Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As a landlord, it is your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances, chimneys and flues are inspected annually. The law also requires that you provide a copy of the check to your tenants.

If the engineer deems any device or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will request permission to cut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches are installed.

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

A landlord gas safety certificate is a document which demonstrates that all the gas appliances and flues have been examined by a certified gas engineer. Landlords are legally required to organize a gas safety check once per year for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and verify that all pipes, appliances and flues comply with safety regulations.

The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) at the time of each annual inspection and test for gas safety. The document should be handed out to tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the start of their lease.

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 contains the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any steps required to be taken, as well as the name and title of the engineer that conducted the test.

If the gas safety certificate and boiler service Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance the engineer will provide advice on what should be done to make it safe for use. If a gas appliance is found to be immediately dangerous or abnormally dangerous the gas supply needs to be turned off until the issue is fixed.

It is a crime for a tenant to refuse to let the gas safety check to be carried out. If necessary the landlord has the right to ask the courts for a court order to stop the tenant from preventing the gas safety checks. However, it's usually easier to send a letter that clarifies why the checks are vital and what is required. This will convince a tenant who is reluctant to allow access and, if not, the landlord might have to think about starting the process of eviction.

How often should I obtain a 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 they offer to their tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe to use and that there aren't any gas leaks within the property. This is a crucial responsibility and landlords should make sure that they are inspected for gas by a qualified gas 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 check within the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord and must also be given to the tenant to prove the security of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and needs to be renewed annually.

A landlord who fails to provide the Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and to keep a copy the certificate in case a tenant requests it.

It's also an excellent idea for landlords to set up inspection hatches on all gas appliances, so that the engineers can easily access the hatches for annual inspections. The engineer will label the appliance as being at-risk and may recommend that tenants stop using the boiler until the inspection hatch is installed.

The landlords should also ensure that they give tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice before they are allowed to enter the property to perform Gas Safety checks. This allows tenants time to prepare and request permission if they need. If a tenant does not allow the engineer's entry the landlord must explain why this is necessary and what would happen should the tenant refuse. If the tenant does not allow the engineer entry, the landlord may consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of the 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 is equipped with an official gas safety certificate that is valid prior to the time tenants move in. Failure to do this is an offence that can result in landlords being prosecuted and subject to severe fines. The regulations state that landlords must also provide copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request.

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

This is a crucial document that every tenant should get a hold of and keep. It includes information about the gas installations of a rented property and also details on when they were last checked and the expiry dates. It will help tenants recognize any issues with their appliances or installations and make sure that they are aware of how to contact an Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.

Landlords must provide a gas safety report to their tenants, new and current, within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service must also give the copy of CP12 at the beginning of the lease. Landlords who fail to provide an original copy of the gas safety certificate could be prosecuted under the rules and may be subject to unlimited fines or six months imprisonment.

In the same way landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors are working in their properties and have them checked every month. The landlord is accountable for repairing any alarm that doesn't work. The rules for this apply to private, council and housing association landlords and also to licensable Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

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

How can I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

Landlords are legally accountable to ensure that gas appliances, flues, and pipework within the properties they lease out are safe. This is covered by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. To comply with the regulations landlords are required to conduct annual gas checks of all gas appliances and flues they provide for use in a property. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and must be completed by a qualified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.

Landlords should also think about performing a boiler inspection at the same time as an CP12 inspection. This will ensure that the gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Landlords can usually obtain a combined CP12 and boiler service and gas safety certificate service for a reasonable price from a qualified gas engineer. They will be able to examine the seals on boiler burners. They will also inspect the flue system for leaks and cracks as well as clean the heat exchanger and burner and perform general maintenance.

The CP12 is often called "landlord's gas safety certificate" but it's actually known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It contains the results of the safety checks, as well as specifics of any issues or actions that need to be taken care of. Landlords must provide their tenants a CP12 document within 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.

It is important that landlords and letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It is a good idea to inform tenants about the importance of allowing access and explain that the gas engineer is there to help keep them safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant does not allow access the agent or landlord must outline the legal obligations in writing. Then, they should visit the property and force entry if required.

Tenants should always see a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer prior to they allow them into the home to prove that they're competent to work on the gas systems in your home and are able to complete the gas safety check efficiently and effectively. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to cut off any defective equipment and cut off gas lines when necessary.