Do Landlords Need Gas Safety Certificates?

Gas safety is important—but whose responsibility is it?

Is it yours as the landlord and owner of the property? Or is it the tenant’s, as the occupier? Besides that, what precisely are Gas Safety certificates, and how do you get them?

The guide below will tell you everything you need to know about Gas Safety certificates, from what they are to who is responsible for them, how you can get a gas safety certificate, how long they last, and more.

What Is a Gas Safety Certificate?

A Gas Safety certificate is proof that a Gas Safe registered engineer has checked all of the gas appliances and flues in your property. Gas Safety certificates are also known as CP12 certificates.

The content of the Gas Safety certificate will detail:

• The address of the property in question
• The address of the landlord (or the letting agent)
• The appliances that were checked and where they are in the property
• The date of the check
• The results of the check and any potential safety issues
• How to resolve any potential safety issues
• Who performed the safety check

Landlord Gas Safety Certificate Responsibilities

As a landlord, yes—you are responsible for the Gas Safety certificate.

The certificate falls under your general responsibility as a landlord to ensure that gas pipework, appliances, chimneys and flues are maintained in a safe condition. There are three things that this means you must do: arrange for annual Gas Safety checks, keep a record of these gas safety checks, and regularly carry out maintenance (and repairs when necessary).

What you aren’t responsible for are any appliances that the tenant may have brought into the home. These are the tenant’s responsibility. That’s because unbeknownst to you, the tenant could introduce or swap in unsafe gas appliances; it would be unfair to hold you legally responsible for that.

It is also possible to arrange for a lettings agent to take on responsibility for Gas Safety checks. They aren’t automatically responsible, so talk to your lettings agent/property management company or check your contract with them.

What If I Can’t Access The Property?

The contract between you and your tenant should allow you to access the property for maintenance and Gas Safety checks. This is a standard clause of a tenancy agreement.

If the tenant is refusing you access to the property, the HSE recommends the following course of action:

• Leave the tenant a notice that you attempted to access the property for a Gas Safety check.
• Write to the tenant explaining that gas safety is your responsibility and that Gas Safety checks fall under that responsibility. Ask the tenant if they can suggest a time and date that would work for them.

If you are still refused access, you may need to take the issue to court. Don’t force entry into the house even if the safety certificate is overdue.

What Else Am I Responsible For?

You have several additional responsibilities besides simply booking the Gas Safety check.

• Once the check is complete, you need to provide a record of it to your tenants. This should be done within 28 days of the check’s completion (or for new tenants, at the beginning of their tenancy).
• You must keep a record of each check until two more have been carried out, i.e. a two-year record.

Beyond the Gas Safety certificate, new rules made a requirement in June 2020 established the need for electrical safety certificates, too. Gas and electric safety certificates both have to be periodically renewed; gas certificates every 12 months, electricity certificates every 5 years.

How Long Does a Gas Safety Certificate Last?

Gas safety certificates last for 12 months but renewing them works in a slightly unusual way.

Say for example that your certificate was granted on the 1^st of July. It will be active until the 1^st of July next year. However, if you want to renew it, you can do so at any point from 10-12 months after it was initially awarded; in this case, anywhere from May 1^st to July 1^st.

However, if you have another check done before May 1^st, that date then becomes the next renewal date. So, if your certificate expires on July 1^st but you book another check for February 1^st, February 1^st becomes the new renewal date.

Contact RD Heat Today

We’re RD Heat, the central heating specialists for Dorset and beyond.

As a family-run business, we pride ourselves on the standards of service we offer, whether that means answering enquiries promptly, turning up when we say we will, respecting your home, or charging fair and reasonable prices to our valued customers. We also fully understand the value and necessity of a landlord’s gas and electrical safety certificates, and will perform prompt and thorough checks on your behalf, when you need us to.

So, if you need a Gas Safety certificate, why not get in touch with our friendly and helpful team? You can call us over the phone, email us, or fill in our online contact form if you prefer.