Health and safety

Gas safety

You must have your gas appliances serviced every year and send us a copy of the certificate.

Your lease may allow us to enter your property, do the service, and bill you for it if you do not provide a certificate.

We offer leaseholders a gas servicing scheme at a competitive rate. If you wish to join the scheme, please complete the Gas Servicing Application Form (Word doc, 102 KB). Your appliances will be assessed before you can join the scheme.

Fire risk assessment

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the relevant law. The regulations apply to the building's common parts, but not to the flat, which is a private home.

Gateshead Council takes fire precautions to ensure the building is safe. The fire risk assessment evaluates the risk to people from fire. It considers existing fire safety measures. It uses this information to decide if more measures are needed.

The fire safety assessment must be reviewed regularly to keep it up to date.

For costs (for example replacing communal doors, fire extinguishers, escape routes), recovery depends on your lease's service charge terms.

Under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, we must consult you if the works cost over £250 for any one leaseholder.

You need to recognise the possible fire hazards at home. Take steps to protect yourself, your family, and your neighbours.

Smoke alarms should be fitted to give vital extra time to escape.

To reduce the risk in the home you should:

• Never keep petrol or paraffin in your home
• Not use paraffin or bottled gas heaters
• Take extra care with hot oil. Never leave chip pans unattended on the stove. Don't pour water on a burning chip pan
• Never leave children alone in the kitchen while cooking. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach
• Use secure candle holders. Never leave candles unattended. Keep them away from curtains and fabrics
• Not overload electrical sockets
• Put out cigarettes and matches and take care with ashtrays
• Put a fireguard around fires
• Not hang clothes around fires, cookers or storage heaters
• Plan an escape route
• Never use a lift if there is a fire. Always use the stairs
• Never tackle a fire - call 999

Asbestos

We have a legal duty to 'manage' asbestos in the common areas of the building, such as foyers, corridors, staircases and lifts. We must find out if there is asbestos present and, if so, check its condition and location. We must then assess the risk and take actions to manage it.

Your lease dictates whether you are required to pay for asbestos surveys and any necessary work costs as part of your service charges.

You as a leaseholder are responsible for asbestos in your home. Any future buyer's solicitor will want proof that fire safety and asbestos risk assessments were done. It may cause problems with the sale if these are not available.

Guidance on how to deal with asbestos can be found in Asbestos safety.

Electrical safety

Every electrical installation deteriorates with use and age. We make a safety inspection of the electrics in common areas of the building at least every five years.

Leaseholders are not required by law to conduct a similar regular electrical test in their own home. However, it is often required as part of the buying or selling process, so we recommend having one done every ten years.

As a landlord, if you sub-let your property, you must test the flat's electrics every five years.

If you made any changes to your home's electrics since 2005, they must meet 'Part P' of the Building Regulations. This applies whether you or a professional did the work. You must ensure you are satisfied that this requirement has been met.

Condensation and damp

You are responsible for managing condensation in your home.

Condensation forms when warm, moist air hits cold surfaces. This results in moisture cooling on the surface and turning to water droplets. These can then soak into décor and attract mould.

Condensation can affect both external and internal walls and ceilings. Black spot mould is the most common sign of condensation. Most homes will be affected by condensation at some point. Condensation is often due to the lifestyle of the person(s) living in the property.

If you think dampness is causing damage to your property and it is the council's responsibility to maintain it, please report it.