A lettings agency’s failure to arrange a £60 gas safety certificate has cost it almost £3,000.

MT Properties Central, based in Small Heath,Birmingham, failed to arrange the statutory gas safety check on the property, and subsequently failed to produce any confirmation that the checks had been carried out.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was made aware of concerns over the existence of a gas safety record for the property and tried several times to get a response from the company. It then issued an Improvement Notice on August 16, 2013.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday that the Notice required MT Properties to employ a Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out the necessary checks by September 6, 2013, and produce evidence that the notice had been complied with.

However, the company failed to comply with the notice or to request an extension. The notice remains open today and HSE is awaiting evidence of compliance.

MT Properties Central pleaded guilty to breaching the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £957.

HSE inspector Karl Raw said after the hearing: “MT Properties Central had plenty of time to comply with HSE’s enforcement notice, so there was no excuse for failing to do so, particularly for a property management and letting business.

“A gas safety check by a registered engineer can be organised quickly and easily and cost as little as £60.

“By not carrying out their duty as a landlord, MT Properties Central potentially put lives and property in danger by flouting the laws that are designed to protect people in their homes while using gas appliances.”