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Landlords must use a Gas Safe registered engineer who is qualified for the specific appliances in the property, and the check must be repeated every 12 months on every gas appliance and flue you provide. The right engineer does more than issue a record: they check properly, explain any defects, can put faults right, and help you keep every property on its deadline.

What the law requires of landlords

The duties sit in regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and HSE’s guidance sets them out in plain terms. As a landlord you must:

1. Have every gas appliance and flue you provide checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
2. Make sure a new tenancy starts with a check done in the previous 12 months. A valid record from an earlier tenancy can be copied to the new tenants if it is still inside its 12 months.
3. Give a copy of the record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in.
4. Keep the records for at least two years.
5. Maintain the gas pipework, appliances and flues in a safe condition between checks.

The check and the record are often called a CP12, a name left over from an old form. The official term is a landlord gas safety record, and our landlord gas safety certificate page explains how we carry them out.

It is not only buy-to-let landlords who are caught by the rules. HSE counts people who take in a lodger for rent as landlords, and if you sublet, the original landlord keeps the duty. Failing to arrange the check is a criminal offence, and if a tenant is hurt, the consequences are far more serious.

The two month early window

Since 2018 you can have the check done up to two months before its deadline and keep the original anniversary date. So if the record expires on 30 June, a check on any day from 1 May keeps the next deadline at 30 June the following year. Check earlier than that and the 12 months restarts from the new date. If you use this window, the record has to be kept until two further checks have been carried out.

For landlords with several properties, this is the most useful rule in the regulations. It gives you room to book around tenants, holidays and bad weather without the dates slowly creeping earlier every year.

What a landlord gas safety check covers

An annual check is a safety inspection, not a service, although the two are often done on the same visit. On each appliance and flue the engineer is looking at whether it is safe to use. That normally includes:

• whether the flue is working and removing the products of combustion safely
• whether there is an adequate supply of air for combustion
• the gas pressure or heat input of the appliance
• that the safety devices operate correctly
• a tightness test on the gas installation and a visual check of the pipework as far as is reasonably practicable

HSE recommends that landlords ask for the tightness test to cover the whole system, including installation pipework. A good engineer does that without being asked.

The record then lists, for each appliance or flue, its description and location, the date of the check, the address of the property, the landlord’s name and address, the engineer’s name, registration number and signature, and any safety defect found with the action taken.

Appliances the tenant owns

Tenants are responsible for their own gas appliances and for a flue that serves only their appliance. The pipework feeding it is still yours to maintain. It is sensible to ask the engineer to note tenant-owned appliances on the record so there is no confusion later.

How to choose the right engineer

What to check	Why it matters	How to check it
Gas Safe registration	Only a registered engineer may do the check	Ask to see the ID card and check it on the Gas Safe Register
Qualified for your appliances	Registration is appliance specific	The back of the card lists the work categories
Tests pipework, not just the boiler	HSE recommends the whole system is tested	Ask what the check includes before you book
Clear, complete record	You need it for tenants and your own files	Ask to see a sample record
Can fix what they find	A failed appliance needs putting right quickly	Ask whether repairs are done by the same company
Handles access with tenants	Missed appointments risk the deadline	Ask how they contact tenants and confirm visits
Reminders before the due date	One missed date is a legal breach	Ask whether they keep your due dates

Registration and qualifications

Every Gas Safe registered engineer carries an ID card. The front shows their photo and licence number. The back lists what they are qualified to work on, such as central heating boilers, gas fires or cookers. An engineer who is registered for boilers but not for gas fires should not be checking your gas fire. HSE is clear that someone who used to be a gas engineer cannot carry out the check unless they are currently registered.

Reliability over the cheapest price

The most expensive gas safety check is the one that is not done on time. An engineer who reminds you before the due date, contacts the tenant, turns up when agreed and sends the record promptly is worth more than a cheap check you then have to chase.

Someone who can repair as well as inspect

If an appliance fails, you want the same firm to quote and repair it so the tenant is not left without heating or hot water for long. We carry out boiler repairs as well as landlord checks, so a fault found on the day can often be priced there and then.

What happens if an appliance fails

When an engineer finds a problem, they follow the gas industry’s unsafe situations procedure. In broad terms:

• Immediately Dangerous means the appliance is a current danger to life or property. With permission, the engineer disconnects it and labels it, and it must not be used until repaired.
• At Risk means one or more faults could become dangerous. With permission, the engineer turns it off and advises it is not used until repaired.
• Not to Current Standards means it does not meet today’s standards but is not unsafe. It is recorded so you can plan the work.

HSE describes the record as a living document. Issue it to the tenant once the check is done, then add a note of the remedial work when the fault has been repaired.

Access, tenants and record keeping

Tenancy agreements normally give you a right of access for safety checks, but you cannot force entry. HSE says landlords must show they took all reasonable steps. In practice that means offering several appointment times, explaining in writing why the check is a legal requirement, and keeping a record of every attempt and every missed visit. HSE inspectors look for repeated attempts.

For records:

• Keep a paper or electronic copy for at least two years, or until two further checks if you use the early window.
• Electronic copies are fine as long as they are secure and can be printed. Tenants can receive them electronically if they agree, but must get paper if they ask.
• For stays of less than 28 days, such as holiday lets, display a copy in a prominent place in the property.
• Keep a note of any follow-up repairs alongside the record.

Managing several properties

With more than one property, the risk is not a single missed check but losing track of which date belongs to which address. A few simple habits help:

1. Keep one list of every property with its gas record expiry date, and add the EICR and alarm test dates to the same list.
2. Book each check inside the two month window so the anniversary stays fixed.
3. Use one engineer who holds the dates and sends reminders, rather than a different firm each year.
4. Ask for the annual boiler service on the same visit, which helps keep manufacturers’ warranties valid and cuts down on appointments. Our guide on choosing a boiler servicing engineer explains what a proper service includes.
5. Make sure any letting agent contract says clearly who is responsible for arranging the check.

Gas is not the only safety duty. In England, private landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years with an EICR, and a carbon monoxide alarm must be fitted in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. Our landlord services page brings these together.

What it costs with Vantage

The gas safety check and record can be done on the same visit as the annual boiler service, which saves a second appointment. If the check finds a fault, in normal working hours there is no call-out fee for the repair visit. Gas faults start with a fixed-price Gas Safe diagnostic visit, and if we can fix it on the same visit, part of that diagnostic charge comes off the repair. Parts are quoted before we fit them. Every rate is published on our prices page, so you know what you will pay before we arrive.

Frequently asked questions

How often does a landlord need a gas safety check?

Every 12 months, on every gas appliance and flue you provide, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You can have it done up to two months early and keep the same anniversary date.

Is a boiler service the same as a gas safety check?

No. A service maintains the boiler so it runs efficiently and reliably, while the gas safety check is a legal inspection of whether each appliance and flue is safe. They are often carried out on the same visit.

Do I need a gas safety check if the property has only a gas hob?

Yes. The duty covers every gas appliance you provide, including a hob or cooker, along with any flue. If the tenant owns the cooker, it is their responsibility, but the pipework remains yours.

What if my tenant will not let the engineer in?

You must show you took all reasonable steps. Offer several dates, explain the legal requirement in writing and keep a record of every attempt, because HSE looks for evidence of repeated attempts.

Can I send the gas safety record to tenants by email?

Yes, if the tenant agrees and the electronic copy is secure and can be printed. If a tenant asks for a paper copy, you must give them one.

Can a letting agent arrange the gas safety check?

Yes, many landlords delegate it to an agent. Make sure the management contract states clearly who is responsible, and keep your own copy of each record.

Landlord gas safety across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire

We are Gas Safe registered (956889) and carry out landlord gas safety checks, servicing and repairs across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Book your landlord gas safety certificate online or call 01462 506374, which is answered 24 hours a day.