Five Things Property Managers Should Look For in a Commercial Gas Engineer
If you own a commercial property, then you have a legal responsibility to ensure that the integrity of the property is preserved at all times. This is to say that the property needs to be in a safe condition in terms of repairs, maintenance and servicing. One of the aspects of property maintenance is making sure that the gas in your property is working safely and correctly. To ensure this is the case, you will need to seek the services of a commercial gas engineer, but it’s important that you choose carefully. Here, the Express Gas Solutions team detail the things to look for in an engineer.
What are my responsibilities as a property manager?
We’ve touched on it above, but there are a number of things that you are responsible for as a landlord or property manager. These include:
- Fire safety
- Safety of electrical equipment
- Asbestos management
- Providing adequate space, ventilation and lighting
It is your job to provide these things at all times, but you don’t have to sort it out on your own – you can seek the assistance of professional engineers across the required sectors.
Are they Gas Safe registered?
If an engineer is Gas Safe registered, that means they will have the appropriate qualifications, forms of identification and certificates, as well as insurance. Always ask to see these items before doing business with an engineer – if they are Gas Safe registered, they will always carry them on their person. Alternatively, you can check the Gas Safe register.
Working with a Gas Safe registered engineer means that you’re covered in the event of issues – an unregistered engineer can be as skilled as you like, but you can still be left in the lurch if something goes wrong.
Availability
Issues with gas appliances can arise at any time, without warning. If you’re lucky, you might notice some signs of issues before they fully develop, meaning you can contact an engineer in good time. However, in some cases, the appliances can completely break down despite working perfectly moments before. This is why it’s very important to be proactive when arranging maintenance – with scheduled, regular inspections, faults can be caught and rectified ahead of time.
No matter the issue, you need to be sure that your engineer can be reached when you need them – enlisting an engineering company that offers emergency call outs means you don’t have to worry about your appliances encountering problems and you being left to deal with it on your own.
Pricing
While gas engineer services are vital, that doesn’t mean you should pay through the nose to secure them. Shop around for the best price – if you’re looking for a long-term service with routine maintenance work, providers might be willing to offer you a contractual discount.
Engineers that offer an adhoc or emergency call-out service might charge extra for doing so, but property managers may consider this a necessity in light of the disruption and inconvenience going without heating or hot water causes.
Remember though – don’t compromise on quality for the sake of a cheaper price and always choose a Gas Safe registered engineer.
CP12 certificates
It is a legal requirement that all gas appliances work safely and effectively, with a CP12 certificate acting as proof of this.
Not all engineers are able to issue these, so make sure that any prospective engineer can issue CP12 certification before signing up with them.
Appliance testing
Testing is a key part of maintaining the safety of your appliances and equipment. An engineer who is authorised to carry out testing can save you money on hiring a separate individual for that job. Servicing all gas appliances regularly means you can save yourself time, money and some serious risks that may arise should you leave gas appliance to run indefinitely without due care.
By using a qualified, trusted gas engineer, like the ones at Express Gas Solutions, you can save yourself time, money and a lot of hassle. For more information about our work, please get in touch with us today and we’ll be more than happy to help.
