Gas Danger Warnings
Jan 1, 2010
Two recent cases illustrate the importance of properly installing and maintaining gas equipment.
The director of a property company was fined £20,000 and £35,000 costs after the death of a six-year old girl who lived in his rented house. The death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Landlords have a duty to have gas appliances, boilers and flues maintained by a competent person. The boiler in the house in question had not been serviced for two years.
A landlord was fined £2,000 after an engineer who had been called in to inspect a gas central heating boiler found problems with the boiler. The husband of the landlord had incorrectly fitted the flue in such a way that it was likely to cause carbon monoxide to build up inside the house. He was not a qualified gas fitter.
It is essential that gas equipment is regularly maintained and any work to be undertaken on it is carried out by a competent Gas Safe registered engineer.
