landlord gas safety certificate and boiler service and gas safety certificate service (read page)
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues and chimneys are inspected annually. You must also give a copy of the report to your tenants.
If the engineer deems any appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous they will ask permission to shut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches be put in place.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document which demonstrates that all the gas appliances and flues have been checked by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are legally required to organize a gas safety check every year for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry out the inspection and check that all pipework, appliances and flues conform with safety regulations.
The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy of the 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 tenure.
CP12 is an abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was employed by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before it was replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form identifies the date of the last gas inspection or test and the results of these, any issues or actions that need to be addressed, as well as the name of the person who conducted the inspection.
If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas device, the engineer will advise on what should be done to ensure its safe use. If a gas appliance is found to be immediately dangerous or abnormally dangerous the gas supply should be disconnected until the problem has been resolved.
If a tenant does not allow access for gas security checks to be conducted the tenant is guilty of an offence that is criminal. If necessary the landlord has the right to ask the courts for an order to prohibit the tenant from preventing the gas safety checks. However, it is often easier to write a letter that clarifies why the checks are important and what's involved. This will encourage a reluctant tenant to let access in, and if otherwise, the landlord could have to think about starting the eviction process.
How often should I receive a Gas Safety Certificate?
By law, landlords and agents for letting are required to conduct an annual gas safety inspection of all gas appliances and chimneys that they provide to their tenants. This is to ensure that the equipment is safe for them to use and to ensure that there aren't gas leaks in the building. This is an essential responsibility for landlords and they should make sure that they get their gas inspections done by a certified gas engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document which affirms that an engineer has completed a gas inspection in the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord, and should be provided to the tenant to prove the security of the gas supply. It is valid for a period of 12 months and must be renewed each year.
A landlord who is unable to provide an Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be penalized. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas safety certificates checks carried out on time and keep a copy of the certificate in case a tenant needs it.
Installing inspection hatches in all gas appliances is a good idea because it lets engineers gain access to the appliances for annual inspections. If the appliance is found to be in danger during an inspection the engineer will categorise it as such and may disconnect the boiler and suggest that the tenant not use it until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords should also make sure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to the time they are allowed to enter the property to conduct Gas Safety checks. This gives tenants time to plan their inspection and request permission if they need. If a tenant refuses access to the engineer the landlord gas safety certificate cp12 has to explain the reason why it is necessary and what will happen in the event that the tenant refuses. If the tenant refuses to allow the engineer entry, the landlord could consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of 1988 Housing Act.
What happens if I don't receive a Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the legal responsibility of a landlord to ensure that their property is equipped with a gas safety certificate valid prior to the time tenants move into. Infractions to this law could result in the landlord being prosecuted or fined severely. The regulations require that landlords must also provide copies of the gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property for an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, an engineer will be able to identify any issues that could be a threat to tenants. The engineer will then issue the CP12 Gas Safety Document, which is also referred to as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).
This is a crucial document that every tenant must keep. It includes information about the gas installations in a rental property, as well as details about when they were last checked and the expiry dates. It can assist tenants in identifying issues with their appliances and installations and make sure they are aware of how to contact an Gas Safe Engineer to have them tested.
Landlords are required to provide the gas safety report to their tenants, both current and new within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord must also give a copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenure. Landlords that fail to provide the the gas certificate can be charged and face unlimited fines or six months in prison.
Similarly, landlords must ensure that their properties are equipped with carbon monoxide alarms. They should also arrange for them to be tested every month. If an alarm is not working, the landlord should repair it. This applies to private landlords, councils and housing associations, and also licensable houses of Multiple Occupation.
In June 2017, the High Court ruled that it was illegal for landlords to serve Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid Gas Safety Certificate. The decision was based upon a law that requires landlords who have assured shorthold leases to obtain a gas safety certification for their property prior to the time tenants move in.
How can I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
Landlords are legally responsible to make sure that the gas appliances, flues, and pipework within their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To comply with the regulations, landlords are required to conduct annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues they provide for use in a property. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate, and it has to be signed by a licensed gas safe certificate check Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
It is also a good idea for landlords to think about having a boiler service carried out in conjunction with the CP12 inspection, as it will help ensure that all the gas appliances are operating correctly and safely. Landlords can typically receive a combination CP12 and boiler service for a reasonable price from a qualified gas engineer, who can check the seals on boiler burners, inspect the flue system for cracks and leaks, clean the heat exchanger and burner and carry out general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often referred to as the 'landlord gas safety certificate', although it is officially called the Gas Safety Record documentation. It outlines the outcomes of all the safety checks and details of any actions or problems that need to be addressed. Landlords are required to give tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.
It is crucial that the landlords or letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises to conduct safety checks and for maintenance. It is crucial to educate tenants on the importance of allowing gas engineers access to their property and explain that the engineer is there to safeguard them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to permit access it is the landlord's or letting agent's responsibility explain the legal responsibilities in writing, and follow up with a visit to the property to compel entry if needed.
Tenants should always ask to be shown a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before entering the premises to prove that they are properly qualified to work on the gas systems in your home and can be trusted to complete the gas safety test efficiently and efficiently. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally allowed to shut off any malfunctioning equipment and cut off your gas supplies if necessary.