Gas smell, carbon monoxide or a power cut: what to do first

A smell of gas or a carbon monoxide alarm sounding: the first call is to the gas emergency number, not to you or a trade. For sparks, a burning smell or a power cut, your tenant’s page gives the steps to take first and the number to ring. This guide shows the page’s words exactly. Your part comes next: the repair, and a number your tenants can ring.

At the top of every tenant page, under Is anyone in danger now?, these numbers show, even before your tenant signs in.

A smell of gas

When your tenant chooses A smell of gas, their page shows these steps at once.

If your tenant rings you instead, give them the same words in the same order: the emergency number first, then the steps.

Once the emergency call has been made, a repair to the home’s gas pipes or appliances is yours to arrange. Book a Gas Safe registered engineer, and check their number on the Gas Safe Register before they come.

In the app, a report that names a smell of gas or carbon monoxide counts as a heating and gas repair, whatever your tenant chose. So it goes only to a trade with a Gas Safe number.

A carbon monoxide alarm sounding

When your tenant says a carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, or they feel unwell and think it’s carbon monoxide, their page shows these steps at once.

Once everyone is safe, find out what set the alarm off before the appliance is used again. For anything that burns gas, that means a Gas Safe registered engineer.

If the alarm itself may be faulty, your tenant can report it on their page, and the app sorts that report as urgent.

Sparks, a burning smell or a power cut

When your tenant chooses Sparks, a burning smell or bare wires, their page shows these steps at once.

A tenant who answers Is the power off? with Yes, just our home or Yes, the street too is also given the power cut number.

In the app, a power cut in the street always waits for you: it isn’t a job for an electrician. A report about the electrics, such as sparks or the power off in just your home, is an electrics repair, for the trade you chose for electrics.

What the app does when a tenant reports a danger

When a report names a danger such as a smell of gas, the app emails you at once. For a report made on your tenant’s page, it emails you again after 15 and 45 minutes until it’s opened. An email to your Selfmanaged address that names a danger is emailed to you once.

It’s an email, not a call. Selfmanaged doesn’t watch your properties and can’t make sure anyone sees it, and there’s a daily limit on these emails: beyond it, the report is in your app but not emailed.

• The report stays at the top of Properties until you open it.
• Your tenant’s page tells them when it was emailed to you, that you may not see it straight away, and the number you’ve given them to ring.
• On Free, it waits for you to tap Send to your trade, emergencies included.

Give your tenants a number to ring

Because the app’s alert is an email, your tenants also need a number they can ring out of hours. A new tenant page can’t be sent until you give one.

You give it under Account › Repairs and tenants’ settings › Repairs settings: your own number, or someone covering for you. Then tap Send Test Emergency to see the email reach your phone.

What the law says

In England, you must keep in repair and proper working order the installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating and heating water. That doesn’t cover things your tenant is entitled to remove.

For your tenant’s own home, you aren’t liable for disrepair until you have notice of it. The work is then due within a reasonable time, which depends on the circumstances: the court decides.

Each gas appliance and flue you are responsible for must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The first check is within 12 months of installation, then at intervals of no more than 12 months.

Where your tenant reports that a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm is faulty, you must check it. If it is faulty, you must repair or replace it as soon as reasonably practicable. Some tenancies are excluded.

Your tenant must allow access for repairs you are entitled to do. GOV.UK recommends at least 24 hours’ written notice at reasonable hours, possibly shorter in an emergency.