Gloucestershire Trading Standards Service

Are Your Digs Up To Scratch?

Upholstered furniture
Electrical Appliances
Gas Appliances
Checklist

Upholstered furniture should be flame retardant. Furniture such as sofas, chairs, sofa-beds, and cushions need to be labelled with the following information if they were made after 1950.

CARELESSNESS CAUSES FIRE

Manufacturer's name
Batch number or ID number
Date of manufacture
Description of filling and covering
Whether there is an interliner

Beds are different in that labelling was never compulsory, but some manufacturers do add a label stating that the bed or upholstered base comply with British Standard BS7177.

Electrical Appliances

All electrical equipment must be supplied to you in a safe condition. For example, all portable electrical equipment must be fitted with three-pin plugs which have sheaths on the live and neutral pins.

The mains cable must have two layers of insulation, be free of any kinks, any joints must be properly made, and the wires should follow the colour code:

green & yellow	earth
blue	neutral
brown	live

You should not be able to touch any live parts without the use of a tool. Instructions for safe use should be made available.

Gas Appliances

All gas appliances must be serviced once a year by a CORGI (Council of Registered Gas Installers) registered installer and the landlord must make the certificate available to any tenants.

Gas cookers must have:

easily readable markings

name of manufacturer

adequate pan supports

an instruction booklet

easy to operate controls

prompt ignition

If there is a hob cover it must cut off the gas supply when it is closed, or have a warning label stating that it does not turn the gas off.

Check it out

Things to think about when considering student accommodation:

1 Upholstered furniture:

Does it have appropriate labels indicating that it meets fire safety requirements?

2 Electrical Equipment:

Is it fitted with the correct plugs, do they have the correct colour wires and appear to be in generally good condition?

3 Gas Appliances:

Are they clearly marked with easy to use controls?

4 Gas Safety Certificate:

Has the landlord shown you the certificate and were the checks carried out by a CORGI registered installer?