Gas Safety and Servicing

Smell Gas?
Ring National Grid - 0800 111 999

If you think you might have a gas leak in your home:

Don't smoke or strike matches.
Put out any cigarettes or naked flames.
Turn off the supply at the meter.
Don't operate any electrical switches, mobile phones or doorbells in case they cause sparks.

For more gas safety tips:

Find out where your gas meter is and how to turn it off in an emergency.
Get a fireguard if there are young children in your home.
Do not paint or adapt any gas fire or boiler case in your home.
Do not tamper with any internal controls of a boiler.
Do not dry clothes on or around the fire or boiler.
Do not sleep in a room where there is a gas fire or back boiler unit installed.
Do not block any air vents, this will shut out fresh air that your gas appliance needs to burn safely.
Do not install a ceiling fan in a room containing a fire without first obtaining permission
Never use gas appliances designed for outdoors e.g. patio heater, portable gas stove or BBQ inside your home - it's highly dangerous!

Tampering with gas meters

There have been increased cases of tampering with gas meters as people attempt to reduce their fuel bills by illegally altering their meters.

Tampering with your gas meter is highly dangerous!

Tampering with gas meters increases the risk of potentially fatal gas and carbon monoxide leaks
Something as small as flicking on a light switch can ignite gas, potentially causing a catastrophic explosion, risking the lives of occupants in the home and those in neighbouring properties.
Being charged with energy theft could also leave you with a large fine and a criminal record. In some instances, you could face up to 5 years imprisonment.
Your insurance may not pay out if they have discovered your meter has been tampered with and your property has been damaged in the event of fire or explosion etc.

Outdoor gas appliances

NEVER use appliances such as portable gas stoves, BBQs or patio heaters designed for outdoor use within the home.

Outdoor appliances are not permitted in your home under the terms of your tenancy agreement and should never be used within your home under any circumstances.

They are designed to meet the needs of outdoor settings and pose a significant and dangerous risk if used indoors.

Gas Servicing

The majority of our homes have some form of gas appliance installed and MSV is responsible for the annual gas safety check of the appliances owned and installed by us.

We will ensure that:

Only Gas Safe registered engineers carry out work on at your property. This may be one of our in house engineers or one of our approved contractors.
We undertake an annual safety check and service on the gas pipework and landlord owned appliances.
Provide you with records of gas servicing and safety checks.

To do this we have a programme set up which is followed rigidly and runs throughout the year.

You can help this progress smoothly by undertaking the following:

Allowing us prompt access to your home to carry out maintenance or safety checks on appliances and/or flues that we provide.
If you decide to install your own gas fire, permission must be obtained from us and any agreed works must be carried out by a competent Gas Safe registered engineer. Fitting a gas cooker does not require permission but should be fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
You must ensure that gas appliances you own are regularly maintained and checked by a Gas Safe registered installer, at least once every 12 months. If you are in any doubt about the safety of any gas equipment it should be turned off and not used until checked.

Failure to allow our engineer or contractor access to complete the annual gas safety checks is a breach of your tenancy agreement and will result in legal action. This could result in us obtaining an injunction allowing us to force access or obtain possession of your home, any legal costs incurred will also be passed on to you.

If when undertaking the safety checks we find a gas appliance we suspect is unsafe or inadequately ventilated we will not allow you to use it. In the event that this happens, the engineer will explain why they are turning off the appliance and what will happen next.

Only Use Gas Safe Registered Installers

If you are installing any gas appliances such as a gas cooker it is essential that any installation is carried out by a Gas Safe registered professional. This is a legal requirement and, more importantly, crucial for your safety. Incorrect installation can lead to serious risks, including gas leaks/explosions, fire hazards, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you use an unqualified installer and any issues or faults arise with appliances such as a gas cooker, yourself as the tenant will be responsible for the costs associated with fixing these problems. You be charged directly for any remedial work that results from using an unqualified installer.