Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, chimneys and flues are inspected every year. The law also requires you give a copy of the check to your tenants.

If the engineer determines that any installation or appliance is imminently dangerous they will ask permission to cut off gas supply and recommend the installation of inspection hatches.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate?

A landlord gas safety certificate is a document that proves that all of the gas appliances in the rental property and flues have been examined by a certified gas engineer. Landlords must arrange a gas check for each rental property they own at least once per year. Gas Safe registered engineers carry out the inspection and check that all pipework, appliances and flues conform with safety regulations.

Landlords are also required by law to give their tenants a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) at the end of each year's gas safety inspection and test. The document should be handed out to tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.

CP12 is the abbreviation used for the CORGI Proforma 12 that was used by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form identifies the date of the last gas inspection and tests, the results of these tests, any issues or actions that need to be addressed, and the name of the engineer who carried out the inspection.

The engineer will provide advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will include what needs to be addressed to make it safe to use. If an appliance is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally dangerous the gas supply should be turned off until the issue has been resolved.

If a tenant refuses to allow access for gas safety checks to be completed the tenant is guilty of an infraction that is punishable by law. A landlord can ask the courts for an injunction order should it be necessary, but it is generally easier to simply send a strongly worded letter explaining the reasons why it is crucial that the checks are made and what they will involve. This will convince a tenant who is reluctant to give access, and if not, the landlord may need to consider starting the process of eviction.

How often do I need to renew my Gas Safety Certificate?

The law requires that landlords and agents for letting are required to conduct an annual safety check of the chimneys and gas appliances they offer to their tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and there are no gas leaks in the property. Gas inspections are a vital obligation for landlords and they should ensure that they are completed by a certified engineer.

The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document which affirms that an engineer has completed a gas inspection in the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord, and should be provided to the tenant to verify the safety of gas supply. It is valid for 12 months, and has to be renewed every year.

A landlord who is unable to provide an Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. It is therefore crucial for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and to keep a copy the certificate in case a tenant requests it.

It's also a good idea for landlords to put inspection hatches on all gas appliances so that engineers can easily access the hatches for annual inspections. The engineer will categorise the appliance as being at-risk and may recommend that tenants refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed.

Landlords are also required to give their tenants at least 24 hours' notice before entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows tenants to prepare and ask permission if they need. If a tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer access the landlord must inform them why it is necessary and what will happen if they don't follow through. If the tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer entry, the landlord can consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act.

What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate?

In short, it's a landlord's legal duty to ensure their property has a valid gas safety certificate before tenants move into the property. Infractions to the law can lead to the landlord being charged or fined severely. The regulations require that landlords are required to provide copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request.

Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property to perform an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, a Gas Safe registered engineer will be able to identify any issues that could be a threat to tenants. The engineer will issue the CP12 Gas Safety Document, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).

This is a very important document that every tenant should keep. It contains information on the gas appliances in the rental property, as well as details on when they were last tested and when they expire. It can help tenants spot any issues with the installation or appliances and make sure that they know how long does gas safety certificate last to contact an Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.

Landlords are required to provide their current and new tenants with a gas safety check report within 28 days of the engineer visiting their property. They must also provide a copy of the CP12 to the tenant on the day that their tenancy starts. Landlords who do not provide an original copy of the gas safety certificate can be prosecuted in accordance with the regulations and could face unlimited fines or six months imprisonment.

The same way landlords must ensure that carbon monoxide detectors work in their homes and arrange for them being tested each month. The landlord is responsible for fixing the problem if the alarm does not work. The rules around this are applicable to council, private and housing association landlords as well as to licensable houses of multiple Occupation (HMOs).

In June 2017 the High Court ruled that it was unlawful for landlords to send Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with an official Gas Safety Certificate. The decision was based upon a law that requires landlords who have assured shorthold leases to obtain an official gas safety certificate for their property prior to the time tenants move into it.

How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?

Landlords are legally responsible for ensuring that gas appliances, flues, and pipework within the properties they lease are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. In order to comply with the regulations, landlords are required to arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues they supply for use in the building. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate. It must be filled out by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.

Landlords should also think about performing a boiler inspection in conjunction with an CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are operating properly and safely. Gas engineers can offer an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service for a reasonable price. They will check the seals of boiler burners as well as look for leaks and cracks in the flue system, clean the heat exchanger and carry out general maintenance.

The CP12 document is often referred to as the 'landlord gas safety certificate' however, it is officially referred to as the Gas Safety Record documentation. It contains the results of all safety checks and details of any actions or issues that need to be resolved. Landlords are required to provide their tenants a CP12 document not later than 28 days after the gas safe building regulations compliance certificate Safety Check is completed.

It is essential that landlords or letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises to conduct safety checks and for maintenance. It is a good idea to inform tenants of the necessity of allowing access, and explain that the gas engineer is there to help keep them safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to allow access the agent or landlord must state the legal requirements in writing. They should then go to the property and force entry if necessary.

Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants prior to allowing them to enter the property. This will ensure that the engineer has the necessary qualifications to work with your home's systems and therefore be trusted to carry out the safety check. You should also be aware that a gas engineer is able to legally shut off faulty equipment or cut off your gas supply should it be required.