Gas Safety and Carbon Monoxide: Landlord Responsibilities
Driscoll Kingston & Co Limited · 1 August 2026 · 8 min read
What must a landlord do?
A landlord must keep covered gas appliances, pipework and flues safe, arrange annual checks by a Gas Safe registered engineer and provide the required record. Government landlord safety guidance summarises these duties.
When is a carbon monoxide alarm required?
In England, a required alarm must be installed in each room used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. The landlord must ensure required alarms work at the start of a new tenancy and repair or replace one after the tenant reports a fault.
What are possible warning signs?
Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion or collapse can be consistent with carbon-monoxide exposure but are not diagnostic. Sooting, unusual appliance flames or repeated alarm activation require professional investigation. Never test a suspected leak yourself.
What evidence is safe to keep?
Keep gas-safety records, written reports, alarm fault messages, engineer reports and medical records. Write down dates after reaching safety. Do not recreate an alarm event, restart an appliance or remain inside for photographs.
Can I claim compensation?
Potentially, if a proven landlord breach caused injury, financial loss or loss of use. A missing document alone does not establish the value of a disrepair claim. Medical causation and individual limitation periods may matter; see the personal injury guide.
This article provides general legal information only. It does not constitute legal advice on any specific case. Awaab's Law Claims Specialists is a trading name of Driscoll Kingston & Co Limited, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 839699).
