Gas Safety Certificates
This guide is to help both landlords and tenants understand gas safety certificates. We’ve tried our best to answer the important questions, but if you have more don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at haart.
Landlords are legally required to make sure all the gas appliances, fittings and any chimneys or flues are safe for tenants. The legal regulations, entitled Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations, came to pass in 1998.
What is a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate (or record) is the document you receive after a gas safety inspection or check has been carried out. A check must happen every year. A gas safety certificate is also known as a CP12 certificate.
If you are a landlord renting out a property, it’s a legal obligation and you must have the inspections carried out by a qualified and registered engineer. They will record all the details of the gas fittings and appliances and provide copies of their report to both landlord and tenants.
An engineer will complete a visual check on all the property’s gas appliances and pipework that’s accessible. They will be looking to make sure they’re in good condition. They will conduct tests on the pipework to make sure there are no gas leaks. If there are any chimneys or flues in the property, these will also be checked and tested.
Do I need a gas safety certificate?
Even if the tenants renting the property don’t use it, if there’s a live supply of gas to the property it must be checked. The certificate must be renewed each year to check for any changes or wear and tear to gas appliances.
Advice for landlords – Read haart’s advice section
How much does a gas safety certificate cost?
The price of a gas safety certificate can start at around the £35 mark and go up to around £150. Unfortunately, there’s no fixed price, as the cost depends on the engineer or company you choose and how many appliances to assess. It’s best to get a selection of quotes to compare.
When should I have a gas safety check carried out?
A gas safety check must be carried out annually, whether or not there are tenants currently living in the property. Make sure the check is booked with plenty of time before the expiration date from the previous one.
What must be included on a gas safety record form?
The certificate will be in the form of a record or report. The information may be presented slightly differently for each company or engineer, but must at least include:
- A description and location of each appliance, flue or chimney the engineer has checked
- The name, registration number, and signature of the engineer
- The date of the inspection
- The address of the property being checked
- The landlord’s (or their agent’s) name and address
- The results of the operational safety checks carried out on the appliances
- A record of any safety defects the engineer has found
- A description of any actions taken or required to fix defects found
It’s important to remember that the law requires landlords to make sure the pipework of rental property is kept in safe working order too. Tenants are responsible for their own gas appliances, but landlords remain responsible for the pipework they are connected to.
Often, there will be a section on a gas safety record where the engineer can record the results of tests that show if pipework is safe or not.
What paperwork should I get after a gas safety check?
The engineer will provide a copy of a gas safety certificate, which will include the results of tests they’ve carried out on the gas appliances in your property. Landlords are legally required to make a copy for their tenants. New tenants must receive it before moving into the property, existing tenants must get their copy within 28 days of the gas safety check taking place.
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