TENANT INFORMATION GUIDE FOR TENANTS (VIC) | Page 22
Renting a home
Gas appliance safety
Tenants’ responsibilities
Landlords’ responsibilities
Tenants also have responsibilities,
including to immediately report any
gas appliance fault to the landlord or
agent. If you are a tenant, make sure
you are satisfied that any gas appliance
is operating safely. If you are concerned
about the safety of a gas heater, contact
your landlord and ask for it to be tested.
Before you sign a lease, you may consider
requesting a condition/clause be added
requiring the landlord to undertake to
have any gas appliances checked and
certified safe every two years.
Landlords must ensure that rented
premises are maintained in good repair.
This includes ensuring that all gas
appliances provided by the landlord, such
as heaters and stoves, are safe to use and
properly maintained. All installation and
maintenance of a gas fitting or fixture
should be done by a licensed gas fitter.
Failing to ensure gas appliances are safe
to use or properly maintained can result
in death, serious injury or considerable
property damage. Energy Safe Victoria
recommends gas heaters and water
heaters are serviced every two years.
Gas leak danger
Professional servicing of gas appliances
is necessary because carbon monoxide
leaks are hard to detect. The poisonous
gas is tasteless, colourless and odourless.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
include tiredness, shortness of breath,
headaches, nausea, vomiting and
dizziness. Fixing a gas leak qualifies as an
urgent repair and a landlord or owner
must respond immediately to the tenant’s
request for repairs. If a landlord or owner
is not contactable or does not respond
immediately, you can authorise an urgent
repair of up to $1800 and the landlord or
owner must reimburse you.
22
To minimise gas safety risks:
• use appliances appropriately and in
accordance with the instructions
• report any fault or malfunction to your
landlord or agent
• immediately stop using any appliance
that is obviously faulty
• allow reasonable access for gas safety
checks
• do not illegally install, remove or
tamper with any gas appliance.
The landlord/agent and the tenant
should work together to ensure that a
safety check is done at agreed intervals
– which Energy Safe Victoria recommends
should be every two years. For more
advice on general gas safety in the
home, visit esv.vic.gov.au.