Covid19 and Gas safety Certificates?

Covid19 and Gas safety Certificates?

10:07 AM, 18th March 2020, About 5 years ago 9

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Just been talking to my Gas engineer about Covid 19 and he is considering battening down for the next few months, I wonder where we all stand over annual safety certs if you cannot get an engineer to visit premises?

I appreciate we are all responsible for getting them done, but would a Judge consider Covid-19 an acceptable reason?

Many thanks

Roger


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Ray Davison

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10:19 AM, 18th March 2020, About 5 years ago

I was just about to post the same question when I spotted yours - great minds and all that - as I have a few due in the the next few weeks.

I just had an emergency locksmith do a job for me this week and he told me that was his last job as he was going into lockdown with his wife and son (Both of whom are vulnerable through medical conditions)

Ian Horner

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10:55 AM, 18th March 2020, About 5 years ago

We have a similar issue but with electrical work. We had all our properties inspected to comply with the upcoming electrical safety testing requirements (we jumped in early to avoid the rush). A couple of them need some work done but now we’re in a tricky situation where some of the tenants have vulnerable people living with them and are obviously concerned about having tradespeople around the house. At the moment we have decided to let the electrician and the tenant decide which is the greater risk. Does anyone have an opinion on whether this is a sensible approach or should we insist on the electrical work being carried out? Where do we stand legally on the electrical risk vs potentially infecting an at-risk person with Covid -19 who is supposed to be self-isolating?

Rob Crawford

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11:14 AM, 18th March 2020, About 5 years ago

Assuming they have no Corona symptoms, I fail to see why contractors cannot continue as normal. They just need to insist on space, ventilation and make sure the area is clean before work.

Ray Davison

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12:22 PM, 18th March 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 18/03/2020 - 11:14
The problem is you can have the virus a few days before any symptoms show and some people are carriers who can pass it on without ever showing symptoms themselves.

Jim Fox

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8:15 AM, 19th March 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Ray Davison at 18/03/2020 - 10:19
Things are definitely getting serious when an emergency locksmith goes on lockdown!

Porky

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8:20 AM, 19th March 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 18/03/2020 - 11:14
The issue here would probably be the fit young self employed electrician who doesn't want to lose money by not working passing on the virus to the elderly tenants. In my mind that would be a terrible risk. The Tenant must have the say on this and you as a landlord should respect their wishes. If you got them to sign something to effectively delay the work until the isolation period for this vulnerable group had been lifted then I'm sure this would give you adequate cover should an issue occur with electrical safety. It depends what trumps what but i'd say Corinovirus wins easily in this situation. You would not forgive yourself if one or both tenants fell terribly Ill as a result of your insistence to get the job done.

Mike

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12:53 PM, 19th March 2020, About 5 years ago

I t is obvious that we are facing major crises, and there is no way that we could meet all our obligation under the present circumstances, our lives too matter, not just tenants safety, if I cannot get hold of any gas safe engineer willing to risk his life for the sake of my tenants, then so be it, I spoke to a meter change guy today who phoned me to remind me he was coming today, first thing he asked me was if all was going ahead, I said yes I don't see any other reason, he asked me if anyone is in self isolation in my HMO, I said not as far as I know, because he said plain and clear, iof that is the case he will have to postpone the smart meter installation, I agreed.

By the way, I asked this meter change engineer of he would be the one changing both gas and the electric, he said yes, both, I asked him if he is gas safe , his reply was no, but he has been trained, so that means anyone who is competent can change a gas meter, and I thought what the hell, then if I am competent in dealing with gas, I don't need to worry about gas safe engineers.

Porky

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13:09 PM, 19th March 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mike at 19/03/2020 - 12:53
Is that just his interpretation or the energy company he works for? It does seem very lax to me in particular for the gas meter switch out.

Mike

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14:43 PM, 19th March 2020, About 5 years ago

The smart meter guy seemed fully trained, I think he is allowed to touch gas through his company, I was asked to witness all the tests he carried out on gas before and after the change to bear him a witness, I signed his paperwork, all was well, no issues with pipework, appliances, including checked for any leaks and ECV leakage, however for some reason he was not able to commission gas meter, which is still showing blank screen and said I will get someone in about a week to look at the communication error. Though the gas has been purged and all appliances running smoothly, boiler is back on course, so much for smart meters, I hope it will help me to see how much energy is being used up through an App on my mobile.

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