Legal requirements ....

For topics that are specific to the UK and Ireland, please go here
User avatar
Jenny Wren
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:21 pm
Location: Havant, Hampshire
Contact:

Legal requirements ....

Post by Jenny Wren »

Hi, I am trying to ensure that we are legal. I have read the previous threads and decided I need to get a fire assesment done and also gets some electrical PAT testing done.

Does anyone know if there is anything we need to do for gas testing?

Thanks
KathyG
Posts: 3274
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Le Faou, Brittany
Contact:

Post by KathyG »

Hi Jen,

You certainly need a gas certificate if you're renting out property on an AST in the UK so I'd expect you'd also need one for holiday rentals. They're not expensive, about £15-20 that'll cover you for a year, most Corgi registered gas fitters can do them for you.
Kathy
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
User avatar
paolo
Posts: 3885
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 1:18 pm
Location: Provence, France
Contact:

Post by paolo »

Jen,

I would look into this through official channels if I were you, advice here is well intentioned but not necessarily comprehensive and you want to make sure you are properly covered.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
cromercrabholiday
Posts: 797
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:24 am
Location: North Norfolk
Contact:

Post by cromercrabholiday »

We've just had our tourist board assessment done and were picked up on the fire assessment and access statement.

The fire assessment you can do yourself in a modest property. You can buy or download a 100 page guide Fire Safety Assessment - Sleeping accommodation from HMSO (£12) or http://www.communities.gov.uk then click on Fire and resilience on the left. My gut feeling is that it must be mainly common sense, which I've already used in our welcome notes to tell people to:

- call the fire brigade
- get everybody out of the house (and suggestions for escape routes from upstairs)
- only tackle a fire if there is no personal risk

The access statement is required by the tourist board from now on and "may" help you meet the legal obligations of the Disability Discrimation Act. A template can be found on www.visitbritain.com/accessstatements.

As many of you know, we had a wheelchair-bound son for many years, so we are sympathetic to the disabled (to say the least). However, I do not believe that there should be a law saying that all premises should be accessible as it is neither practical nor financially viable. Our cottage could not be made wheelchair friendly without rebuilding. The joke is that a day centre that Jane uses for one of her charity workshops has banned people in wheelchairs because the toilet facilities are inadequate!

The latest government initiative is that all property should be suitable for old people - stair lifts, wide doors etc. Talk about control freaks. We visited an 88-year-old last week who lives in a 16th century cottage with a ridiculous winding staircase. She potters around slowly on two sticks and getting upstairs must be difficult, but that is where she wants to live!

Thank goodness this is going to be our last season! Rant over.

John
User avatar
Jenny Wren
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:21 pm
Location: Havant, Hampshire
Contact:

Post by Jenny Wren »

Thanks very much for your helpful feedback, I have done a few hours surfing to try and find what my legal obligations are (for my own piece of mind too) and I hadn't been able to find the official answer.

Someone I know has emailed me the following link so I will check through this tonight and see if this makes things clearer.

http://www.accommodationknowhow.co.uk/l ... klist.aspx

Thanks :)
Christine Kenyon
Posts: 623
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:58 am
Location: Glenridding, Ullswater Valley, Lake District, UK
Contact:

Post by Christine Kenyon »

Hello Jenny and congratulations on a beautiful apartment. It looks lovely!

We're having our annual PAT testing done tomorrow (!). We've been given conflicting advice about it but John's links seem pretty comprehensive and helpful (sorry to hear it's your last season, John, but hope it means days free of ironing, maintenance work and checking emails :wink: ). I've done my own fire risk assessment and include info on what to do in an emergency in our info pack. Happy to PM this if it helps. You may also find it helpful to contact your own fire service. Our local fire service has a community fire officer who was/is more than happy to visit and give advice.

Hope all goes well.
Post Reply