Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys are inspected annually. You must also give a copy of the report to your tenants.

If the engineer considers an appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous they will ask for permission to cut off the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches be installed.

What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

A landlord gas safety certificate is a document that demonstrates that all of the rented property's gas safe building regulations compliance certificate appliances and flues have been inspected by a licensed gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to conduct a gas safety inspection annually for each rental property they own. The inspection is performed by a Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all of the pipework appliances, flues, and pipes are in good working condition and that they comply with the safety regulations.

Landlords are also legally required to give their tenants a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) following each annual gas safe building regulations compliance certificate safety inspection and test. This should be given to tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.

CP12 is the abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 that was employed by CORGI before it was replaced in 2009 by the Gas Safe Register. The form includes the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, their results, any steps that must be taken, and the name and the title of the engineer who conducted the inspection.

The engineer will provide advice on the spot if the Gas Safety Check reveals any problems with the gas appliance. This will outline what needs to be fixed in order to ensure it is safe to use. If an appliance is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally dangerous the gas supply needs to be disconnected until the problem is resolved.

It is a crime to a tenant who refuses to allow the gas safety test to be carried out. A landlord can apply to the courts for an injunction should it be necessary, but it is generally more efficient to simply send a well written letter stating why it is essential that the checks are carried out and what they will entail. This should encourage a reluctant tenant to let access in, and if otherwise, the landlord could be required to begin the eviction process.

How often should I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?

The landlords and letting agencies are required by law to conduct an annual gas safety inspection on all gas appliances and flues that they supply to their tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe for use and that there aren't any gas leaks in the property. Gas inspections are a crucial obligation for landlords and they must ensure that they are completed by a certified engineer.

The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is an official document that proves that a gas inspection has been conducted by a qualified engineer within the past 12 months. It is issued by the landlord, and should be provided to the tenant to prove the safety of gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months and has to be renewed each year.

A landlord who is unable to provide the Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. It is therefore crucial for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and keep a copy of the certificate in the event that a tenant asks for it.

Installing inspection hatches in all gas appliances is a good idea because it lets engineers gain access to the appliances for their annual inspections. If the appliance is found to be at risk during an inspection, the engineer will formally declare it to be at risk and shut off the boiler and recommend that the tenant not use it until the inspection hatch is installed.

Landlords are also required to provide their tenants with at least 24 hours' notice prior entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows tenants to prepare and request permission, if required. If a tenant does not allow access to the engineer, the landlord must explain the reason for this and what happens if the tenant refused. If the tenant still refuses the engineer entry, then the landlord must consider evicting them using section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

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

It is the legal responsibility of a landlord to ensure that their property has an official gas safety certificate that is valid before tenants move in. Failure to comply with this law could result in a landlord being prosecuted or fined severely. The regulations also state that landlords must give an electronic copy of the gas safety report 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, the engineer will note any issues that may present a danger to tenants. They will then issue an CP12 gas safety document, which is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.

This is a vital piece of documentation that all tenants should take possession of and keep. This document contains information about gas installations in a rental property and the dates they were tested and their expiration dates. It can help tenants spot any issues with their appliances or installations and ensure they know how to contact a Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.

Landlords are required to provide an inspection report on gas safety to their tenants, both current and new, within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord must also provide an original copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords who do not provide a copy of the gas safety certificate can be prosecuted in accordance with the regulations and face unlimited fines or a six-month imprisonment.

Similarly, landlords must ensure that their properties are equipped with carbon monoxide alarms. They can also arrange for them to be tested each month. The landlord is accountable for repairing any alarm that doesn't work. This is the case for private landlords, councils and housing associations as well as licensable houses of Multiple Occupation.

In June 2017, the High Court ruled that it was illegal for landlords to send Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with an official gas Safety Certificate. The ruling was by reference to the law which states that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must have an approved gas safety certificate for their property prior to the time tenants move into.

How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?

Landlords have a legal responsibility to make sure that the gas safety certificate landlord appliances, flues and pipework within their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulate this. To comply with the regulations landlords must conduct annual gas checks of all gas appliances and flues that they install for use in the property. This is known as a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, and it has to be completed by a qualified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.

It's also a good idea for landlords to consider having an annual boiler service performed in conjunction with the CP12 inspection, since it will help ensure that all gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Gas engineers can offer a combined CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable price. They will inspect the seals of boiler burners as well as look for leaks and cracks within the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and perform general maintenance.

The CP12 document is commonly known as the 'landlord's gas safety certificate' although it is officially called the Gas Safety Record documentation. It outlines the outcomes of all the safety checks and the details of any actions or issues that need to be addressed. Landlords must provide their tenants a CP12 document not later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.

It is essential that landlords or letting agents only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to visit the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It's a good idea educate tenants on the necessity of allowing access, and explaining that the gas engineer will ensure they are safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to let access in it is the landlord's or letting agent's duty to clarify the legal obligations in writing, and follow by visiting the property to force entry if necessary.

Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants prior to entering the property. This will prove that the engineer is competent to work on the systems in your home and can therefore be trusted to carry out the safety check. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to cut off any defective equipment and can cut off your gas supply when necessary.