Landlord in Wigan Being Fined for Gas Risk
A landlord in Wigan is being fined for putting lives at risk due to gas issues. According to the testimony in court and the HSE health and safety audits, the landlord falsified gas safety documents. The HSE decided to take legal action when it was found that Terence McBride was changing the dates on the record for the annual gas checks without actually hiring anyone to look at the appliances.
This is a serious breach of health and safety considering it could put several families at risk for injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning, fire, or even explosion. The authorities were called because a tenant thought there was a carbon monoxide leak in her rental house. A National Grid engineer came out to test the home and turned off the gas, finding a leak.
The incident happened in 2011, but it was from 2009 that the landlord was falsifying documents rather than hiring a new gas and safety agent to come out to the house. The landlord is charged with breaching the Gas Safety Regulations of 1998. He will have to undergo 150 hours of unpaid work for 12 months as a community service option. He was also fined £600 for the costs of prosecution that the case required. The lesson he learned will hopefully help others understand that gas is a very dangers commodity and it is important for any landlord to conduct the health and safety checks on gas with a qualified agent.
