How landlords can automate property safety certificates

Whether you’re an established landlord or leasing a property for the first time, keeping up with all the legal safety requirements can be a massive headache. First, you have to find a decent service engineer you can rely on to show up on time and do the job correctly so you can meet your electrical, gas, and energy inspection deadlines.

And we can’t forget how time-consuming it is liaising with service providers, tenants, and legal boards to get your certificates sorted – while also keeping track of several renewal due dates. But what if you could automate the entire process? You can! In this blog, you’ll learn how.

Gas Safety Certificate

The law

Improper gas safety checks can lead to a gas leak or even an explosion. So, by law, you must obtain a Gas Safety Certificate for every gas appliance in your property every 12 months since your last inspection. If you don’t, you could face a large fine and put your tenant’s lives in danger.

The certificate

During the inspection, your gas engineer will test the gas pressure of your appliances and check for gas leaks and any signs of wear and tear to make sure it’s safe for your tenants. They’ll also include information about each appliance (location, brand, etc.), any faults each appliance has, and recommendations on how to fix them.

The solution

If you’re managing multiple properties, chasing down engineers for certificates, organising inspection times with tenants, and remembering renewal dates can be a real pain. With Symple, you can automate the entire process. All you have to do is register, add your properties and last inspection dates, you’ll receive your certificate to your email inbox within 24 hours of a completed job, tap to renew once you get a reminder, and we’ll do the rest!

Electrical Installation Condition Report

The law

Since June 2020, the law has stated that all landlords must obtain an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years. Landlords who don’t follow these government regulations can face a hefty £30,000 fine! And rightly so, since faulty wiring or equipment can cause fatal electrical fires.

The certificate

Your electrical engineer will conduct tests on all fixed electrical systems in your rental property like wiring, lighting, electrical appliances etc. They’ll assess the overall condition, looking for signs of damage, wear and tear, overheating, and missing parts. In the report, they’ll say whether your fixed electrics are safe or need work to bring them up to standard.

The solution

Spreadsheets, printouts, email reminders, and sourcing in-demand electrical engineers can be messy, inefficient, and time-consuming. With Symple, getting EICRs is easy. We handle everything from tenant communication and arranging an electrical engineer for the inspection to reminding you when your certificates are up for renewal – protecting your tenants from hazards and you from fines.

Energy Performance Certificate

The law

If you let your property without a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), the government can slap you with up to a £5,000 fine and from 2025 onwards, you could face a hefty bill of £30,000 for breaching your EPC duties. You need to make sure your property meets a minimum E energy efficiency rating before even letting it out!

The certificate

Your EPC assessor will evaluate your property’s energy efficiency and give you a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). They consider everything from insulation and window glazing to your heating and lighting systems to give you your rating, energy cost estimations, and recommendations on improving energy efficiency.

The solution

By proactively digitising and automating your Energy Performance Certificates with Symple, you can avoid unexpected fines and save on energy costs by taking our assessor’s recommendations on board. From registering your properties to renewing your certificates, you can stay compliant and fulfil your landlord duties without the traditional hassles.

Ready to automate your property certificates? 

Manage all your property certificates in one place with Symple. An easy-to-use platform that lets you take a more hands-off approach to property certificates, making it as easy as clicking a button to process renewals, manage tenant communications, and source reliable engineers.

With Symple, you’ll no longer deal with the hassle of arranging appointments, forgetting to renew, losing previous certificates, or facing huge fines. All you need to do is add your property information and the date of the last gas, energy performance, or electrical safety certificate, hit renew, and we’ll do the rest – it’s symple!

Learn more about how Symple works and order your certificates online today.