Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues and chimneys are inspected annually. You must also provide a copy to your tenants.
If gas safety certificate uk deems any appliance or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will ask for permission to shut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches be installed.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A landlord gas safety certificate is a document that proves that all of the rented property's gas appliances and flues have been inspected by a certified gas engineer. Landlords are legally required arrange a gas safety check every year for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and verify that all pipework, appliances and flues conform with safety standards.
Landlords are also legally required to provide their tenants with copies of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) at the end of each year's gas safety inspection and test. This must be given to current tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the beginning of their tenancy.
CP12 is an abbreviation used for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was employed by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) prior to being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form shows the date of the last gas inspection or test, the results, any actions or issues that need to be addressed, and the name of the person who conducted the check.
If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance, the engineer will advise on what needs to be done to ensure it is safe for use. If landlord gas safety certificate uk is deemed to be immediately dangerous or abnormally lethal, the gas supply will have to be turned off until the problem has been fixed.
It is a crime to a tenant who refuses to allow the gas safety check to be carried out. If necessary landlords can apply to the courts for a court order to enjoin the tenant from refusing to allow gas safety checks. However, it is usually easier to send a letter which explains why the checks are essential and what will be involved. This should make a tenant more hesitant to allow access and, if otherwise, the landlord could be required to begin the process of eviction.
How often should I get a Gas Safety Certificate?
In the law, landlords and letting agents are required to conduct an annual gas safety inspection on the chimneys and gas appliances they offer to their tenants. This is done to ensure that the appliances are safe to use and that there are no gas leaks within the property. Gas inspections are a vital obligation for landlords, and they must ensure that they are carried out by a certified engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is a legal document that confirms that an inspection of the gas supply has been conducted by a qualified engineer in the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord and must be given to the tenant to prove the security of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months, and has to be renewed each year.
If a landlord does not provide their tenants with an Gas Safety Certificate then they are in violation of the law and could be penalized by the local authority. It is therefore vital for landlords to have their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and keep a copy of the documentation in case a tenant needs it.
It is also a good idea for landlords to set up inspection hatches on all gas appliances, to allow engineers to easily access them for inspections every year. The engineer will label the appliance as being at-risk and may recommend that the tenant refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords must also ensure that they give tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to the time they enter the property to conduct Gas Safety checks. This gives tenants time to prepare and ask permission if needed. If a tenant does not allow the engineer access the landlord must send a letter to them explaining the reason for the visit and what happens in the event that they do not comply. If the tenant is still refusing then the landlord should look into evicting them pursuant to section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.
What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the legal obligation of landlords to ensure that their property has a gas safety certificate valid before tenants move in. Failing to do so is an offence that can lead to landlords being prosecuted and subject to severe fines. The regulations stipulate that landlords must also provide copies of gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord in order to perform an inspection of all gas appliances. During the inspection, a Gas Safe registered engineer will identify any issues that could be a threat to tenants. The engineer will then issue the CP12 Gas Safety Document, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).
This is a vital document that every tenant should get a hold of and keep. This document provides information on gas installations in a rental home and the dates they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It can assist tenants in identifying problems with appliances or installations and make sure that they are aware of how to contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.
Landlords must provide the gas safety report to their tenants, both current and new within 28 days of the date that the engineer has visited their property. They must also provide a copy of the CP12 to the tenant on the day that their tenancy commences. Landlords who fail in providing the copy of the gas certificate may be prosecuted and could face unlimited fines or six months in prison.
The same way landlords must make sure that carbon monoxide detectors are working in their properties and have them checked every month. The landlord is responsible for repairing an alarm that does not work. The rules around this are applicable to council, private, and housing association landlords, as well as licensable houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017 the High Court ruled that it was unlawful for landlords to issue Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid gas Safety Certificate. The decision was by reference to the law which states that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must obtain a record of their gas safety for their property prior to when tenants move into.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are legally responsible to ensure that the gas appliances, flues and pipework in their homes are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To ensure compliance with the regulations, landlords are required to conduct annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues they supply to tenants. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate, and it has to be signed by a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
Landlords should also consider having a boiler inspection done in conjunction with a CP12 inspection. This will ensure that the gas appliances are functioning properly and safely. Gas engineers can provide an integrated CP12 inspection and boiler service for a reasonable price. They will examine the seals of boiler burners, inspect for cracks and leaks in the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and perform general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often called the 'landlord's gas safety certificate' but it is actually the Gas Safety Record documentation. It contains the results of safety tests, as well as details of any problems or actions that need to be taken care of. Landlords must provide their tenants with a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.
It is essential that landlords or letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers to access the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It's important to educate tenants on the importance of giving gas engineers access to their property and explain that the engineer's presence is necessary to safeguard them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant is reluctant to permit access, it's the landlord or letting agent's responsibility to explain the legal responsibilities in writing and then follow with a visit to the property to force entry if needed.
Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants prior to allowing them to enter the property. This will confirm that the engineer is qualified to work with the systems in your home and can therefore be trusted to perform the safety check. It is also important to know that a gas technician can legally shut off the malfunctioning equipment or cut off your gas supply should it be required.