"IMM" wrote
| "Ed Sirett" wrote
| Many LA/HA landords usually write to their tenants that they wish the
gas
| installation to be inspected but make it clear that they will force an
| entry if necessary. It seems improbable that they would take such a line
| if they did not have a legal basis for this.
| THEY CANNOT force entry for "any" reason whatsoever. If they state this
in
| writing they are ignorant of, or outside, the law. If the tenant does not
| want the CORGI man inside, that is it, he doesn't go in

However the law *requires* rented property to have an annual CORGI gas
check. Most tenancies have a clause in them that they cease if the property
becomes uninhabitable, and one can argue that this applies: that the
property becomes legally uninhabitable by a tenant. The tenancy ceases, and
because the property was rendered uninhabitable by the tenant's actions the
tenant is estoppped from action against the landlord.

No court is going to uphold that it is reasonable for a tenant to prevent
access to a property for a legally-required and safety-related inspection.

Owain