Who needs a landlord gas safety check?

If you let out a home with gas, you must keep the appliances, pipework and flues you provide safe. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, each gas appliance and flue you supply must be safety checked at least once every 12 months, and only an engineer on the Gas Safe Register can do it.

The rule is the same for one flat in Hertford as for a dozen houses across the county, and it reaches lets that are easy to overlook, such as rooms in a shared house, student accommodation and holiday lets.

Is a gas safety certificate the same as a CP12?

In practice, yes. The paperwork the law asks for is properly called a landlord gas safety record. Most landlords and agents still call it a CP12, a label carried over from an older form, and "gas safety certificate" is what most people search for. All three mean the same document.

What does the engineer look at?

The engineer works through every gas appliance you provide, usually a boiler, a hob or cooker and sometimes a gas fire, along with the flue serving each one. They will typically:

check each appliance burns gas correctly at the right pressure or heat input
confirm flues and chimneys are clear and carrying fumes safely outdoors
look at ventilation in the rooms where appliances are fitted
test the safety devices that cut off the gas if a flame fails
check the pipework for leaks, often with a tightness test at the meter

Make sure every cupboard, loft and room with a gas fitting can be reached on the day.

What goes on the record?

The record names the property and landlord, lists each appliance checked, where it is and the result, and notes any defect and what was done about it. It also carries the date and the engineer's name, Gas Safe number and signature.

Read it when it arrives. If a fault has been noted, get it put right promptly. You can confirm the engineer's registration by entering their number on the Gas Safe Register's own site.

What if something is found to be unsafe?

Gas engineers work to a standard industry procedure when they find something unsafe. If an appliance could put lives or property at risk, they will explain why, label it and, with permission, turn it off or disconnect it. Lesser faults are written up for you to repair.

Putting faults right is the landlord's job. Tell your tenants, and keep the appliance out of use until it has been fixed. The engineer can usually quote for the repair, and accepting is up to you.

When must tenants have a copy?

Anyone already living there needs a copy no more than 28 days after the check.
Anyone moving in needs a copy before their tenancy begins.
Hold on to every record for a minimum of two years.

Can I book the check before the old one expires?

Yes. If the new check takes place in the two months before the deadline, the new record can run from the old expiry date, so the early visit does not shorten your year. If you use this option, keep your records until two further checks have been carried out.

What if a tenant will not give access?

You are expected to take all reasonable steps. Write to the tenant explaining why the visit matters, offer other dates and times, and note every attempt. Do not enter without the tenant's permission.

Is this the same as a boiler service?

No. The safety check tells you the appliances were safe on the day of the visit. A service is maintenance: the boiler is cleaned, adjusted and checked so it keeps running well, and many manufacturers expect one every year. Plenty of landlords book both together, so mention it when you enquire.

Do I need carbon monoxide alarms too?

In England, private landlords must fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker, and a smoke alarm on every storey. These rules are separate from the gas check, but the visit is a good prompt to test the alarms.

What should I include in my enquiry?

how many properties need a check, with their postcodes
the gas appliances in each one
the date on the current record, if there is one
who will let the engineer in: you, a letting agent or the tenant
whether it is a shared house, student let or holiday let

What happens after I send it?

With your consent, the enquiry goes to one Gas Safe registered engineer whose area includes your postcode, and to nobody else. They get in touch to book the check and agree the price with you directly. Enquiring is free and you are not committed to anything.

Herts Heating Repairs is an independent enquiry service and does no heating work itself. The engineer may pay us for passing your enquiry on.

What should my tenant do if they smell gas?

Do not wait for an engineer to call. Open doors and windows, turn off the gas at the meter if you can reach it safely, avoid electrical switches and naked flames, and ring the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. The line is free and answers 24 hours a day.

Who you will hear from

We pass your enquiry to one local heating engineer who covers your postcode. It is never sent to a list of companies.

We only pass enquiries to heating engineers whose registration we have checked on the Gas Safe Register. Ask to see their registration ID card when they arrive.

Herts Heating Repairs is an independent enquiry service, not a heating company. With your consent, we pass your enquiry to one local heating engineer who covers your area. The engineer may pay us a fee for each introduction.