Liverpool City Council will launch a new initiative to provide life-saving technology that will tackle the dangers of illegal gas fitters to keep tenants safe
The announcement comes at the start of national Gas Safety Week (17-23 September) which sees organisations from across the UK working together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances.
Gas appliances which are not looked after properly can lead to extremely dangerous gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.
For the first time ever, Liverpool City Council is working with pioneering tech company – Gas Tag – to issue free gas safety technology to the city’s 7,500 landlords who manage 30,000 private rented homes.
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: “We’re pleased that Liverpool is the first council in the UK to spearhead this innovative partnership. Thanks to pioneering technology, we can help landlords improve the levels of safety within their property.”
The City Council is also calling upon the government to help make this type of technology mandatory and a reality for all landlords across the country.
It is hoped that the new initiative could cut down on the 1.1 million rogue jobs that are carried out by illegal gas fitters every year.
According to the Department of Health, Carbon Monoxide poisoning accounts for 50 deaths every year and and as many as 4,000 medical visits.
This partnership also comes as a review of the private rented sector argues that a “property MOT” should be imposed on landlords to make sure homes are up to scratch.
The Evolving Private Rented Sector report suggests the MOT could bring together current requirements such as electrical and gas safety certificates and help drive up standards in rented homes.
How the technology works
The Gas Tag is installed on the gas outlet in a property which tracks all the property’s gas appliances, services and installations – and can only be used by a qualified Gas Safe Registered engineer.
The technology works in the same way as an Osyter Card or a contactless bank card. The engineer simply taps their mobile phone against the tag when at the property. Their geo-tag is then sent to the Gas Safety Register which authorises the engineer by checking their qualifications in real-time.
Paul Durose, CEO of Gas Tag said: “I’m delighted that Liverpool City Council has the vision and foresight to embrace this ground-breaking technology, making it the safest city in the UK – if not the world – for renters.
“Our mission is to drive rogue gas fitters out of business before they can put more lives at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning – or worse.
“By working together, we will make it as difficult as possible for illegal gas fitters to operate.”
The technology has been developed to ensure that the correct work is carried out on gas appliances at the appropriate time, by the right engineers every time.
