Waldo Barney

Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service

As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys undergo annual checks. The law also requires that you provide a copy of the check to your tenants.

If the engineer determines that an appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous they will ask permission to cut off the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches be put in place.

What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate?

A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document that demonstrates that the rented property's gas appliances and flues have been examined by a certified gas engineer. Landlords must arrange the gas check for each rental property that they have at least once a year. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and ensure that all pipework, appliances and flues conform with safety standards.

Landlords are also required by law to give their tenants copies of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) following each annual gas certificates safety inspection and test. The certificate should be given to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy.

CP12 is an abbreviation of the CORGI Proforma 12 which was used by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before it was replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form includes the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, their results, any steps that must be taken, as well as the name and the title of the engineer that conducted the check.

The engineer will offer advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will outline what needs to be corrected to make it safe to use. If a device is deemed dangerous immediately or abnormally dangerous the gas supply needs to be shut off until the issue is resolved.

If a tenant refuses to permit access to the gas safety checks to be carried out the tenant is guilty of an offence that is criminal. If needed the landlord has the right to ask the courts for a court order to prohibit the tenant from refusing to allow gas safety inspections. However, it's usually easier to send a letter which clarifies why the checks are vital and what is required. This should entice the tenant who is hesitant to allow access to the house. If not the landlord has to start the eviction procedure.

How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?

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

The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document which confirms that an engineer has completed a gas check within the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord gas safety certificate cost, and should be presented to the tenant in order to demonstrate the security of the gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months, and must be renewed annually.

If a landlord is unable to provide their tenants with the Gas Safety Certificate then they are breaking the law and could be fined by the local authority. It is therefore essential for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and to keep a copy the certificate in the event that a tenant asks for it.

It is also an excellent idea for landlords to install inspection hatches on all gas appliances to allow engineers to easily access them for inspections every year. The engineer will label the appliance as being at-risk and may recommend that tenants refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed.

Landlords are also required to give their tenants at least 24 hours' notice before entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows the tenants to prepare for the visit and grant permission, if required. If a tenant does not permit the engineer to enter the landlord must inform them the reason for the visit and what happens if they don't comply. If the tenant continues to refuse the engineer entry, then the landlord must look into evicting them pursuant to section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

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

In short it's the landlord's legal responsibility to ensure that their home has an approved gas safety certificate before tenants move into. Failure to comply with this law can result in the landlord being prosecuted or fined severely. The regulations also stipulate that landlords must give a copy of the gas safety report to their tenants on request.

Landlords must have a Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property for an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection the engineer will take note of any issues that could present a danger for tenants. They will then issue the CP12 gas safety document, that is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.

This is an important document that every tenant must keep. It contains information on the gas installations in the rental property as well as information about when they were last checked and the expiry dates. It can help tenants identify any issues with their installation or appliances and ensure they are aware of how to contact a Gas Safe engineer to have them checked.

Landlords are required to provide their new and current tenants with a gas safety inspection report within 28 days of the engineer visiting their property. They must also provide a copy of the CP12 to the tenant on the day their tenancy begins. Landlords who do not provide a copy of the gas safety certificate can 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 work in their properties and have them tested each month. The landlord is accountable for repairing the problem if the alarm does not work. This is applicable 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 unlawful for landlords to issue Section 21 notices if they did not provide their tenants with an official gas safety certificate. The decision was based on the law that states that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must have an approved gas safety certificate for their property before tenants move into the property.

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

Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that the gas appliances, flues, and pipework within their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulate this. In order to comply with the regulations, landlords are required to arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues that they provide for use in the building. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate and it must be filled out by a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.

It's also recommended for landlords to consider having the boiler service completed simultaneously with the CP12 inspection, since this will help ensure that all the gas appliances are functioning in a safe and efficient manner. Gas engineers can offer the combination CP12 inspection and boiler service for a reasonable price. They will examine the seals of boiler burners as well as look for leaks and cracks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger and carry out general maintenance.

The CP12 document is commonly referred to as the 'landlord gas safety certificate cp12 gas safety certificate', however, it is officially referred to as the Gas Safety Record documentation. It outlines the outcomes of all the safety checks and details of any actions or issues that require attention. Landlords must give their tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.

It's important that landlords or letting agents only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to access the property to conduct safety checks and for maintenance. It's important to educate tenants on the importance of allowing gas engineers access to the property and explain that the engineer's job is to protect them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to permit access, the landlord or agent must explain 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 before letting them in to ensure that they're competent to work on the gas systems in your home and can be trusted to complete the gas safety test efficiently and efficiently. It's also worth bearing in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to disconnect faulty equipment and can cut off your gas supply if necessary.