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As a landlord, you’re legally required to make sure the gas appliances, fittings and chimneys/flues in your property are safe for tenants. This can be verified through a gas safety certificate for each gas appliance in your rental property (with each certificate needing to be renewed every year). Without this, you run the risk of a hefty fine.
With this in mind, we’ve explained how to get a landlord gas safety certificate and other gas safety responsibilities for landlords. We’ve also answered several gas safety FAQs.
The Gas Safety Regulations of 1998 outline your main duties as a landlord when it comes to renting out properties with gas appliances installed (along with fittings, chimneys, ducts and pipes). Here are your three main gas-related legal responsibilities:
The safety of your tenants is paramount, which is why all gas appliances and flues need to undergo an annual gas safety check. This should be done by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Once these checks have been completed, you’ll be given a Landlord Gas Safety Record which details all checks that have been carried out in your property.
Gas safety checks can be arranged between 10 and 12 months after the last completed check.
After the annual gas safety check of your property, you’ll be given a Landlord Gas Safety Record. You should then give a copy of this to your tenants. New tenants will need it provided before their tenancy starts, whereas existing tenants need to be given in within 28 days of the gas safety check.
If you have tenants staying in your property for less than 28 days then the simplest course of action is to display a copy of your gas safety record within the property. Either way, make sure you keep a copy for yourself for reference (and for when future checks are carried out).
You’ll need to ensure that all gas pipework, appliances, chimneys and ducts are kept in a safe condition for any tenants living in your property. For individual appliances, you should check manufacturer guidelines as they’ll recommend how often a service is needed. If you’re struggling to locate these, then an annual check-up is probably your best bet (unless a Gas Safe registered engineer tells you otherwise).
A landlord gas safety certificate is required by law to be held for all rental accommodation in the UK that contains gas appliances. Landlords are also required to have these same gas appliances checked annually, with a gas safety record being completed and a copy handed to tenants.
Once all necessary inspections have been completed, a gas safety certificate is issued. This will contain the following information:
You can get a gas safety certificate – sometimes called a Gas Safety Record form – by booking an appointment with a Gas Safe registered engineer. During this appointment, the engineer will do a visual inspection of all your gas appliances to make sure they’re in good working order. They’ll also run tests on the pipework to make sure there aren’t any leaks.
Through the Gas Safe Register, you can find a list of Gas Safe registered engineers near you. Through this same link, you can also check if a gas business is legally allowed to carry out work. Every firm on this official list employs a gas engineer who has a Gas Safe ID card. We’d recommend checking this ID card before an engineer carries out any duties, as some aren’t qualified to do all types of gas work.
Yes, as a landlord you’re legally required to have a Gas Safety Certificate (or CP12) for every gas appliance in your rental property. These certificates also need to be renewed every year. Not having these certificates may cost you a hefty fine, along with creating a potentially unsafe living environment for your tenants.
The cost of your Landlord Gas Safety Check will depend on the Gas Safe registered business that carries out your annual gas safety check. To ensure you get a good deal, we’d recommend checking out a few different companies before actually arranging for an engineer to come around.
Prices generally start around the £30 mark and can go as high as £150-£200, depending on how many gas appliances need checking.
Landlord Certificates are another company who are able to provide gas safety certificates to landlords (predominantly in London and the surrounding areas). Here’s a list of their prices, to give a better idea of how much you’ll need to pay:
Again, this depends on which company you choose to get the gas safety certificate from.
British Gas’ HomeCare service includes a boiler check to ensure it’s safe. With British Gas, an engineer will perform the following tasks:
Your gas engineer will give you a copy of your Gas Safety Record. This’ll include the results of any tests they’ve carried out on gas appliances within your property.
You should then pass on a copy of this record to your tenants. New tenants need to receive it before they move in, whereas existing tenants need to receive a copy within 28 days of the checks being carried out.
If you’re looking for additional information and advice relating to landlord gas safety certificates or any other landlord-related topic, then you can request a call back to learn more about how Resooma can benefit you.
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