Landlord Gas Safety Certificates Explained
Landlords have a legal duty to have gas appliances checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Here's what the certificate covers and the timing rules that apply.
Short answer: landlords in England and Wales have a legal duty under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations to have every gas appliance, flue and piece of pipework they provide checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and to give tenants a copy of the resulting record, often called a CP12.
What's checked
The engineer checks that each gas appliance is operating safely, that flues are correctly installed and unobstructed, and that gas pipework has no leaks. This covers boilers, gas fires, gas cookers and any other gas appliance provided as part of the tenancy, but not appliances the tenant has brought themselves.
Timing rules
- The check must be carried out within 12 months before the tenancy starts, and annually thereafter, no more than 12 months apart
- A copy of the record must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the check
- New tenants must be given a copy of the most recent record before they move in
What happens if a fault is found
If the engineer finds an appliance is unsafe, it will be labelled and, where necessary, disconnected on the spot, since gas safety takes priority over any inconvenience this causes. Repairs then need to be arranged before the appliance can be used again.
What if the tenant refuses access
Landlords are expected to take all reasonable steps to arrange the annual check, and it's worth keeping a written record of attempts made to arrange access if a tenant is difficult to reach, since this can matter if compliance is later questioned.
Penalties for non-compliance
Failing to arrange annual gas safety checks is a criminal offence, and can result in prosecution, an unlimited fine, and even imprisonment in the most serious cases, on top of the obvious safety risk to tenants. It can also affect a landlord's ability to serve a valid Section 21 notice in England.
Regulations, certification requirements and grant limits referenced here are correct at the time of publication and are reviewed and updated from time to time by government and local authorities. Always confirm the current position with a qualified, registered professional or your local authority before relying on it.
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