Your free annual gas safety check
Your gas heating and appliances need to be serviced every year. If they’re in poor condition or not serviced, they can be extremely dangerous.
To ensure your gas heating and appliances are safe, we carry out free annual service of your boiler, check pipework and any gas appliances. We also check any solid fuel appliances e.g. wood burners. We ensure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are fitted and working correctly.
Your annual gas safety check is not optional and is legally required. If you don’t allow us to complete this you are putting your tenancy, your families and your neighbours’ health and safety at great risk.
Failure to allow access to your home for your gas safety check is a breach of your tenancy agreement and can result in us being forced into taking legal action, where you could incur court costs in excess of £1,000, lose your home or even go to prison.
However, if you let us in first time and you could win a £100 Love2Shop voucher.
Why gas safety matters
Torus has a legal responsibility to comply with the Gas Safety (installation and use) regulations 1998 as amended. A gas safety check and service can identify risks and actions we need to take to ensure your gas installation remain safe to use.
If your boiler, cooker and gas appliances aren't checked on a regular basis, you are at risk of gas leaks and exposure to carbon monoxide.
A leaking gas appliance can cause explosions. Boilers, fires and cookers that aren’t well maintained can produce carbon monoxide (CO) gas, that you can't see, smell or taste, but its effects can be fatal. A regular inspection will help keep you safe and could save you money on your fuel bills.
What we do
The gas safety check usually takes around 40-60 minutes, dependant on the number of appliances in your home. Not only does your annual gas service make sure that everything’s running efficiently, but it also helps keep you safe because any leaks faults or potential dangers can be quickly identified and dealt with.
We need to still carry out the check even if you have no gas credit, or if your gas is capped, as we still need access to make sure it is safe.
We will always write to you ahead of the date of your gas service. So, if your appointment isn’t convenient, you have plenty of time to let us know and rebook for a time that suits you better. To rebook your gas appointment, you can:
- Email info@torus.co.uk
- Call us on 0800 678 1894
Please try to let us know ahead of the date of your original appointment if you do need to rearrange, so that we don’t turn up as planned and that appointment can be offered to someone else.
During an inspection we will:
- Check all gas appliances, boilers, flues, pipework, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that are owned by Torus.
- Do a visual inspection of any gas cooker. Servicing and maintenance of a gas cooker is your responsibility since it belongs to you.
- Show you where the gas meter is and how to turn off the gas in an emergency.
- Record the safety checks we make and send you a copy of the landlord’s gas safety record (CP12).
If the contractor finds a problem
If the contractor finds safety concerns, they are required by law to make the appliance safe. This may include disconnecting the appliance from your gas supply. If this happens, you will be given a report explaining what to do to have the appliance reconnected safely.
Allowing access to your home
It’s a condition of your tenancy agreement to allow access for gas servicing. If you don’t allow our contractor into your home to carry out your safety check, you may be putting your life and those of your family and neighbours at risk. As a result, we can take legal action for access and recharge those associated costs. We would prefer not to have to do this, so please work with us to keep your home safe.
What do you need to do?
- Allow us access to your home for the check. You will receive an appointment letter when your gas safety check is due. 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 us know and we’ll change the appointment to a more suitable time.
- Report any gas safety concerns to us immediately.
- Check that you have credit on your gas and electric meter - even if you have no credit on your gas or electric you must allow access for the safety check.
- Do not use bottled gas (LPG) appliances or store gas bottles in the property.
- Always ask permission before installing any gas or any solid fuel appliances and ensure you use a gas safe HETAS (Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme) registered business, you can find a list of gas safe engineers here: www.gassaferegister.co.uk
If you have any questions or concerns about the visit or need any advice and support please call us, we will do our best to help.
Gas leaks – what to do if you smell gas or fumes
A leaking gas appliance can cause explosions. If you smell gas, or suspect a gas or carbon monoxide leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
You should also:
- switch off all your gas appliances
- open all doors and windows to ventilate the property
- turn off the gas supply at the mains (there’s usually a large lever next to the gas meter)
- put out any naked flames
- open all windows and doors
- do not use electrical switches or sockets
- keep away from the affected area - evacuate the property immediately and wait for advice from the emergency services
- get immediate medical help; you may have been affected by the carbon monoxide poisoning
Gas safety advice
Useful tips and information to keep you and your family safe.
Do:
- Look out for damaged gas fittings.
- Check appliances are burning gas properly.
- Check appliances are shutting off properly.
- Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors every month, if you are unsure how to do this, please contact us and we can help.
- Arrange your free annual gas safety check and let us in.
Don’t:
- Use a gas appliance if you think it isn’t working properly – signs include yellow or orange flames (except fuel effect fires).
- Cover an appliance or block the air vents.
- Block or obstruct any fixed ventilation grilles or airbricks.
- Block or cover chimneys or flues.
- Don’t do any DIY work on gas pipes or fittings.
Broken or poorly maintained gas heating, pipes or appliances can cause dangerous gas leaks. If you think you have a problem with your gas heating, pipes or appliances, turn them off immediately and contact us immediately.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Boilers, fires and cookers that aren't well maintained can produce carbon monoxide gas. You can't see, smell or taste it, but it can kill you.
When fuel is burnt, a small amount of poisonous carbon monoxide gas is produced, but properly functioning, serviced and maintained gas appliances only produce small, safe amounts.
The risk of dangerous amounts increases significantly if gas boilers, cookers, heaters and fireplaces aren’t maintained regularly. Danger signs to look out for include yellow or orange flames (except for fuel effect fires, which display this colour flame), soot or stains around the appliance, and pilot lights that often blow out.
You should have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. If you don’t have one, please contact us and we can fit one, we will also test your alarm during your annual gas safety check.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:
- Feeling light-headed, dizzy or sleepy.
- Being short of breath.
- Headaches.
- Nausea.
- Chest or stomach pains.
If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning you should switch off any fuel-burning appliances immediately and seek urgent medical help.
Energy Theft and Meter Tampering
Tampering with gas or electricity meters isn’t just dangerous – it’s also illegal.
Tampering or meter cheating is when a person tampers with a meter, so it doesn’t record how much electricity or gas is being used or tries to bypass the meter completely.
Energy theft is not only illegal, but incredibly dangerous and can have potentially fatal consequences. A tampered meter poses a risk to human life – for you, your family members, neighbours, and community.
Solid Fuel Appliances (wood, coal, charcoal)
If you have a solid fuel appliance, e.g. a wood burner, you need to take care to ensure these are used correctly and safely maintained. If you wish to install a solid fuel appliance you must ask for permission first and ensure work is carried out by a HETAS (Heating Equipment Testing and Approvals Scheme) registered business.
- Make sure you have and use a CO (carbon monoxide) alarm which must be tested regularly.
- Maintain your appliance with regular cleaning and checks.
- Use quality clean, dry hardwood, or smokeless fuel and provide adequate fuel storage.
- If you have a wood burner use a moisture meter to check there is less than 20% moisture inside the log when split.
- Have the flue or chimney swept and checked at least annually.
- Always use a fireguard when children and vulnerable people are in the areas when the fire or wood burner is lit.
- Please use protective equipment i.e. stove gloves and the correct tools.
- Warm up the stove fully on the first lighting of fuel before reducing the air controls to a lower position.
- Keep your stove and throat plate clean inside and out.
- Use the correct fuel as burning coal in a wood burner could cause serious damage to your stove.
- Do not leave the stove unattended with the air controls fully open.
- Do not overload your stove with fuel.
- Do not let any metal part of the stove glow red hot (including the base plate) – this is overfiring and will damage your stove!
- Do not cover or remove your CO (carbon monoxide) alarm from the room – it is there for your protection.
- Do not burn rubbish or painted or preserved wood in your stove, it can cause excessive smoke and damage, and it is illegal.
- Do not close the stove air controls down too quickly before the chimney and stove have properly warmed up, it can stifle the fire and cause smoke and tar build up.
- Do not store logs or coal right next to your stove – they can overheat!
- Do not leave ash/embers inside your property, remove them to a safe place in the open air immediately after cleaning, carbon monoxide (CO) will still be being released.
- Do not block air vents, these are needed to help your fire burn efficiently.
Throughout the pandemic, your gas service remained a legal requirement and continued as normal and it remains important that you allow access for your annual gas safety check.
To reassure you, safety checks are done as quickly as possible and the contractor, HMS, are continuing to follow all Safe Systems of Work and best practice guidance in customers' homes.
You do not need to be in the room while they complete the inspection, so apart from allowing access you will not need to come in contact with the operative if you prefer.
Refusal to allow access for your gas safety check for any reason, is a breach of your tenancy and could result in legal procedures, fines or even the loss of your home.
Remember, carbon monoxide kills. If you can let us in, please do. However, if you have any concerns, wish to change your gas appointment or have any questions please get in touch:
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Email: info@torus.co.uk
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Call: 0800 678 1894