Gas installations must comply with regulations

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In sectional titles schemes, if the necessary precautions are not taken or if the installation is not done properly, this could affect other residents negatively. Therefore, anyone considering a gas stove or fireplace must remember that gas installation must be done by someone certified to do so, says Mandi Hanekom, operations manager for the sectional title finance company, Propell.

Regulation 17 (3) of the Pressure Equipment Regulations states that a certificate of compliance must be issued to the owner of the residence after completion of a gas installation, modification, alteration or change of user or ownership.

Risk of fire

This means that even if a certificate was issued on the initial installation, if any improvement or alteration was made, a new certificate must be obtained. The reason for this being that there is always a risk of fire, which could cause damage to property and injury to residents.

The certificate confirms that the installation is compliant with safety regulations, that the appliance and gas canisters are installed properly, and these are inspected to be safe and leak-free. The only people authorised to issue gas certificates of compliance are those as defined in the regulations, says Hanekom.

Many sectional title bodies corporate management rules will prohibit any owner or occupier from storing any material that is harmful or will prohibit any dangerous acts on the property, and gas installations may in many cases be included in this risk. In turn, if there are 'high-risk' activities or installations on the property, the insurance premiums of the scheme might be increased, which the body corporate would want to avoid.

Insurance implications

When it comes to insurance, an additional concern would be that if a gas installation is not compliant and then causes damage to units, the insurance company would in all likelihood not pay out on any claim for this. The financial implications for owners and the scheme itself can be disastrous.

Before any gas installation is carried out in a sectional title scheme, the insurance requirements (both home owner and body corporate policies) should be checked to ensure that there is cover if any gas related damage takes place.

"Ultimately, any installation in a home, whether gas, electricity, electric fencing, etc., should be carried out by someone qualified to do so and saving money by employing someone who is not, or by doing the installation yourself, could end badly and cause enormous damage to the property. It is just not worth it in the long run," she concludes.