As a landlord, you are responsible for the safety of your tenants. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 specifically deal with the duties of landlords to ensure that gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants' use are safe.

In general, a landlord's gas safety duties apply to appliances and flues in "relevant premises" - residential properties occupied for residential purposes under either a licence, a tenancy agreement for a set term, or a lease. Essentially any lease of under seven years is covered.

Remember, safety checks are not only part of your legal requirements, they ensure that appliances are working correctly and guard against the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Landlords who have breached the gas safety laws and put lives at risk have faced tough sentencing recently in the courts. Their punishment sends a clear warning to anyone tempted to break the law and is undoubtedly helping crack down on illegal gas work.

Click here to see notes on annual safety checks.