Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As a landlord it is your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances as well as chimneys and flues are inspected every year. It is also your responsibility to provide a copy to your tenants.

If the engineer considers that a particular appliance or installation is immediately dangerous they will ask permission to shut off gas from the system and recommend the installation of inspection hatches.

What is the definition of a Gas Safety Certificate?

A landlord's gas safety certificate is an official document that certifies that all gas appliances and flues in the rental property have been inspected by an experienced gas engineer. Landlords must arrange a gas check for each rental property that they own at least once per year. The inspection is carried out by an Gas Safe registered engineer and checks to ensure that all pipes appliances, flues, and pipes are in good working condition and that they are in compliance with safety regulations.

Landlords are also legally required to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) following each annual gas safety inspection and test. The certificate should be provided to tenants within 28 days after the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.

CP12 is an abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 which was used by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) prior to being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form contains the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any actions required to be taken, and the name and name of the engineer who conducted the check.

If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas device, the engineer will advise on what should be done to ensure its safe use. If a gas appliance is found to be immediately dangerous or abnormally dangerous the gas supply needs to be disconnected until the problem is resolved.

If a tenant is unwilling to permit access to the gas safety checks to be carried out it is an offence that is criminal. If needed, a landlord can ask the courts for an order to stop the tenant from preventing gas safety inspections. However, it is usually easier to send a letter which describes why the check is important and what's required. This will make a tenant more hesitant to give access, and if otherwise, the landlord could 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 gas safety inspection on the chimneys and gas appliances that they provide to their tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and there are no gas leaks within the property. This is a crucial responsibility for landlords and they should ensure that they are inspected for gas by a qualified gas engineer.

The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is a legal document that confirms that an inspection of the gas supply has been completed by a qualified engineer within the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord gas safety certificate cp12 and must be provided to the tenant to prove the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and has to be renewed every year.

A landlord who is unable to provide a Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be penalized. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out in a timely manner and keep a copy of the documentation in the event that a tenant asks for it.

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

Landlords must also ensure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to when they enter the property to perform Gas Safety checks. This allows the tenants to prepare for the visit and grant permission if needed. If a tenant does not permit the engineer to enter the landlord must inform them why it is necessary and what will happen if they don't follow through. If the tenant does not allow the engineer entry, the landlord can consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of 1988 Housing Act.

What happens if you don't own a Gas Safety Certificate?

It is the legal obligation of a landlord to make sure that their property has an approved gas safety certificate before tenants move into. Failure to comply with this law can result in a landlord being prosecuted or fined severely. The regulations stipulate that landlords are required to provide copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request.

homeowner gas safety certificate Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord safety certificate to conduct a gas inspection on all gas appliances. During the inspection, the engineer will note any issues that may pose a risk to tenants. The engineer will then issue a CP12 Gas Safety Document, which is also referred to as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).

This is a crucial document that every tenant should keep. This document provides information on gas installations in a rental property, including when they were tested and their expiration dates. It can help tenants identify issues with their appliances or installations and make sure that they are aware of how to contact an Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.

Landlords must provide a gas safety report to their tenants, current and new, within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord is also required to provide an original copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords who do not provide a copy of the gas safety certificate could be prosecuted under the rules and face unlimited fines or a six-month imprisonment.

The same way landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors are working in their properties and make arrangements for them to be tested each month. The landlord is accountable for repairing the problem if the alarm does not work. This applies to private landlords, councils and housing associations, as well as licensable houses of Multiple Occupation.

In June 2017, the High Court decided that it was illegal for landlords to issue Section 21 notices if they did not provide their tenants with a valid gas safety certification. The decision was made based on the law that states that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must have a record of their gas safety for their property before tenants move in.

How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

Landlords are legally responsible to make sure that the gas appliances, flues and pipework in their properties are safe for tenants. This is covered under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. In order to comply with these regulations, landlords must organize annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues they supply for use in the building. 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 recommended for landlords to consider having a boiler service carried out in conjunction with the CP12 inspection, since this will help ensure that all the gas appliances are working correctly and safely. Landlords can typically receive a combination CP12 and boiler service at an affordable cost from a professional gas engineer. They will be able to check the seals on boiler burners, inspect the flue system for leaks and cracks as well as clean the heat exchanger and burner and conduct 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 safety inspections, and details of any problems or actions that should be addressed. Landlords are required to give tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.

It's important that the landlord or letting agent only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises for safety checks and maintenance. It's important to educate tenants about the importance of giving gas engineers access to the property. They should explain that the engineer's presence is necessary to protect them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to permit access, it's the landlord or letting agent's responsibility clarify the legal obligations in writing. Then follow with a visit to the property to force entry if needed.

Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants prior to allowing them to enter the property. This will prove that the engineer is qualified to work with your home's systems and can therefore be trusted to carry out the safety inspection. You should also be aware that a gas technician can legally disconnect the malfunctioning equipment or cut off the gas supply in case of need.