Dangerous gas appliances found in one-fifth of privately rented homes

06 November 2016

Gas Safe have discovered unsafe gas appliances in one-fifth (21 per cent) of privately-rented accommodation - which means that 2.7 million people could be living in dangerous housing. Previous research since 2010 determined that one in six houses contained unsafe gas appliances. However, latest data suggests that rented properties contain more unsafe appliances, with one in five affected.

Gas Safe's investigation data, which spans five years, reveals that gas heaters are the most dangerous appliance in rented accommodation, accounting for the majority (59 per cent ) of all unsafe appliances. One-fifth (19 per cent) of renters don't know that their boiler should be safety checked every year, whilst around 11 per cent don't think their boiler has been inspected this year.

Although landlords are responsible for ensuring that all gas appliances provided by them are safety checked every year by a Gas Safe engineer, more than one-third (37 per cent) are unaware of their duty of care. One in seven landlords think gas appliance safety is the responsibility of their local council.

Homeowners are also confused about where responsibility lies in ensuring their household appliances are safe. Only half of homeowners know that it is their responsibility, while one in seven think gas safety is the responsibility of their gas provider.

What should you do?

​If you are a private landlord, you must familiarise yourself with your legal responsibilities towards gas safety. You can read more by using the links below.

As a homeowner, you don't have the same legal duties if you are not renting any part of your property, however you should still take precuations to ensure your gas appliances are safe and working efficiently.

​Related articles

• ​A simple guide to landlords' legal responsibilities to gas safety
• Why having students at home means you have duties under gas regulations
• The key difference between a gas safety check and a maintenance service

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​Information and statistics used in this article have been taken from Gas Engineer magazine - Issue 93.