The Health and Safety Executive explains that the Landlord Gas Safety Record was previously referred to as a gas safety record, gas safety certificate or CP12 form. The record must contain the required information, but there is no single mandatory certificate design.

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APN Boilers helps landlords, letting agents, property managers and homeowners find appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineers for gas safety checks across the UK.

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What Is a Gas Safety Certificate?

 

A gas safety certificate records the outcome of a professional inspection of gas appliances and flues.

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For landlords, the record should identify:

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• The address of the property.

• The landlord or managing agent.

• Each appliance or flue inspected.

• The appliance location.

• The date of the check.

• The engineer’s name and Gas Safe registration details.

• Any safety-related defect identified.

• Remedial action completed.

• Confirmation that the required safety checks were undertaken.

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The record should only be issued after the engineer has completed the required checks. Where faults are identified, the record should still be issued and supplemented with evidence of any subsequent repair or remedial work.

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Who Needs a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate?

 

Landlords must arrange annual safety checks for gas appliances and flues that they own and provide for tenants.

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These duties can apply to:

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• Private landlords.

• Housing associations.

• Local authorities.

• Letting agents acting for landlords.

• Hotels and guest accommodation.

• Hostels.

• Boarding schools.

• Colleges.

• Holiday accommodation.

• Properties with communal gas boilers.

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The legal duty covers permanent and portable gas appliances provided for tenants, together with their associated flues. Communal gas appliances serving several dwellings also require appropriate maintenance and annual safety checks.

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Annual Gas Safety Checks

 

A landlord must ensure that each relevant gas appliance and flue receives a gas safety check every year.

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Before a new tenancy begins, the required checks must have been completed within the preceding year and the tenant must be given a current record.

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The annual inspection may include:

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• Gas boilers.

• Gas fires.

• Gas cookers.

• Gas hobs.

• Gas water heaters.

• Gas space heaters.

• Portable LPG appliances provided by the landlord.

• Flues and chimneys connected to those appliances.

• Communal boilers serving rented accommodation.

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The landlord must also maintain gas pipework, appliances and flues in a safe condition. The annual check does not remove the separate responsibility to arrange maintenance and repairs when needed.

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When Is the Gas Safety Certificate Due?

 

In Great Britain, landlords can arrange the annual check during the two calendar months before the existing deadline and retain the original renewal date.

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This is sometimes described as an MOT-style renewal arrangement. It allows the landlord to organise access early without shortening the annual certificate cycle. The legal requirement for an annual check remains unchanged.

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For example, where the existing deadline is 30 September, the new check can generally be arranged from 1 August while retaining 30 September as the annual renewal date, provided the statutory requirements are followed.

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Where a landlord uses this flexibility, the relevant records must be kept until two further gas safety checks have been completed so that compliance with the renewal timetable can be demonstrated.

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Giving the Record to Tenants

 

Landlords must provide:

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• Existing tenants with a copy within 28 days of the check.

• New tenants with a valid copy before they move into the property.

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Electronic records can be used where the tenant agrees and can access the document. A paper copy must be provided where the tenant requests one.

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For short-term accommodation of less than 28 days, such as some holiday accommodation, a legible copy may be displayed prominently within the premises.

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Special arrangements can also apply where the relevant appliance is in a communal area rather than within an individual tenant’s accommodation.

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How Long Must Records Be Kept?

 

Landlords must keep gas safety records for at least two years.

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Records can be stored electronically, provided they:

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• Can be reproduced as a hard copy.

• Are protected against loss or alteration.

• Clearly identify the engineer who completed the check.

• Can be supplied to tenants or enforcement authorities when required.

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Where the early-renewal flexibility is used, records may need to be retained for longer so that the previous inspection dates and retained deadline can be demonstrated.

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What Does a Gas Safety Check Cover?

 

The engineer will inspect the appliances and flues included within the appointment and complete the checks required by the Gas Safety Regulations.

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Depending on the appliances and installation, the visit may involve:

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• Checking that appliances are operating safely.

• Inspecting flues and combustion-product routes.

• Checking ventilation where required.

• Testing relevant safety devices.

• Checking for signs of unsafe combustion.

• Confirming appliance locations and descriptions.

• Recording any safety-related defects.

• Identifying appliances that must not continue operating.

• Advising on required repairs.

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A gas safety check records the condition of the appliances and flues at the time of inspection. It should not be treated as a guarantee that an appliance will remain fault-free for the following year.

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Gas Safety Check or Boiler Service?

 

A gas safety check and a boiler service are not identical.

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Gas Safety Check

A gas safety check focuses on whether the appliance and flue are operating safely and records the results required for the Landlord Gas Safety Record.

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Boiler Service

A boiler service involves inspection and maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. It may include cleaning components, checking the boiler’s condition and identifying wear or developing faults.

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A landlord can arrange both during the same visit, but the quotation should clearly state whether it includes:

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• The statutory gas safety check.

• The Landlord Gas Safety Record.

• A complete boiler service.

• Cleaning and maintenance.

• Replacement consumable parts.

• Additional appliance checks.

• Carbon-monoxide alarm checks.

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A Landlord Gas Safety Record does not necessarily mean that every appliance has received a full manufacturer-standard service.

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Landlord Gas Safety Certificate

 

A landlord gas safety certificate is required where a landlord provides gas appliances for tenants.

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The landlord remains responsible for ensuring that:

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• Annual checks are arranged.

• The engineer is appropriately registered and qualified.

• Appliances and flues are maintained.

• Unsafe appliances are not used.

• Records are retained.

• Tenants receive copies within the required timescales.

• Necessary repairs are completed.

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Appointing a letting agent does not automatically remove the landlord’s responsibility. The management agreement should make clear who will arrange checks, maintenance, access and record keeping.

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What if the Tenant Owns the Appliance?

 

A landlord is not normally responsible for the annual safety check of an appliance that belongs to the tenant and was not provided by the landlord.

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However, the landlord remains responsible for maintaining parts of the gas installation and pipework for which they are responsible.

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Where a previous tenant has left a gas appliance behind, the landlord should either remove it or arrange for it to be checked before the property is re-let. Ownership and responsibility should be made clear.

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Gas Appliances in Communal Areas

 

A communal gas boiler or appliance serving several flats or rooms must be appropriately maintained and included within the required annual safety arrangements.

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This may require coordination between:

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• The individual landlord.

• The freeholder.

• A management company.

• A housing association.

• A managing agent.

• The communal heating contractor.

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The responsibility should be established clearly rather than assumed to sit with another party.

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Holiday Lets, HMOs and Short-Term Accommodation

 

Gas safety duties can apply to:

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• Houses in multiple occupation.

• Student accommodation.

• Holiday homes.

• Serviced accommodation.

• Hotels and guest houses.

• Hostels.

• Short-term rental properties.

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For occupancies of less than 28 days, the current gas safety record may be displayed prominently within the accommodation rather than individually issued in advance.

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Property owners should also consider any additional licensing, fire-safety or local-authority requirements applying to an HMO or short-term let. The gas certificate addresses gas safety only and should not be treated as a complete landlord-compliance package.

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Landlord Certificates

 

The phrase landlord certificates can refer to several property-compliance documents, including:

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• Landlord Gas Safety Records.

• Electrical Installation Condition Reports.

• Energy Performance Certificates.

• Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm records.

• Portable-appliance inspection records where appropriate.

• Fire-safety documentation.

• Legionella risk assessments.

• Boiler-service records.

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This APN Boilers service is specifically concerned with gas safety checks, boiler servicing and heating-related certification.

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A gas safety certificate does not replace the landlord’s separate obligations relating to electrical safety, energy performance, fire safety or property licensing.

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Homeowner Gas Safety Checks

 

Owner-occupiers are not normally required to obtain an annual Landlord Gas Safety Record for their own home.

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However, HSE strongly advises homeowners to have gas appliances, flues and pipework regularly maintained and serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

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A homeowner may arrange a gas safety check when:

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• Buying or selling a property.

• Moving into a previously occupied home.

• Concerned about an old boiler or gas appliance.

• Preparing for building work near a flue.

• Reopening a property after a long vacancy.

• Investigating unusual smells or appliance behaviour.

• Checking appliances before elderly or vulnerable occupants move in.

• Reviewing an installation with incomplete records.

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The engineer may provide a service record or gas-safety report, but this should not be confused with the statutory Landlord Gas Safety Record required for rented property.

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Gas Safety Certificates for Property Sales

 

A gas safety certificate is not generally the same as a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

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A Landlord Gas Safety Record documents an annual gas-safety inspection.

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A Building Regulations Compliance Certificate confirms that a qualifying new gas appliance installation was notified to the local authority.

 

Gas Safe Register states that a Building Regulations certificate should normally be issued following installation of a heat-producing gas appliance in England or Wales.

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When selling a property, useful heating documents can include:

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• Boiler installation certification.

• Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

• Commissioning record.

• Boiler warranty.

• Annual service history.

• Gas-safety records.

• Details of repairs and alterations.

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These documents serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable.

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Gas Safety Certificate Cost

 

The gas safety certificate cost will depend on the property and the number and type of appliances requiring inspection.

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The quotation may be affected by:

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• Property location.

• Number of gas appliances.

• Boilers, cookers, fires or water heaters.

• Number of flues.

• LPG or mains-gas installation.

• Accessibility.

• Communal or commercial equipment.

• Whether a boiler service is also required.

• Whether carbon-monoxide alarms are checked.

• Out-of-hours attendance.

• Parking and travel.

• VAT.

• Repairs identified during the inspection.

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A straightforward property with one gas boiler will generally require less inspection time than a larger rented home containing a boiler, gas fire, cooker and several flues.

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The quotation should confirm:

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• How many appliances are included.

• Whether the landlord record is included.

• Whether the price includes VAT.

• Whether a boiler service is included.

• Whether repairs are charged separately.

• Whether a return visit is chargeable.

• How the completed certificate will be supplied.

• Whether the tenant can receive the record directly.

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What Happens if a Fault Is Found?

 

A gas safety certificate is not automatically a pass certificate.

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The engineer may identify defects requiring:

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• Immediate repair.

• Disconnection or isolation.

• Further investigation.

• Replacement components.

• Flue alterations.

• Ventilation work.

• Boiler replacement.

• Removal of an unsafe appliance.

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The safety record should identify relevant defects and any remedial action taken. The record should still be issued when a concern is found rather than being withheld until the repair has been completed. Follow-up repair records should then be retained with it.

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An appliance classified as unsafe must not be returned to use until the necessary work has been completed by an appropriately qualified engineer.

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Arrange Access Before the Certificate Expires

 

Landlords should not leave access arrangements until the final day.

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A sensible process may include:

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• Contacting the tenant well before the due date.

• Offering reasonable appointment options.

• Keeping written records of access requests.

• Confirming appointments in writing.

• Rearranging missed appointments promptly.

• Using the early-renewal period in Great Britain.

• Retaining correspondence and contractor records.

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The early-renewal system allows checks to be completed up to two months before the deadline without losing the established renewal date, helping reduce the risk of expiry caused by access difficulties.

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Use an Appropriately Qualified Gas Safe Engineer

 

Gas Safe Register is the official list of businesses legally permitted to carry out gas work.

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Every registered engineer carries an identification card. The card should be checked to confirm:

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• The engineer’s identity.

• Current registration.

• Licence number.

• Expiry date.

• The categories of gas work they are qualified to undertake.

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Not every Gas Safe engineer is qualified for every appliance or fuel type. The engineer’s qualifications must cover the particular boiler, fire, cooker, water heater or LPG equipment being checked.

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LPG Gas Safety Certificates

 

LPG appliances used in rural homes, holiday accommodation, park homes and other properties also require an appropriately qualified engineer.

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The engineer must hold the relevant LPG categories, which may differ depending on whether the installation involves:

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• Permanent residential LPG.

• Residential park homes.

• Leisure accommodation vehicles.

• Boats.

• Commercial LPG installations.

• Bulk tanks or cylinder supplies.

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Standard mains-gas boiler qualifications should not be assumed to cover LPG work.

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Carbon Monoxide Alarms

 

A gas safety inspection may include observation of carbon-monoxide alarms, but landlords should confirm whether alarm testing is included within the appointment.

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Carbon-monoxide alarm requirements are separate from the annual gas safety record and differ according to the type and location of the accommodation.

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A gas safety certificate should not be used as a substitute for:

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• Correctly positioned alarms.

• Regular alarm testing.

• Appliance servicing.

• Safe ventilation.

• Prompt investigation of suspected combustion problems.

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Where a carbon-monoxide alarm activates, occupants should leave the affected area, stop using the appliance where this can be done safely and seek urgent professional assistance.

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Gas Safety in Northern Ireland

 

Northern Ireland operates under separate gas-safety regulations, but landlords are also required to maintain gas appliances and fittings, arrange annual checks using Gas Safe registered installers and provide the record to tenants.

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Official Northern Ireland guidance states that records should be kept for two years, existing tenants should receive a copy within 28 days and new tenants should receive the record before moving in.

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The early-renewal arrangements currently applying in Great Britain should not automatically be assumed to apply in Northern Ireland. The requirements applicable to the property should be confirmed when arranging the inspection.

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Preparing for the Gas Safety Check

 

Before the engineer arrives, the landlord, agent or tenant should provide access to:

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• The boiler.

• Gas meter.

• Gas fires.

• Cooker or hob.

• Water heaters.

• Appliance isolation points.

• Flue inspection points where installed.

• Relevant cupboards and roof spaces.

• Previous gas-safety records.

• Boiler service records.

• Manufacturer instructions where available.

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The engineer should also be told about:

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• Recent boiler faults.

• Unusual smells.

• Carbon-monoxide alarm activations.

• Flue alterations.

• Extensions or building work.

• Appliances added or removed.

• Tenant-owned gas appliances.

• Changes to ventilation.

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Safe and unobstructed access can help the check proceed efficiently.

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What Should You Receive After the Check?

 

Following the inspection, the landlord or agent should receive a record containing the required details.

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The engineer should explain:

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• Which appliances and flues were checked.

• Whether any defect was identified.

• Whether an appliance has been isolated.

• What repairs are required.

• Whether a full boiler service is recommended.

• When the next check is due.

• Whether follow-up work is needed.

• How the record will be supplied to the tenant.

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Usually, one Landlord Gas Safety Record can list all appliances and flues inspected at the property. Separate records are not normally required for every appliance.

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Find a Gas Safety Engineer Through APN Boilers

 

APN Boilers helps landlords, agents, property managers and homeowners find appropriately qualified local professionals for:

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• Gas safety certificates.

• Landlord Gas Safety Records.

• Annual gas safety checks.

• CP12 certificates.

• Boiler safety checks.

• Gas boiler servicing.

• LPG safety checks.

• Gas-fire checks.

• Gas water-heater checks.

• Boiler repairs and remedial work.

• Portfolio and multi-property inspections.

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Tell APN Boilers the property postcode, number of gas appliances, tenancy status and certificate due date.

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We will help you find an appropriate Gas Safe registered professional to complete the gas safety check and issue the required record.

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