Regs for Hob splashbacks in Kitchens

[PaulAY]

We are renting out a property and for the last 7 years the Annual Gas Safety check has been done by the same person. This year he has condemned the splashback behind the hob because it is made of wood and coated/laminated in silver foiling as he says it does not meet the building regulations. It only took him 7 years to notice this for some reason. The splashback is used throughout the rest of the kitchen above all worktops and behind the sink. Have regulations changed as this would have been fitted probably around 10 - 12 years ago when the kitchen was installed so assume it would have had to have passed regs then? I have seen the offending splashback panel and the foiling does look to have creased in a couple of areas which probably was caused by the tenant placing pans right onto it but it has not exposed the wooden panel beneath it. My question is does this need to be changed because of building regs or is the guy who also is a handyman working for the Agent we go through trying to create some more work for himself?

 

[wessex101]

To the best of my knowledge a cooker/hob is not controlled under the Building Regulations and never has been.

Whether there is something in Gas Safe rules about combustible material adjacent to a gas appliance is another matter, not my field.

 

[PaulAY]

Thanks for your reply

 

[noseall]

A large frying pan will spread the heat/flame a fair distance. One of our hob knobs (not the delicious biscuit) has melted as a result. Common sense would say use something ceramic or stainless steel directly behind the hob.

Or you could hope they never buy a large frying pan and become occupied/distracted with something.

 

[delberto]

As I understand it- no flammable material should be used as a vertical surface within 150mm of the hob's outer edges. Obviously most folk use flammable materials as worktops but flame usually travel upward or outwards when under a pot or pan so only things above hob height are relevant.

 

[^woody^]

Buiding regs have not changed and its not a building regs issue

 

[delberto]

It is gas regs and apparently i was wrong- it is 300mm clearance horizontally from the burner so if the backing is within 300mm it needs to be fire retardant. Seems fairly common sense really.

 

[^woody^]

I see the figures and "rules" banded about, and the reference to "gas regs", but can't actually find the regulations that are supposed to state this.

 

[cjard]

Have regulations changed as this would have been fitted probably around 10 - 12 years ago when the kitchen was installed so assume it would have had to have passed regs then?

Regs change often, but you are never under any compunction to update your property in light of the change.

It is only if new work is being carried out that regs apply, but there can be cases where a small work operation triggers a requirement to comply with latest regs, which in turn triggers a lot more work. Adding a socket could see a requirement to change the consumer unit, for example, or hacking off and re rendering more than a certain percentage of the walls brings in an requirement to upgrade the insulation

 

[OwainDIYer]

Regs change often, but you are never under any compunction to update your property in light of the change.

However for a landlord's gas safety certificate items can be marked as Not Current Standards. Two NCS items mean an At Risk result and the gas is turned off. Also if the fitter has been picked up on anything in the past he may be more conscientious in case he gets reinspected by Gas Safe.
As I understand it - I am not a Gas Safe fitter.

 

[^woody^]

Regs change often but you are never under any compunction to update your property in light of the change.

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order are just two regulations that say otherwise.

 

[cjard]

And what has that got to do with the building regulations being discussed?

 

[^woody^]

And what has that got to do with the building regulations being discussed?

Everything, when they are superceded.

 

[cjard]

You act like you forgot about Dre