Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by The Negotiator. Read the original article for full details.
Landlord fined £2,400 for eight years of gas safety failures in Wirral
A landlord has been fined after failing to ensure gas safety checks were carried out at a rented property in Wirral. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that property owner Adam Evans failed to have annual safety checks carried out for eight years.
The house, on Salisbury Drive in New Ferry, was occupied by a tenant who lived with her five children. The HSE began its investigation in October 2024 after receiving a concern from Wirral Borough Council. The woman had lived at the property since 2016 and reported that no annual gas safety checks had ever been carried out.
HSE requested copies of gas safety records from Mr Evans. He provided a certificate dated November 2024 that had been completed following the concern, but was unable to supply any records covering the previous eight years.
Evans, of Brownlow Road, New Ferry, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined £2,400 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs at Wirral Magistrates' Court.
HSE warning and legal duties
The sentencing comes after the HSE issued a warning to the public amid a surge in prosecutions against those carrying out illegal gas work.
Landlords must ensure that gas appliances are checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer and that records of these checks are retained. Carbon monoxide alarms should also be installed to provide an early warning of danger.
HSE inspector Ian Betley said: "Adam Evans showed a complete disregard for the law and put the lives of a mother and her children at risk.
"The case highlights a serious failure by him to comply with well-established gas safety requirements.
"Annual gas safety checks are a legal duty and are in place to protect tenants from very real and potentially fatal risks.
"Landlords must ensure that gas appliances and flues are properly maintained and inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Failure to do so will not be tolerated and enforcement action will be taken."
Source: The Negotiator