A landlord has been prosecuted after failing to prove a gas safety check had been carried out at one of his tenanted properties in Stafford.

David John Corry of Springfield Drive, Stafford, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and Section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was sentenced to serve a total of 36 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work and pay more than £6,428 in costs.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates’ Court heard how Mr Corry had failed to present a Landlords Gas Safety Record to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after numerous attempts from HSE representatives to obtain the certificate.

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Mr Corry was served with an Improvement Notice by HSE on 11 August 2016, which required him to arrange for a registered gas fitter to carry out an inspection of the gas appliances in one of his tenanted premises in Stafford. In addition, the Notice required him to produce a Landlords Gas Safety Record. However, Mr Corry failed to comply with the Improvement Notice.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Wayne Owen said: "David Corry potentially put the health of his tenants at risk and also chose to ignore the repeated requests by the HSE to produce the gas safety record.

"Every year around 7 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated. It is important that landlords fulfil their legal gas safety obligations to their tenants."

(LM/MH)