Are you or your child off to university? Do you know what the accommodation is going to be like?
When it comes to renting a house to live in whilst at university the distance from the pub is probably most student’s top priority! Whilst this may seem important, safety in rented accommodation is your responsibility too.
Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer as you cannot see, smell, or taste it but it is potentially lethal. It is a highly poisonous gas that can be produced by badly installed or poorly maintained gas appliances. It can infiltrate your accommodation through apparently harmless devices like your boiler or cooker. Students living away from home are a particularly vulnerable group who are at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning. Landlords have safety obligations to their tenants but as a tenant students can take a few simple steps to ensure they protect themselves from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Ask the landlord for an up-to-date gas safety record.
- Where possible check the flame on gas appliances – the flame should be a stable blue one.
- Ask the landlord for an audible carbon monoxide alarm or install one yourself. You can buy a carbon monoxide alarm from a CORGI registered installer, from a merchant such as B&Q and from CORGI.
When you arrive or drop your child off at university check that the accommodation is safe from hazards such as carbon monoxide. A good tip is to go through our Gas Safety Checklist at the same time as you check the property inventory.
Are you or your child going to university in London, Wales, the Midlands or Yorkshire? In a recent report by CORGI these areas have been identified as being hotspot regions for carbon monoxide incidents. Make sure you know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – be warned these can easily be confused with a hangover!
If you would like further information call CORGI’s Contact Centre on 0800 915 0485.