Landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service (Highly recommended Reading)

As an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues and chimneys are inspected annually. It is also your responsibility to provide a copy to your tenants.

If the engineer determines that a particular appliance or installation is immediately dangerous they will ask permission to disconnect the supply of gas and recommend the installation of inspection hatches.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

A landlord's gas safety certificate is an official document that proves that all gas appliances and flues within the rented property have been checked by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are required to arrange the gas check for each rental property that they own at least once per year. The inspection is conducted by a Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all of the pipework and appliances as well as flues are in good working order and in compliance with safety standards.

The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) at the time of every annual inspection and test for gas safety. This should be given to tenants within 28 days following the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy.

CP12 is an abbreviation used for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was employed by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) prior to being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form outlines the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, their results, any steps that need to be taken, as well as the name and title of the engineer who performed the check.

If the Gas Safety check highlights any issues with a gas appliance and the engineer will give advice on what should be done to ensure its safe use. If a device is deemed Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally dangerous the gas supply should be shut off until the issue is resolved.

If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for the gas safety certificate price security checks to be conducted, it is a criminal offence. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction order in the event of need, but it is generally easier to simply send a strongly worded letter explaining the reason why the checks are carried out and what they will entail. This should make a tenant more hesitant to give access, and if otherwise, the landlord could need to consider starting the eviction process.

How often should I receive a Gas Safety Certificate?

By law, landlords and let agents are required by law to conduct an annual gas safety inspection of all chimneys and gas appliances that they provide to their tenants. This is done to ensure that the equipment is safe for them to use and that theas Safety Certificate?

In essence, it is the landlord's legal obligation to ensure that their home has an approved gas safety certificate prior to the time tenants move into the property. Failure to do this is an offence that can result in landlords being punished with severe fines. The regulations also state that a landlord must provide an original copy of their gas safety certificate to their tenants on request.

Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property to conduct an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, an engineer will identify any issues that could pose a danger to tenants. The engineer will issue a CP12 Gas Safety Document, also referred to as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).

This is a vital piece of documentation that every tenant should get a hold of and keep. This document contains information about gas installations in a rental property and the dates they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It will help tenants recognize problems with appliances or installations and make sure that they know how contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.

Landlords are required to provide their tenants, both new and existing, with a gas safety report within 28 days of the engineer visiting their property. The landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service must also give an original copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords that fail to provide the copy of the gas certificate could be charged and face unlimited fines or even six months in prison.

Similar to this landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors work in their homes and make arrangements for them to be checked every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord must repair it. This is the case for councils, private landlords, and housing associations as well as licensable Houses of Multiple Occupation.

In June 2017 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 made by reference to the law which stipulates that landlords with assured shorthold leases must have an approved gas safety certificate for their property prior to when tenants move into the property.

How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

Landlords are legally accountable to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework within the properties they rent out are safe. This is covered by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. To be in compliance with the regulations landlords must conduct annual gas checks of all gas appliances and flues they supply to tenants. This is called a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate and it must be completed by a certified Gas Safe Registered Engineer after each inspection.

Landlords should also consider performing a boiler inspection simultaneously with an CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are working properly and safely. Gas engineers can offer the combination CP12 inspection and boiler service for a reasonable price. They will check the boiler burner's seals, inspect for leaks and cracks within the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and perform general maintenance.

The CP12 document is commonly called the 'landlord's gas safety certificate' but it is actually the Gas Safety Record documentation. It includes the results of the safety checks, as well as details of any problems or actions that should be taken care of. Landlords must provide their tenants the CP12 document no later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.

It's important that landlords or letting agents only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to access the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It is a good idea to educate tenants on the importance of allowing access and explaining that the gas engineer will protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to permit access, the landlord or agent must explain the legal obligations in writing. They should then visit the property and force entry if necessary.

Tenants should always see a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before entering the premises to prove that they're qualified to work on your home's gas systems and can be trusted to complete the gas safety test efficiently and effectively. Be aware that a gas engineer is able to legally disconnect faulty equipment or cut off the gas supply in case of need.