Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, chimneys and flues are inspected annually. It is also your responsibility to provide a copy to your tenants.
If the engineer determines that an appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous, they will request permission to disconnect the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches be put in place.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document that demonstrates that the rented property's gas appliances and flues have been inspected by a certified gas engineer. The landlord must arrange for the gas check for each rental property they own at least once a year. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and verify that all pipes, appliances and flues comply with safety regulations.
The law also requires landlords to give tenants a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) after each annual inspection and test for gas safety. The certificate should be given to current tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the beginning of their tenure.
CP12 is an abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was used by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before it was replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form outlines the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any actions that need to be taken, and the name and title of the engineer who performed the check.
If the Gas Safety check highlights any issues 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 lethal, the gas supply will have to be shut off until the issue is resolved.
If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for gas safety checks to be completed it is an infraction that is punishable by law. If gas safety certificate grace period , a landlord can ask the courts for a court order to enjoin the tenant from preventing gas safety checks. However, it's usually easier to send a letter which explains why the checks are important and what's involved. This should entice the tenant who is hesitant to allow access to the property. If not the landlord is not willing, he will have to start the eviction procedure.
How often do I need to renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
The law requires that landlords and let agents are required by law to conduct an annual safety check 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 that there are no gas leaks in the building. Gas inspections are a vital responsibility for landlords, and they must ensure they are carried out by a certified engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is legal document that confirms that a gas inspection has been performed by a licensed engineer within the past 12 months. It is given to the landlord, and should be handed over to the tenant as proof of the safety of the gas supply. It is valid for a time of 12 months, and must be renewed every year.
A landlord who fails to provide an Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. It is therefore vital for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out at a timely basis and keep a copy of the certificate in case a tenant requests it.
Installing inspection hatches in all gas appliances is a good idea since it allows engineers to quickly access the appliances to conduct annual inspections. If the appliance is deemed to be at risk during an inspection the engineer will categorise it as such and shut off the boiler and suggest that the tenant refrain from using it until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords must also ensure that they give their tenants a minimum of 24 hours notice before they visit the property to conduct Gas Safety checks. This allows the tenants to prepare for the visit and grant permission if necessary. If a tenant refuses to allow the engineer access the landlord should send a letter to them explaining why it is necessary and what happens if they don't follow through. If the tenant is unwilling to allow the engineer entry, the landlord can consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act.
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 an approved gas safety certificate prior to the time tenants move into. Failure to comply with the law can lead to the landlord being prosecuted or being fined a significant amount. The regulations stipulate that landlords are required to provide copies of gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Landlords must have a Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property to conduct an inspection of the gas supply to all gas appliances. During the inspection, the engineer will note any issues that may pose a risk for tenants. They will then issue a CP12 gas safety document, which is known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is a crucial document that every tenant must take possession of and keep. This document contains information about gas installations in a rental home and the dates they were tested and expiration dates. It can help tenants identify any issues with their appliances or installations and make sure that they know how to contact an Gas Safe engineer to have them examined.
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 their tenancy begins. Landlords who fail to provide the the gas certificate can be prosecuted and could face unlimited fines, or six months in prison.
Similarly, landlords must ensure that their properties have working carbon monoxide alarms. They can also arrange that they be tested every month. The landlord is accountable for repairing an alarm that does not work. The rules governing 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 illegal for landlords to send Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid gas Safety Certificate. The decision was made based on the law that states that landlords with assured shorthold tenancies must obtain an approved gas safety certificate for their property prior to when tenants move into the property.
How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are legally responsible to ensure that gas appliances, flues and pipework in their homes 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 to tenants. This is known as a CP12 gas safety certificate, and it has to be completed by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
Landlords should also consider conducting a boiler inspection at the same time as the CP12 inspection. This will ensure that all gas appliances are working properly and safely. Gas engineers can provide a combined CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. They will inspect the seals on boiler burners as well as look for leaks and cracks within the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and perform general maintenance.
The CP12 is often known as "landlord's gas safety certificate" but it actually is known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It contains the results of the safety tests, as well as details of any problems or actions that should be addressed. Landlords must give their tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.
It is crucial that landlords and letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and for maintenance. It is essential to inform tenants on the importance of allowing gas engineers access to the property and explain that the engineer is there to keep them safe from carbon dioxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to allow access, it's the landlord or letting agent's duty to clarify the legal obligations in writing and then follow by visiting the property to force entry if needed.
Tenants should always ask to have a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before entering the premises to ensure that they are properly qualified to work on your home's gas systems and can be trusted to complete the gas safety check efficiently and efficiently. It is also important to know that a gas technician can legally remove the malfunctioning equipment or cut off the gas supply in case of need.