Why a Gas Safety Check Was Carried Out After the Resort Gas Leak – and Why It Was Necessary
We’ve received a few questions from owners about why a new gas safety check was completed on your property following the recent gas outage at the resort. Some of you had already had a gas safety check carried out earlier in the year, so it’s understandable to wonder why it needed doing again.
Here’s everything you need to know – and why it was the right thing to do.
What Happened?
In February this year, the resort experienced a gas leak which led to the gas supply being fully cut off to all lodges. For many, the disruption lasted between 8 to 14 days.
Once the supply was safely restored, we immediately arranged for Ross from Exeter Gas, a Gas Safe registered contractor, to attend all affected lodges.
Their job was to:
• Purge the gas through to each property
• Reset the boilers and reignite appliances
• Carry out a full gas safety check
• Issue a new 12-month Gas Safety Certificate
This was done quickly and efficiently, with no delay in getting your property back online and ready for bookings, mitigating any further loss of earnings.
Why Was Another Gas Safety Check Needed?
Even if your property had a valid certificate from earlier in the year, that certificate became effectively void once the gas supply was cut off.
When gas has been turned off for any reason – especially due to a leak – it’s best practice (and in many cases expected) to have a fresh gas safety check before using any appliances again.
Here’s why:
1. Safety First
Gas leaks can be dangerous. When a leak occurs in the network, there’s a risk that:
• Debris or air enters the pipework
• Boilers and hobs malfunction once supply is restored
• Pressure changes cause faults in older fittings
A fresh safety check ensures everything is working as it should and that there are no hidden risks.
2. Appliance and Pipework Damage
Even a temporary disruption in gas flow can cause issues:
• Boilers may fail to restart properly
• Burners can misfire
• Valves and seals may be affected by pressure loss
Resetting and re-testing the entire system ensures nothing was compromised during the outage.
3. Legal Obligations as a Landlord
As an owner letting out a holiday home, you are classed as a landlord under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
You must:
• Ensure all gas appliances, fittings and flues are safe
• Have a valid Gas Safety Certificate
• Provide a copy to guests or managing agents when requested
If a guest were to be harmed due to a gas-related issue – even indirectly – and no updated safety check had been carried out, you could be liable.
Why Exeter Gas?
We chose Exeter Gas because:
• They are our new preferred partner, they are also known by Mark, our new Maintenance person, Shireen and Amy.
• They were able to attend immediately after the supply was restored
• They are Gas Safe registered
• They completed not just the certificate, but also:
• Gas purge to the property
• Full system reset
• Restart of all gas appliances
Normally, a standalone Gas Safety Check would cost around £105 (as charged by Jack, our previous contractor as a pass through cost). But because of the number of lodges involved, we secured a reduced pass-through cost of just £75 per lodge. This represents good value, considering the full reset and purge were included.
What If I Had Waited for Finlake?
Some owners chose to wait for Finlake’s team to reset their boilers. That’s an option, but:
• Finlake did not provide Gas Safety Certificates
• Properties remained off-hire for longer – in some cases up to two weeks
• There was no confirmation that appliances had been thoroughly checked
By working with Exeter Gas, we ensured:
• Your lodge was safely back online faster
• A valid certificate was in place for the next 12 months
• Peace of mind for you, your guests, and us
Final Thoughts
We understand that extra charges can be frustrating, especially when unexpected. But in this case, we acted in your best interests — quickly, thoroughly, and within the legal framework required of us.
Safety always comes first, and we wanted to make sure your lodge was safe to use, legally compliant, and back up and running with minimal downtime, mitigating further potential loss of earning.
If you have any questions or concerns, we’re happy to talk them through.