Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys are inspected annually. The law also requires that you provide a copy the check to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an appliance or installation to be immediately hazardous, they will ask permission to cut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches be installed.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A landlord gas safety certificate is a document that proves that all of the gas appliances and flues have been checked by a licensed gas engineer. Landlords are required to arrange a gas check for each rental property they own at least once per year. The inspection is carried out by an Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all pipework, appliances, and flues are in good working order and that they are in compliance with safety standards.
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. The certificate should be given to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the start of their tenancy.
CP12 is an abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was used by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) prior to being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form contains the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, their results, any actions required to be taken, as well as the name and the title of the engineer that conducted the check.
If the Gas Safety check highlights any problems with a gas appliance, the engineer will advise on what must be done to ensure its safe use. If a gas appliance is found to be Immediately Dangerous, or Abnormally dangerous the gas supply needs to be disconnected until the problem is resolved.
If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for the gas safety checks to be carried out, it is an offence that is criminal. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction order should it be necessary, but it is generally easier to simply send a strongly written letter stating why it is essential that the checks are made and what they will entail. This should convince a tenant who is reluctant to let access in, and in the event that they do otherwise, the landlord could be required to begin the process of eviction.
How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords and letting agencies are legally required to conduct an annual gas safety check on all gas appliances and flues that are supplied to their tenants. This is done to ensure that the appliances are safe to use and to ensure that there aren't gas leaks in the property. This is a vitally important obligation and landlords must make sure that they are inspected for gas by a qualified gas engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is an official document that proves that a gas inspection has been performed by a licensed engineer in the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord and should also be given to the tenant in order to demonstrate the security of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months, and has to be renewed every year.
If a landlord fails to provide their tenants with an Gas Safety Certificate then they are in violation of the law and could be punished by the local authority. It is therefore crucial for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out in a timely manner and to keep a copy of the documents in case a tenant requests it.
Installing inspection hatches on all gas appliances is a good idea, as it allows engineers to gain access to the appliances for their annual inspections. The engineer will label the appliance as 'at-risk' and may suggest that the tenant refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch is installed.
Landlords must also provide their tenants with at least 24 hours' notice before entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This gives tenants time to prepare and request permission, if required. If a tenant does not allow entry to the engineer, the landlord must explain the reason for this and what would happen if the tenant refused. If the tenant still refuses, then the landlord should look into evicting them pursuant to section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.
What happens if I don't receive a Gas Safety Certificate?
In short it's a landlord's legal duty to ensure that their property is equipped with a valid gas safety certification prior to the time tenants move into the property. Infractions to the law can lead to a landlord being prosecuted or fined heavily. The regulations state that landlords must also provide copies of the gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental property of the landlord to conduct an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, a Gas Safe registered engineer will identify any issues that could pose a risk to tenants. They will issue the CP12 gas safety certificate, which is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is a crucial document that every tenant should keep. This document provides information on gas installations in rental properties, including when they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It can help tenants spot any issues with their appliances or installations and ensure they know how to reach an Gas Safe engineer to have them checked.
Landlords are required to provide their current and new tenants with a gas safety report within 28 days of the date that the engineer visits their property. The landlord must also give the copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords who do not provide a copy of the gas safety certificate could be prosecuted under the regulations and could face unlimited fines or a six-month imprisonment.
In the same way, landlords should ensure that carbon monoxide detectors are in operation in their homes and make arrangements for them to be tested each month. The landlord is accountable for repairing the problem if the alarm does not work. The rules governing this apply to private, council and housing association landlords, as well as to licensable Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
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 made by reference to the law which states that landlords of assured shorthold leases must have a gas safety record for their property before tenants move into the property.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are legally accountable for ensuring that gas appliances, flues, and pipework in the properties they lease out are safe. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations, 1998 cover this. To comply with the regulations, landlords are required to arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues they supply for use in the building. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate and it must be signed by a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
Landlords should consider performing a boiler inspection in conjunction with the CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are operating properly and safely. Gas engineers can provide a combined CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. 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 is sometimes called "landlord's gas safety certificate", although it actually is known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It includes the results of the safety tests, as well as details of any problems or actions that should be addressed. Landlords are required to provide their tenants a CP12 document within 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.
It's important that landlords or letting agents only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises to conduct safety checks and for maintenance. It's a good idea to inform tenants about the importance of allowing access and explaining that the gas engineer will protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant does not permit access, the landlord or agent must outline the legal obligations in writing. Then, Gas safety certificate should visit the property and force entry if required.
Tenants must always request to have a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before they allow them into the home to prove that they're qualified to work on the gas systems in your home and are able to complete the gas safety inspection efficiently and efficiently. It's important to keep in mind that the gas engineer is legally permitted to cut off any defective equipment and cut off gas lines when necessary.