not block vents as these are needed to allow enough fresh air into the room; 
• make sure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm in your home near any gas appliances; and
• let us in to service your central heating.

If you would like advice, contact us.

Other useful contact numbers

Moray Council Building Services - 0300 123 4566
National Gas Emergency Service - 0800 111 999
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) gas safety advice line -0800 300 363