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Safety Regulations

Gas Safety

There are now some very important obligations placed upon Landlords to ensure that all mains or bottled gas supplied appliances in a rented property have a certificate of safety. This means central heating boilers, water heaters, cookers, fires and gas refrigerators etc. All such appliances must be serviced by an engineer who is registered with CORGI for domestic appliance work, following which a safety certificate in a prescribed format must be obtained and a copy issued to the tenant.

The appliances must be properly maintained and subject to annual inspections and safety checks. The safety certificate must be renewed annually and the tenant is entitled to receive an updated copy. Non compliance with the Gas Safety Regulations could result in a heavy fine or imprisonment, or both.

As these provisions apply equally to the managing agent as well as the Landlord, you will understand that we must take a clear stance in this matter to the extent that we are unable to accept and/or retain a property on our books unless, in respect of all appliances, either:

• A current certificate is already in force OR
• The Landlord is obtaining a certificate which is given to us before we install a tenant OR
• The Landlord authorises Castle Estates to take the necessary action and obtain a certificate via one of our authorised maintenance personnel.

SAFETY TIP: Ensure that all instruction booklets and manuals for appliances are available at the property for the tenants' reference.

Electrical Safety

Further advice on this vital issue is outlined in one of our Landlord fact-sheets which is available on request. The landlord is responsible for ensuring that all electrical appliances supplied in the accommodation must be safe for use. We are happy to arrange for the necessary electrical inspections to be carried out on your behalf.

Further advice on this important issue is outlined in one of our Landlord fact-sheets and is available on request.

Smoke Detectors

The law requires that all new houses built after June 1992 have electronically linked, mains operated smoke detectors installed on each floor. Although older properties are exempt from this requirement, we strongly recommend that smoke detectors be installed on each floor in all rental properties.

Furniture and furnishings fire safety

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amended) Regulations 1993 require that all upholstered furniture and furnishings in rented properties pass the "cigarette test". If any property is found not to comply the landlord faces fines or imprisonment, or both.

Any Landlord placing a property on the rental market for the first time must comply with these regulations immediately, and any furniture not complying must be removed before the tenancy commences.

Similarly, if any items in a property subject to an existing rental are replaced, either during a tenancy or a void period, then those replacement items must continue to satisfy the requirements of these important Regulations.

Generally, most furniture purchased from reputable suppliers after March 1990 should comply with the regulations and will be labelled accordingly.

Further advice on this important issue is outlined in one of our Landlord fact-sheets which is available on request.

Products covered by the furniture and furnishings regulations

• Furniture intended for private use in a dwelling, including children's furniture
• Beds, head-boards, mattresses
• Sofa-beds, futons and other convertible's
• Nursery furniture
• Garden furniture which is suitable for use in a dwelling
• Pillows, cushions & seat-pads
• Loose and stretch covers for furniture

Products usually not covered by the regulations

• Curtains, Carpets, Sleeping bags
• Bed-clothes (including duvets)
• Loose covers for mattresses and pillowcases
• Furniture made before 1950

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Let Your Property With Castle Estates - Glasgow

The level of service provided and relative legislation applicable may be subject to local and regional variations from that stated in the general brochure. Please contact us for full details and variations

As part of the Housing Scotland Act 2006 legislation has been introduced providing new rights for Private Sector Tenants through the Private Rented Housing Panel please click on following button for further details and information.

It is now a legal requirement to Register with your local authority as a Landlord and to avoid the neccessity of Castle Estates deducting tax from the rent received all Overseas Landlords must apply for a tax exemption certificate.

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