Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending CP12 certificate dates to suspend routine gas safety inspections for three months to reduce the potential transmission of covid-19.

Gas safety inspections save lives and the Health & Safety Executive has made clear that extending the period of gas safety inspections at this time could put tenants at risk of serious illness or fatalities from gas explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Landlords should make every effort to abide by statutory gas safety obligations. However, we recognise that the current restrictions may be making it harder to carry out these checks. There are provisions in the regulations for landlords to account for situations in which they cannot carry out inspections, however they must demonstrate they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with the law. Recognising the concern among landlords, residents and inspectors, on 7 April 2020, the Health & Safety Executive published further guidance setting out detailed advice for a range of scenarios. This can be found here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/landlords/

Our guidance is clear that no work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless the work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household. Where entry is required for emergency repairs landlords should take every possible step to minimise contact with residents and follow government guidance on tradespeople working in people homes, which may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19#social-distancing-in-the-workplace---principles