Portable Gas cooking

[BlueSky]

During my latest inspection, i noticed a portage 2 burner stove with LPG 9kg bottle inside the kitchen on top of the electric stove.

They prefer that as " food tastes better"


What is the most reasonable thing to do ?

[Bob Kane]

Do you think this is a problem?

[BlueSky]

Do you think this is a problem?

I see what you did there, so my responsibility yes got that but shouldn't they ask first?

I guess what is my responsibility as far as providing a cooking "source " type and what would be a reasonable solution ? Some like electric and some like gas..

[Bob Kane]

I was thinking they are using a gas burner for drug related reasons.
Is that what you were thinking?

[DontPanic]

Very common and goes hand in hand with Aromatic cooking which can cause a lot of concern with odors inside the dwelling.
Using a portable gas ring inside the house should be knocked on the head immediately, if that thing causes a fire you may have all kinds of issues with insurance claim.
Tell the tenants if they want to use gas for cooking they need to do it outside.
Would you let them BBQ inside?

[BlueSky]

Thanks.
What about the gas stoves connected to 30Kg bottles which are installed outside ?
is that possible, I think one needs a pproper gas stove not 2 ring gas burner ?

[DontPanic]

A gas hob is clearly acceptable if it is professionally installed as part of the chattels of the property if that what you choose to provide as a landlord, but this is a very different situation to the tenants using a portable gas cooker inside the house.

[sidinz]

Is there really any difference between that and a gas hob with a 9kg bottle inside the house?

[DontPanic]

A kitchen gas hob must be installed by a gas fitter so it will meet regulations like distance from burners to wall, gas connections with the bottle mounted outside the house, these are all legal requirements and manageable for a landlord when it is professionally installed.
A portable gas cooker is designed for outdoors use, when you bring it inside a dwelling there is a number of safety concerns that arise around the gas bottle, the fittings and hose and the positioning of the cooker, the landlord has little control over any of these factors and gas is potentially a very dangerous substance.
Its just my perspective however I have seen portable gas cooker burn cabinetry because of the way it was positioned, causing property damage in this instance but could have been much more serious.
In the worst case scenario were a portable gas cooker caused a house fire in a rental, the insurance company (or appointed agents) will be asking for information/evidence of the landlord/property manager including the last 3 documented property inspections, if it was noted that you allowed the tenant to use a portable gas cooker inside the house then I think you may have an issue with your claim.
As a Landlord/Property manager I think it is best practice to prohibit the use of portable gas cookers inside the dwelling.

[donna]

^^Agree. The gas is poisonous isn't it. See this here - explosion blew windows out. Simple operating errors cause gas leaks etc.

cheers,

Donna

[Bob Kane]

A kitchen gas hob must be installed by a gas fitter so it will meet regulations like distance from burners to wall, gas connections with the bottle mounted outside the house, these are all legal requirements and manageable for a landlord when it is professionally installed.

re gas connections with the bottle mounted outside the house:
I've seen installed gas hobs connected to a lpg cylinder under the kitchen bench.
Is this not allowed?

[donna]

In one of our rentals we have the gas hobs and the bottle outside.

I read the cupboard would need to be properly vented and the connection using a copper pipe (not a DIY fiexi pipe). Plus if you're going to the trouble of venting the cupboard and getting in a plumber to install the copper pipe - go the full hog and place the bottle on the outside. Most fires start in the kitchen - the 9 KG gas bottle going to add a lot of fuel to the fire.

cheers,

Donna

[sidinz]

Plus if you're going to the trouble of venting the cupboard and getting in a plumber to install the copper pipe - go the full hog and place the bottle on the outside.

I'd heard that it was quite common to use the 9kg bottles (and some are located in the kitchen, some in internal access garages) because they last for months and it's cheaper, as you're not paying for the bottle hire for the large ones.

[DontPanic]

We have moved a few outside at the advice of our plumber/gas fitter, he charged us $747.25 including GST to do this recently.

If I recall correctly the regulations changed at some point, hence many homes still have bottles installed inside the kitchen.

Building a sealed locker vented to the outside may be a consideration if their is not a suitable space outside the kitchen wall perhaps?

[donna]

I'd heard that it was quite common to use the 9kg bottles (and some are located in the kitchen, some in internal access garages) because they last for months and it's cheaper, as you're not paying for the bottle hire for the large ones.

Yeah our rental is using the 9 KG bottles - it's connected professionally and located in subfloor - external access.

cheers,

Donna