A Plymouth landlord risked the lives of his tenants by failing to carry out annual gas safety checks, leaving them with a dangerous boiler installation.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) began inquiries when Plymouth City Council alerted them to the lack of gas safety certificates for a number of flats at the property at Meadfoot Terrace, Plymouth.


The council had asked Abdul Manik, 54, to provide certificates on at least seven separate occasions, Plymouth Magistrates heard on 27 November, but he had failed to comply.


HSE served an Improvement Notice requiring him to undertake landlords’ gas safety check and maintenance but this had not been done by the notice expiry date.


In December 2014, a gas engineer called in by one of the tenants at the flats found serious problems with the gas boiler at the flat and notified HSE.


The gas boiler was classified as ‘immediately dangerous’, meaning if operated or left connected to the gas supply it could cause an immediate danger to life or property. The boiler was replaced by Plymouth City Council after Abdul Manik failed to undertake the necessary repairs.


Abdul Manik of Lockington Avenue pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulations 36(2) and 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and Section 33(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was fined a total of £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,817.


HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “Landlords have a legal duty to carry out gas safety checks and maintenance, which are there to protect their tenants from death or injury.


“In this case, Mr Manik ignored repeated requests to carry out the checks and as a result, a serious fault with the gas boiler at one of the flats undetected until discovered by an engineer.”


Further information about landlords’ responsibilities for gas supply visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/index.htm.