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A landlord gas safety certificate is one of the core safety records for a rented property with gas appliances. The document is more accurately described by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as a landlord gas safety record. It is also sometimes called a CP12, although there is no single prescribed certificate form.
For landlords, the important point is not the name of the document but whether the required gas safety checks have been completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer, whether the record contains the required information, and whether tenants receive their copy at the correct time.
Scope note: This article focuses on landlord duties in Great Britain under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as amended. Northern Ireland has separate gas-safety legislation and guidance.
What is a landlord gas safety certificate?
A landlord gas safety certificate records the results of the statutory gas safety check carried out on relevant gas appliances and flues in a rented property.
Landlords must arrange an annual gas safety check for gas appliances and flues they own and provide for tenants’ use. The check must be carried out by an appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.
The record should be issued once the required checks have been completed. If a fault is identified, the record should still reflect the findings, while any necessary remedial work must be dealt with separately and unsafe appliances must not continue to be used.
What does the gas safety check cover?
The annual check normally applies to gas appliances and flues that the landlord owns and provides for the tenant. Depending on the property, this can include items such as:
- gas boilers;
- gas fires;
- gas cookers or hobs supplied by the landlord;
- associated flues; and
- communal gas appliances serving rented accommodation where the landlord has responsibility.
A tenant-owned appliance is generally not part of the landlord’s annual appliance-check duty. However, the landlord may still have responsibilities for associated installation pipework and for ensuring the property remains safe.
Does the certificate cover gas pipework?
Not in the same way as the annual appliance and flue safety check.
HSE guidance states that installation pipework is not itself covered by the annual gas safety check, although landlords still have a duty to keep relevant gas installations maintained in a safe condition. HSE recommends asking the Gas Safe registered engineer to test the soundness of the whole gas system and visually examine accessible pipework where appropriate.
This distinction matters because a current gas safety record should not be treated as proof that every part of the gas installation has undergone a full condition survey.
What information must the gas safety record contain?
According to HSE guidance, the record must contain certain minimum information. This includes:
- a description and location of each appliance or flue checked;
- the date on which the check was carried out;
- the address of the property;
- the landlord’s name and address, or the agent’s details where appropriate;
- the engineer’s name, Gas Safe registration number and signature;
- details of any safety-related defect identified;
- details of remedial action taken where applicable; and
- confirmation that the required safety-check matters under the regulations have been examined.
There is no requirement for every engineer or company to use an identical form. What matters is that the record contains the legally required information.
How often is a landlord gas safety certificate required?
A gas safety check is required every 12 months for relevant appliances and flues.
The 2018 amendment to the regulations introduced additional flexibility. A landlord can arrange the check up to two months before the existing deadline and, where the regulatory conditions are met, retain the original anniversary date for the next check.
This can help landlords avoid leaving the appointment until the final few days before expiry.
When must tenants receive the gas safety record?
The timing requirements are important:
- New tenants: the current gas safety record should be provided before they move into the property.
- Existing tenants: a copy must generally be provided within 28 days of the safety check.
Electronic copies can be used where the tenant is happy to receive and access the document electronically. A paper copy should be provided if the tenant requests one.
How long should landlords keep gas safety records?
Landlords must normally keep gas safety check records for at least two years.
Where a landlord uses the early-check flexibility that preserves the previous deadline date, HSE guidance explains that records may need to be retained longer so the landlord can demonstrate compliance with the required sequence of checks.
For practical property management, keeping a complete digital history of gas safety records, remedial invoices and related correspondence is sensible even when the statutory minimum retention period has passed.
A boiler service is not automatically the same as a gas safety check
One common source of confusion is assuming that a routine boiler service automatically satisfies the landlord’s statutory annual gas safety-check duty.
A boiler service and a landlord gas safety check have different purposes. A service is primarily concerned with maintenance and the condition and performance of the appliance. A landlord gas safety check is carried out to satisfy specific safety requirements under the regulations and must generate the required safety record.
In practice, a Gas Safe registered engineer may perform both during the same visit, but landlords should make sure the correct statutory check has actually been completed and documented.
Common landlord gas-safety compliance mistakes
Several avoidable problems occur repeatedly in rental property management.
1. Booking the check too late
Waiting until the certificate is about to expire creates unnecessary risk. Tenant availability, engineer availability or a fault requiring repair can delay completion.
Using the permitted early-check window can provide more margin.
2. Using an engineer without the correct Gas Safe registration
Gas work covered by the regulations must be carried out by a suitably qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Landlords should verify the engineer’s credentials and that they are qualified for the type of gas work involved.
3. Treating the certificate as a substitute for maintenance
An annual safety record does not remove the landlord’s separate duty to keep gas appliances, flues and relevant pipework maintained in a safe condition.
4. Failing to give the tenant a copy
Completing the inspection is only part of compliance. The required record must also be supplied to the tenant within the applicable timeframe.
5. Ignoring defects noted on the record
The record can identify safety defects or concerns. A certificate should not simply be filed away without checking the engineer’s findings and completing necessary remedial action.
6. Failing to document attempts to gain access
A landlord must not force entry simply to carry out the gas safety check. Where access is difficult, HSE recommends keeping evidence of reasonable attempts to arrange the inspection, including notices and correspondence with the tenant.
7. Assuming a new tenancy removes the need for further checks
Before re-letting a property, landlords should ensure relevant appliances and flues remain safe and that there is an up-to-date gas safety record. If an appliance may have been tampered with or the property has been vacant, further checks may be appropriate.
What should landlords do between annual checks?
Gas safety is an ongoing responsibility, not a once-a-year administrative exercise.
Landlords and managing agents should have a process for:
- recording the current gas safety expiry date;
- booking the next inspection in advance;
- verifying the Gas Safe engineer;
- reviewing the completed record for defects;
- arranging any necessary remedial work;
- giving the tenant the record on time; and
- storing the record and supporting documents securely.
Any report of a suspected gas leak, damaged appliance, unusual combustion, damaged flue or other gas-safety concern should be treated promptly rather than left until the next scheduled annual inspection.
Final point
A landlord gas safety certificate is not simply a form to obtain once a year. It is evidence of a wider compliance process involving competent inspection, maintenance, record keeping, communication with tenants and follow-up action where defects are identified.
Landlords who manage several properties benefit from tracking certificate dates centrally and arranging checks before the final deadline rather than reacting when a certificate is about to expire.
If you need to arrange a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, make sure the inspection is carried out by a suitably qualified Gas Safe registered engineer and that the completed record is reviewed, retained and issued to the tenant within the required timeframe.
Official guidance
For current requirements, landlords should refer to the Health and Safety Executive’s landlord gas-safety guidance and GOV.UK landlord safety guidance:
- HSE: https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqlandlord.htm
- HSE gas safety records: https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gassaferecord.htm
- GOV.UK landlord safety responsibilities: https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/your-landlords-safety-responsibilities