‘STAYCATIONS’ STAY POPULAR BUT WILL YOUR HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION BE SAFE?
Even though UK families can take advantage of a strong pound, with the exchange rate against the Euro now much more favourable, it seems prevailing recessionary mindsets are encouraging British families to take their holidays in the UK rather than abroad. But many of the flats and cottages used as holiday lets will have older gas fired boilers. The Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) warns of the dangers of an older boiler and urges the owners and letting agents of holiday accommodation to have boilers checked and serviced.
18 June 2015 – Even though UK families can take advantage of a strong pound, with the exchange rate against the Euro now much more favourable, it seems prevailing recessionary mindsets are encouraging British families to take their holidays in the UK rather than abroad, with new research undertaken by Travelodge indicating that around three quarters of all British families will holiday at home this year. Other factors reinforcing the continued popularity of ‘staycations’ are the decline of the traditional two-week holiday, which has decreased by almost 50% over the last five years, with British holidaymakers now opting for a one-week holiday coupled with shorter breaks spread out throughout the year – and these are taken in the UK. These trends also coincide with a resurgence in seaside holidays, which has seen Cornwall surge into first position as the preferred holiday destination for UK families.
All this means that hundreds of thousands of British families will be renting flats and cottages in the British Isles again this year, and the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) has issued some timely safety advice, saying that it’s vitally important that holiday homes with gas appliances have been regularly checked and serviced.
B&ES spokesman, Mark Oakes, said, “Holiday home owners or their letting agents need to be aware that if they have an old boiler or other gas appliances like cookers in their holiday accommodation some of these will be potentially dangerous.
“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.
“Landlords and letting agents must realise that failure to properly maintain a boiler puts holidaymakers’ lives at risk – poorly maintained or defective gas appliances can leak potentially lethal quantities of carbon monoxide (CO) and around 40 people still needlessly die every year from CO poisoning, with thousands more made seriously ill; some of these tragedies occurring in holiday lets.
“Anyone renting holiday accommodation in the UK should expect to see a copy of the gas safety certificate that is issued after the annual safety check, and the holidaymaker should not hesitate to contact the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) if the landlord cannot provide this.
“As additional safeguards, landlords or their letting agents should supply comprehensive operating instructions for all appliances and should also fit carbon monoxide detectors.”
B&ES members that undertake gas work are all Gas Safe registered and are also all members of TrustMark, the only trade competence scheme officially endorsed and backed by the Government. For more information about the TrustMark scheme visit: http://www.trustmark.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.
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