Landlord wants me to pay bill for investigation of gas leak

[TeddyNovak]

Told him I'm not paying - he is NOT amused and is threatening to bill me for his time in resolving this, plus for any further involvement...

I've registered with RightMove and as soon as I'm out, I'll grass him up for failing to produce a GS cert when I moved in 18 months ago.

A dish best eaten cold, indeed...

 

[MeldrewsMate]

Teddy, having read your posts it still is not clear to me that there is any connection between any specific appliance in use coinciding with the smell of gas.

Firstly I would give my opinion that if the relationship between you and your landlord was good then he should pay on the basis that he can cover his back if there is a gas incident in the future....."Look Your Honour, I took all necessary steps to make sure the place was safe; and here's the bill. You will note that on two occasions TNG visited and each test was negative for a leak". This also especially applies if your relationship is bad!

Secondly you have not indicated if you have had previous episodes of conflict with the landlord, could it be he sees you as troublesome based on previous incidents?

I am also concerned that the gas fitter who attended didn't do his regulatory checks until the second visit (ref smoke test is a check of the effectiveness of the flue).

Could the appliance in question be a gas fire conected to a chimney?
Could it be that the gas smell only occurs when the fire is lit?
Could it be that the smell is only detected when the pilot is lit, but not the main burner?

You are right to, as a layman, take the correct actions to protect your family from suspected harm. Unfortunately there is no hard and fast rule with regard to the amount of evidence you need to prove that there was a gas leak. There are laws and regulations applicable to the gas fitter doing his job, but you needed to have videoed the whole visit to determine if he has transgressed any of those regs. It would be a sad day indeed if the trust has broken down to that extent.

I hope you can resolve your dispute amicably, but regs or not, the burden of proof is with you in law. At least you took that action, and I'm sure your family appreciate that you did.

MM

 

[Dan Robinson]

Told him I'm not paying - he is NOT amused and is threatening to bill me for his time in resolving this, plus for any further involvement...

I've registered with RightMove and as soon as I'm out, I'll grass him up for failing to produce a GS cert when I moved in 18 months ago.

A dish best eaten cold, indeed...

Gas Safe won't be interested once you have moved out.

I had this when i rented my last place before buying. A7sehole got away with it - and our flat was genuinely dangerous.

Gas Safe will just think you are being malicious and own't be able to act on the complaint as you are no longer there.

Bullkack i know, but that's the crap system we have in this country.

 

[TeddyNovak]

@ MeldrewsMate

Some good questions; I'll try to answer as fully as I can.

The gas supply has been capped on two previous occasions during my tenancy. Reason - smell of gas. The Pilot light would go out every three or four months and prove very hard to reignite; LL would just tell me I'm re-setting it wrongly, but that problem has not occurred for a while although I've now found out I can't get the main fire going.

Good thing its not winter, I suppose.

The device is a back burner which appears to me to have a chimney behind it - I can certainly hear the wind behind the appliance.

I noted the smell when I'd returned say, from work or a few days away. Since the last disassembly / reassembly of the appliance the smell has not returned.

The previous tenant had similar problems with the LL who sees no problem in entering my premises when I'm not home, without notice or permission.

There is more, but I think you get the picture...

 

[Agile]

It is winter now!

The law requires a Gas Cert but there is little effective enforcement action available where this is not provided.

The official route is for tenant to complain to Environmental Health Officer. They will usually phone landlord who will promise to get it done in next three days.

The EHO will normally write to the landlord as well requiring that he gets the Cert within 14 days.

If he fails to do that then the EHO will put it in an often high pile of matters requiring enforcement action. That will usually be taking landlord to court for failure to provide the Cert. Sometimes the EHO will get a court order for entry and get it done themselves which usually results in equipment being turned off. Its often many weeks before an EHO takes anyone to court.

If there is no hot water because boiler is turned off then EHO classes the property as unfit for human occupation. From them on it can get nasty!

Get the idea?

Tony

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Do not forget often dead mice rotting away under the floor boards can imitate a smell similar to that of leaking gas, and it can be very confusing as that smell cannot be pin pointed from where it is coming, especially when the smell is not that strong to clearly define whether it is a dead mice or a gas leak. The smell can linger on for a few days and then disappear altogether like nothing ever happened.

do you use any mice baits? poisons, or your neighbors? and often pets urine can smell like very subdued gas leak.

 

[TeddyNovak]

It is winter now!

I know...

If there is no hot water because boiler is turned off then EHO classes the property as unfit for human occupation. From them on it can get nasty!

Get the idea?

Tony

Hi Tony

The premises have an immersion heater as backup, so I get hot water, even though the heating / gas isn't working.

RE; the smell being a dead mouse - the floor is concrete so its unlikely to be under it. The smell was also intermittent, not constant. Localised to one place in particular, near the piping that feeds the gas to the back boiler.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to reply

Regards

Dave

 

[Agile]

Who does the Mod think is being abusive?

 

[Mikefromlondon]

I am so glad the unhelpful and abusive posts have been deleted, someone provoked my reaction to an insult, in future I will press on report button.

 

[Onetap]

RE; the smell being a dead mouse - the floor is concrete so its unlikely to be under it. The smell was also intermittent, not constant. Localised to one place in particular, near the piping that feeds the gas to the back boiler.

It was/is most probably gas, rather than something that smells similar, from what you've said.

But "near the piping" to the boiler? Not "near the boiler"?

 

[TeddyNovak]

The back boiler is located in the sitting room.

There is some pipework running from the main meter, through a wall into the sitting room and then to the BB - the smell was noticed when I opened the door into the sitting room - the pipes and BB are just inside.

 

[dragonfly101]

Hi Teddy,

Sorry to read you're having such a nightmare with this. I can't see any reason at all why the landlord should expect you to pay for this, it's entirely his responsibility. I would suggest you consult about this on the moneysavingexpert forums where people will be far more helpful and sympathetic (I can't believe some of the response you've got here), they have some great template letters you can send to your landlord so your not shafted on the deposit either.

Good luck!