A Brief Guide to Property Accreditation
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is the Bath and North East Somerset Councils seal
of approval for properties that meet current housing standards and
which are safe for people to live in.
What are these standards?
We look to see that the property:
- is fit for human habitation, which includes being in good
repair, structurally sound, free from damp and having satisfactory
drainage.
- has safe gas and electrical installations.
- has adequate fire precautions, such as fire alarms.
- has adequate amenities for the people living in a property,
such as bathrooms, toilets and food storage areas.
- is well managed.
How will Accreditation benefit me?
It will give you:
- confidence that your property is safe for the people who live
in it.
- a certificate to display in your property.
- vetted contractors list; a list is available from Housing
Services to help you select a contractor for work that needs doing
on the property.
- small grants are sometimes available to help with such things
as fire safety and energy conservation.
How do I become Accredited?
You will need to produce certificates confirming that the
property is safe. You must show that:
- gas installations have been checked.
- electrical installations have been checked.
- there is a working fire alarm system and fire extinguishers
appropriate to your property size and nature of
occupancy.
What happens next?
Contact Housing Services on 01225 396287 or 396110.
We will send out standard details and/or visit your property and
once we are satisfied that you have met all the criteria outlined
in this leaflet, we will issue you with an Accreditation
certificate. The certificate will be valid for one year.
To continue annual Accreditation you must give us another set of
valid gas and electrical certificates. A further inspection may
also be needed. Electrical inspections will normally be required
between 3 and 5 years and Gas inspections annually.
What happens if I don't meet the standards?
We will give you advice on how to upgrade your property to meet
our standards. In some cases we may be able to make a financial
contribution towards fire precautions.
Criteria for Accreditation?
You will need:
- Gas: A Landlord’s Gas Safety Record, supplied by a member of
the Confederation of Gas Installers (CORGI).
- Electrical: a satisfactory periodic inspection report supplied
by a member of the National Inspection Council for Electrical
Installation Contractors (NICEIC) or the Electrical Contractors
Association (ECA).
- Fire precautions: certificates to prove that fire alarm(s)
and/or emergency lighting system(s) and fire fighting equipment
comply with the appropriate British Standards and supplied by a
competent contractor.
- Inspection: The property must be inspected by one of our
authorised officers who will assess whether your property meets
with the current standards of fitness contained in Housing
Legislation.
Some further notes on Accreditation
- It applies to the conditions found at the time of our
inspection. Should conditions change, it may be necessary to ask
for additional work to be carried out. A statutory notice may be
served to ensure that work is carried out in some cases.
- The property will be Accredited for a permitted number of
people.
- Depending on the work that is required, other permissions may
be needed. This may include Building Regulation Approval, Listed
Building Consent and Planning Permissions. We will tell you which
of these applies to your property and what procedures to
follow.
- Accreditation does not preclude any action which may be taken
by Bath & North East Somerset Council under any other
legislation.
Who to contact?
If you would like to take part in our Accreditation Scheme, or
you would like further information, please contact Housing Services
on 01225 396287 or 396110, giving the following information:
- your name and address
- the property to be Accredited (including details of
tenancies)
This information can be made available in a range of languages,
large print, Braille, on tape, electronic and accessible
formats. Contact the Information Officer on 01225 477983,
Minicom 01225 477043 or email information_officer@bathnes.gov.uk |
October 2004
