Over a quarter of renters (28%) don't have or don't know if their home has a Gas Safety Certificate, new research has revealed.

The findings came in a survey of 250 renters, commissioned by Gas Tag, which highlighted a serious lack of basic safety knowledge.

Among the survey's other key findings:

  • 50% still think their gas engineer should be Corgi registered – it changed to Gas Safe Register almost 10 years ago
  • Almost a quarter (24%) did not think their landlord was obliged to install a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm if there was a solid fuel burning source like wood or coal
  • 81% did not know that a landlord is responsible for checking all electrical appliances every time a new tenant moves into a property
  • 36% wrongly thought they were - rather than the landlord was - responsible for electrical safety in the rented home
  • Almost a third (29%) did not realise you should call the National Grid helpline if they smell gas in or around the home
  • 33% of women allow gas engineers into their home without asking for their credentials, compared to 20% of men.

Paul Durose, Chief Executive at Gas Tag, said: “It is disturbing that 33% of women admit to not asking their engineer for their credentials before letting them into their home. This is despite 1.1million gas jobs a year being carried out by illegal gas fitters who are not qualified.

“Tradesmen should insist that you check their credentials but, if they don’t, then the onus is on householders to not fall into the trap of either being too scared to ask or too trusting to check.”

“Even when people do ask, half of those questioned still think their gas engineer needs to be Corgi approved when it actually changed over to Gas Safe Register in 2009.

“There is also huge confusion and lack of understanding about the responsibilities of landlords renting out properties.

“The overall conclusion is that large sections of the UK’s rented population are putting their lives at serious risk.”