HOW SAFE IS YOUR HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION?
With the mass exodus of British families heading off for their annual summer holidays about to get underway, many will be staying in self-catering accommodation around the British Isles. Some of these flats and cottages used as holiday lets will have older gas fired cookers, boilers and appliances. The Heating Helpline warns holidaymakers about the potential dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning caused by older and defective gas appliances and what they should look out for – including a current gas safety certificate displayed in the property by the owner or letting agents.
29 July 2013 – With the mass exodus of British families heading off for their annual summer holidays about to get underway, many will be staying in self-catering accommodation around the British Isles. Some of these flats and cottages used as holiday lets will have older gas fired cookers, boilers and appliances. The Heating Helpline warns holidaymakers about the potential dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning caused by older and defective gas appliances and what they should look out for – including a current gas safety certificate displayed in the property by the owner or letting agents.
Heating Helpline is the free consumer advice service operated by B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association. B&ES Chief Executive Roderick Pettigrew comments, “Failure to properly maintain gas appliances in holiday accommodation puts holidaymakers’ lives at risk – infrequently serviced or defective gas appliances can leak potentially lethal quantities of carbon monoxide (CO). Around 40 people still needlessly die every year from CO poisoning and hundreds more are made seriously ill, with some tragedies occurring in holiday lets.
“Gas appliances in rented accommodation should be serviced annually, in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions, by a Gas Safe registered installer in addition to having annual gas safety checks carried out on them.
“Anyone renting holiday accommodation in the UK should expect to see a copy of the gas safety certificate displayed in the property and the holidaymaker should not hesitate to contact the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) if the landlord cannot provide this.
“As additional safeguards, we advise landlords or their letting agents to supply comprehensive operating instructions for all appliances and they should also fit carbon monoxide detectors in all their properties”.
The Heating Helpline says that there are some obvious warning signs that gas appliances may not be working correctly such as black, sooty marks or stains around an appliance, yellow lazy flames instead of blue flames and too much condensation – these could mean that the appliance is leaking potentially lethal levels of carbon monoxide.
For more information visit the Heating Helpline website at www.heatinghelpline.org.uk.
Ends
Issued on behalf of the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) by Next Step Marketing Ltd
Media enquiries to: Heather Lambert. Tel: 44(0)1256 472020;
Fax: 44(0)1256 471010; E-mail: heather@nextstepmarketing.co.uk
Notes to editors
Since its formation in 1904, B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association (formerly the HVCA) has represented the interests of companies engaged in a wide range of building and engineering services including domestic heating and renewable technologies.
B&ES members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability, carried out by an independent certification body at least every three years.
B&ES members who undertake gas installations are registered with Gas Safe – the gas safety watchdog body – and are also members of TrustMark, the Government-endorsed scheme designed to direct customers towards reliable tradespeople.
B&ES operates the Heating Helpline (http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk) to provide consumers with free, impartial advice on every aspect of home heating.
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