Help with a decision

[ilovemydog]

Hello. Wondering if someone could give advice.

Just picked up keys for our first rental property.

i knew the gas fire would have to go, but it houses the hot water tank behind so has to be removed fully with new central heating installation required.

The Gas fire is WAY to dangerous to use, and has not been used for years, although the central heating system works very well from it. Just not the appliance itself.

Am sitting on the property till I gather the money for New central heating (mortgage payments not a problem yet)

But is this silly? Can I let the property out first, stating NOT to use the gas fire. Im sure this wont be possible will it??? The gas man says he can try to give me a certificate but does not think it would "pass" with all the defects.

The plan would then be to install the central heating 1 or 2 months from now?

It seems a shame to just leave it empty till I can do the work.

Thankyou for any advice posted.

[Melboy]

You cannot Rent a property to a Tenant without a Gas Safety Certificate for that property. Well, you could but you would leave yourself wide open to a Court Case which would bankrupt you overnight and a prison sentence if anybody was to be killed by the silent killer...carbon monoxide fumes from a faulty gas appliance.

No CORGI Gas Heating Engineer would sign off your appliances if they thought for one moment that they were in a dangerous condition because they too are responsible for any signing off of a faulty appliance and would face Court Action if negligent.

Consider also. No Tenant is going to want you to install CH whilst they are in occupation so would it not be better to have the work done now which will also make your property much more desirable to rent.

[ilovemydog]

Thanks Melboy, i kinda knew this but wondered if there was another option I hadn't researched or thought of.

Cheers for imput.