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Subletting your home

Subletting - Your rights and responsibilities

As a leaseholder, you have the right to sublet your property, however, you are required to register this with us. To register we require the following information:

a copy of the tenancy agreement
your correspondence address
the names of your tenants and a contact number
details of any managing agent
registration fee payment of £47.00 incl VAT, please contact the Home Ownership Team by phone on 0207 288 8310 or 0800 587 3595 to make a debit or credit card payment.
Current gas safety certificate (required each year on expiry)
consent from you mortgage lender if applicable
Please note that the documentation above, including the sublet registration fee, is required from you upon every tenancy change. Even though you are not living in the property, you are still responsible for making sure your tenants keep to the conditions of the lease. If your tenants break the conditions of the lease, you will be responsible. We cannot get involved in any problems you get by subletting your home. We recommend that your tenancy agreement with your tenants covers all the obligations in your lease.

Islington Council does permit short term lets such as AirBnB. You must register this with Islington Council before letting you property. You can do this via their website: Subletting | Islington Council

Landlords have specific legal responsibilities to their tenants when it comes to gas safety

Understanding the law for rental accommodation

If you are a landlord letting a property equipped with gas appliances you need to understand and comply with the law relating to gas safety.

If you let a property, you must make sure that pipe work, appliances and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition. You need to have a gas safety check every year. A Gas Safe registered engineer must carry out the safety check in your properties in Great Britain and the Isle of Man. You must give your tenants a copy of the gas safety certificate within 28 days of it being carried out or before they move in.

You are also obliged to show your tenants how they can turn off the gas supply in the event of a gas leak.

Annual checks

As a landlord, you are legally responsible for making sure that a Gas Safe registered engineer checks the gas appliances in your rental properties every 12 months and gives you copies of the gas safety certificates.

Gas safety certificates

When your Gas Safe registered engineer has checked the gas appliances in your rental property they will give you a gas safety certificate. This certificate confirms the gas appliances have been checked and are safe.

You must give your tenant a copy of these gas safety certificates within 28 days of the checks being done, or give a copy of the gas safety certificate to a new tenant before they move in.

Remember, you must keep a record of each safety check for two years.

Gas safety certificates are issued by Gas Safe registered engineers

After your gas appliance has been installed or serviced, your Gas Safe registered engineer will give you a gas safety certificate. This certificate tells you that the gas appliance is safe and the work meets the safety standards.

It will also tell you when you next need to service the appliance. Getting your appliances serviced every year is vital to its safety and efficiency.

Gas safety certificates for tenants

Tenants must get a copy of the gas safety certificate for their property from their landlord. This certificate shows that gas appliances have been safety checked and serviced every year by a registered engineer.

Ask your landlord for a copy of the gas safety certificate and check the date. Make sure you understand your landlord’s legal responsibilities.

Gas safety certificates for landlords

By law, landlords must provide up-to-date gas safety certificates to their tenants. This certificate shows the tenant appliances have been serviced and the property is gas safe. Make sure you know your legal responsibilities as a landlord.

The ‘Landlord Gas Safety Record’ is often referred to as a ‘Gas Safety Certificate’ or ‘CP12’ form. Gas Safe Register does not produce its own gas safety certificate but many retailers produce these certificates.

As a landlord, you must have a gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer on all of your properties every year.

Gas safety certificates for home owners

New homebuyers should be given a copy of the gas safety certificate by their vendor or you should arrange to get appliances checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Make sure you get the gas safety certificate from the vendor before moving in.

Learn about what steps you should be taking to make sure your new home is gas safe.

What information should the certificate contain?

As a minimum, the record of a gas safety check must contain:

a description of and the location of each appliance or flue checked
the name, registration number and signature of the individual carrying out the check
the date on which the appliance or flue was checked
the address of the property at which the appliance or flue is installed
the name and address of the landlord (or his agent where appropriate)
any defect identified and any remedial action taken
a statement confirming that the safety check completed complies with the requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
Gas appliances that are left unchecked could be leaking carbon monoxide

Your gas appliances, including your gas boiler, oven, hob and gas fires should be serviced according to the manufacturer’s guidelines (or at least once a year) by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

If you do not have your gas appliances checked and serviced every year you could be putting you and your family in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Are you entitled to a free gas safety check?

On request, your gas supplier must provide free of charge a gas safety check to any customer that meets the following criteria:

You are in receipt of means-tested benefit
You are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick and you either live alone or with others who are all of pensionable age, disabled, chronically sick or under 18
You live with others where at least one is under 5 years old
You have not had a gas safety check carried out at the premises in the last 12 months
You do not occupy premises where a landlord is responsible for arranging a check under regulations made under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The free gas safety check does not replace the need for regular servicing of gas appliances. But it will give you additional peace of mind about the safety of your appliances.

Signs that your appliances need servicing

Look out for warnings signs that show your gas appliances need to be serviced:

Your gas appliance is not working properly
Your appliance is burning with a lazy yellow or orange flame instead of a crisp blue flame
You can see soot or yellow/brown staining around or on gas appliances
The pilot light keeps going out
There is increased condensation inside windows
If you notice any of these signs or anything else that is unusual, get your Gas Safe registered engineer to check your appliances as soon as possible.

Servicing your gas appliances regularly will make sure they are safe to use. It will also improve your appliances efficiency and performance.

Flues and chimneys

Flues, chimneys and air vents allow gas to escape from your home. You must keep flues, chimneys and air vents clear so that fumes can escape easily.

Never block these airways to prevent a draft. Blocking ventilation is dangerous and could result in carbon monoxide building up in your home.

Have chimneys swept every year, no matter how much you use the fire, to make sure fumes can escape freely. Check for birds nests, leaves and other natural debris, they could be blocking the exit.

Shared flues

Do you live in a block of flats or terraced housing? It is also possible for carbon monoxide to seep into properties through shared flues and chimneys. If you live in a property with a shared flue or chimney, share responsibility to get them checked every year to make sure they are allowing gas to escape.

What should I expect from my gas safety check or service?

During a gas safety check or service, your Gas Safe registered engineer should be checking:

your appliance is burning correctly and not producing Carbon Monoxide
harmful gases are being removed from the appliance safely to the air outside
that any ventilation routes are clear and work properly
all the safety devices are working
As a minimum, the record of a gas safety check must check:

appliances are positioned in the right place
any flue or chimney serving appliances is safe and installed correctly
there is a good supply of combustion air (ventilation) to appliances
to make sure appliances are on the right setting and are burning correctly
appliances are operating correctly and are safe to use
Any gas safety record given to you after 1 April 2009 will only be valid if the engineer is registered with Gas Safe Register.

Gas safety certificates

After your gas appliance has been installed or serviced, your Gas Safe registered engineer will give you a gas safety certificate. This certificate tells you that the gas appliance is safe and the work meets the right standards and regulations. It will also tell you when you next need to service the appliance. Make a note of this date in your diary.

FIT A CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM
CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS IF LEFT UNDETECTED
For the safety of you and your family, it is advisable to fit a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm in your home. Just like a smoke alarm which alerts you to the presence of smoke, a carbon monoxide detector will alert you to the presence of CO.

The difference with CO is that it is invisible and has no smell or taste, so you might not realise it is there.

Smoke alarms do not detect carbon monoxide.

WHAT ALARM SHOULD I FIT?
Gas Safe Register recommends the use of audible carbon monoxide alarms marked with British Standard EN 50291. It should also have a British or European approval mark, such as a Kitemark. CO alarms usually have a battery life of up to 5 years.

Fit an alarm in each room with a gas appliance. Read the manufacturer’s instructions before installing it.

Do not use the ‘black spot’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present, they don’t make a sound. It is important to choose an alarm that will wake you up if you’re asleep, or you may not be aware of early CO symptoms until it is too late.

WHERE CAN I GET AN ALARM?
Carbon monoxide alarms are available from DIY retailers and cost around £20. They are usually found in the home security section.

Ask your Gas Safe registered engineer if you are not sure which alarm to buy or how to fit it – your engineer will be able to advise you.

A carbon monoxide alarm is no substitute for correct installation and servicing of your gas appliances. Make sure you get your appliances checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Unsafe gas appliances produce a highly poisonous gas called carbon monoxide (CO). It can cause death and serious long term health problems such as brain damage.

You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but it can kill quickly with no warning.

In the last year, 14 people have died from CO poisoning and 234 have suffered health problems from CO exposure. This poisonous gas is released when gas appliances are incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained.

An annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer will make sure your appliances are safe. This will prevent you being exposed to low levels of CO.

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous substance which is produced by the incomplete burning of gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).

This can happen if a gas appliance has been incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained or if flues, chimneys or vents are blocked.

You could be inhaling CO without realising it. You can't see, smell or taste it, but at high levels it can kill you in minutes. Even breathing in a small amount can cause loss of consciousness and death.

Properly managed, gas is safe. Poorly managed, gas can produce harmful levels of carbon monoxide. So always use a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Oil and solid fuels such as coal, coke, wood, petrol and oil can also produce carbon monoxide.

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when you breathe in even small amounts of the gas. You can't see, smell or taste carbon monoxide so you won’t know it is there. You won’t necessarily notice the smell of gas.

If you breathe in CO, it gets into your blood stream and prevents your red blood cells from carrying oxygen. Without oxygen the body tissue and cells die.

Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health if breathed in over a long period. Paralysis and brain damage can be caused as a result of exposure to CO.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Being aware of the symptoms of CO poisoning could save your life.

Many of the symptoms of carbon monoxide are similar to those of flu, food poisoning, viral infections, or simple tiredness. It is common to mistake the symptoms for something else. Symptoms to look out for:

tiredness
drowsiness
headaches
giddiness
nausea
vomiting
pains in the chest
breathlessness
stomach pains
erratic behavior
visual problems.
Other signs that you may have CO poisoning:

If your symptoms only occur when you are at home
Your symptoms disappear or get better when you leave home and come back when you return
If anyone else in your household is experiencing any of the symptoms (including your pets) and whether they appear at a similar time
If you have any of the above symptoms:

Get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances and leave the house
See your doctor immediately or go to hospital - let them know that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. They can do a blood or breath test to check.
If you think there is immediate danger, call the Gas Emergency Helpline
Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect your gas appliances and flues to see if there is a dangerous problem
How do I know if my gas appliances are leaking carbon monoxide?

Your home may show symptoms of carbon monoxide, too. Any one of the following could be a sign that there is a build up of carbon monoxide and you need to have your gas appliances checked.

The flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get your cooker checked
Soot or yellow/brown staining around or on appliances
Pilot lights that frequently blow out
Increased condensation inside windows
If you suspect that you have a faulty gas appliance in your home get it checked as soon as possible by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Can I get a carbon monoxide alarm?

Gas Safe Register strongly recommends that you fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home.

This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home, but this is no substitute for getting your appliances checked regularly.

A CO alarm looks similar to a smoke alarm and is very easy to fit by following manufacturer’s instructions. You can purchase a carbon monoxide alarm for under £20 at your local DIY store or supermarket.

Before purchasing a CO alarm, always make sure it complies with British Standard EN 50291. It must have a British or European approval mark on it, such as a Kitemark.

You can be particularly at risk from CO poisoning when you are asleep as you may not be aware of early CO symptoms until it is too late. Do not use the ‘black spot’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present. These will not make a sound to wake you up if the poisonous gas is present while you are sleeping.

To avoid CO poisoning, always have your gas appliances installed and serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. They have been trained and are qualified to carry out gas work to the highest safety standards.

Last updated June 2023