Gas safety certificates: what landlords and homeowners need
Who legally needs a gas safety certificate, what the engineer checks, the 12-month and 28-day rules, what a check costs, and how the rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A gas safety certificate is the record a Gas Safe registered engineer issues after checking the gas appliances and flues in a rented home. Landlords must have the check done every 12 months and give tenants a copy within 28 days, while owner-occupiers have no legal duty to get one. We cover who needs one, what the engineer checks, what it costs and how the rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What a gas safety certificate is
A gas safety certificate is the record an engineer gives a landlord after the annual gas safety check. Its proper name is the landlord gas safety record. It lists the result of the check on each appliance and flue, with any action taken or needed to fix a fault.
Landlords and letting agents often call it a CP12. The name comes from CORGI Proforma 12, the form used under CORGI, the gas register that Gas Safe Register replaced on 1 April 2009. The document is the same whichever name is printed on it.
Who needs a gas safety certificate
The duty sits with landlords. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, a landlord is anyone who rents out a property they own on a lease shorter than 7 years or under a licence. That covers:
- Private landlords letting a house, flat or room on a lease shorter than 7 years
- Councils, housing associations, housing co-operatives and hostels
- Holiday let owners, including chalets, cottages, caravans and narrow boats on inland waterways
- Letting agents, where the management contract hands them the landlord's gas safety duties
- Homeowners who let a room under a licence, because the definition covers licences as well as leases
The duty does not reach:
- Owner-occupiers with no tenants or licensees
- Leases of 7 years or more
- Appliances a tenant owns, though the landlord still answers for the pipework serving them
Do homeowners need a gas safety certificate?
No law requires an owner-occupier to have a gas safety check or hold a certificate for their own home. Anyone you employ to work on gas appliances at home must still be a Gas Safe registered engineer, competent in that type of work, and you can book the same check as a paid visit.
What the engineer checks
The engineer checks each gas appliance and flue the landlord provides, usually the boiler, the hob or cooker and any gas fire. On each one they confirm that:
- The appliance works at the correct gas pressure
- No gas is escaping
- The flue is clear
- Safety devices, such as cut-outs, work as they should
- Any brackets holding the appliance are in good condition
How a room is used matters too. Since 31 October 1998, a room converted into a bedroom should not contain a gas fire, gas space heater or gas water heater, including a boiler, over 14 kW gross input unless it is room sealed.
Every registered engineer carries a Gas Safe ID card listing the appliance types they are qualified to work on. Check that it covers every appliance in the property before the check starts.
What the gas safety record shows
The engineer issues the record as soon as the checks are finished, and it should not be held back even if defects are found. A landlord can keep it on paper or electronically, as long as it can be printed when needed and is secure from loss and interference.
How long a gas safety certificate lasts
A gas safety certificate lasts 12 months. The first check falls within 12 months of a new appliance or flue going in, and then every 12 months after that.
Since a 2018 change to the regulations, a check done up to 2 months before the due date keeps the original deadline. A check due on 1 December can be done in October, and the next one is still due on 1 December the following year.
| Duty | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Safety check on each appliance and flue the landlord provides | Within 12 months of installation, then every 12 months |
| Early check | Up to 2 months before the due date, keeping the original date |
| Copy to existing tenants | Within 28 days of the check |
| Copy to new tenants | Before they move in |
| Keep the record | 2 years |
| Re-letting after tenants leave | Appliances safe and the record up to date before the next tenants move in |
How to get a gas safety certificate
The landlord books and pays for the check. The steps run in this order:
- List every gas appliance and flue you provide, since most engineers price the check per appliance.
- Book a Gas Safe registered engineer whose ID card covers each appliance type.
- Give the tenants reasonable notice of the date and arrange access.
- Collect the record when the checks finish, and book any repair it calls for.
- Give each tenant a copy within 28 days, and keep your own for 2 years.
Landlord gas safety duties in England
A landlord in England has 3 continuing duties on gas: keep the pipework, flues and appliances they provide safe, have them checked every 12 months, and keep and share the records. Repairs and maintenance go to a Gas Safe registered engineer, just like the check.
Where the landlord does not own the building, the arrangement with the building owner has to cover any communal appliances, flues and pipework the tenants use.
Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England have also had to provide a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance. Gas cookers do not count.
Before 1 May 2026, a section 21 notice on an assured shorthold tenancy that started or renewed from 1 October 2015 was invalid unless the tenant had the gas safety records. Private landlords in England can no longer give section 21 notices at all.
When a tenant will not give access
A landlord has to show they took all reasonable steps to get the check done. HSE inspectors look for at least 3 attempts, with a notice left after each missed visit and a letter explaining that the check is a legal requirement. A landlord must not use force to get in.
What happens if an appliance fails the check
A failed appliance goes on the record as a defect, and the record is still issued. If the engineer switches an appliance off because it is unsafe, it must not be used until it is repaired. Where the heating has been disconnected, the landlord must give the tenant emergency heating.
Follow the engineer's advice on further work. If you doubt it, follow it in the meantime and contact Gas Safe Register, rather than putting the appliance back into use.
Most defects end in a repair, priced as its own job after the check. When the fault is in an old boiler that is not worth repairing, replacing the boiler with a like-for-like combi costs £1,800 to £3,500 fitted in 2026.
Gas safety certificate cost
One fixed-price firm charges £50 for a gas safety check in London, covering one appliance and the meter, including VAT. Each extra appliance adds £10, so a flat with a boiler, hob and gas fire comes to £68.
Each engineer sets their own price, and Gas Safe Register has no control over charges, so HSE's advice is to get quotes from 3 engineers.
Gas safety rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
England, Scotland and Wales share the 1998 regulations, so the 12-month check, the 28-day copy and the 2-year record apply in all three. Northern Ireland has separate regulations with the same core duties.
| Nation | Rules | Check and records | Also required |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, amended 2018 | Every 12 months; up to 2 months early keeps the date; copies within 28 days; records kept 2 years | Carbon monoxide alarm in living rooms with a fixed combustion appliance, gas cookers excluded |
| Wales | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, plus the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 | Every 12 months, under the same 1998 duties | No section 173 notice while the contract-holder has no valid record |
| Scotland | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, amended 2018, plus the repairing standard | Annual check; copies within 28 days, or before a new tenancy starts; records kept at least 2 years | Carbon monoxide detectors in every room with a fixed combustion appliance |
| Northern Ireland | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 | Within 12 months of installation, then no more than 12 months apart; copies within 28 days; records kept 2 years | Record may be displayed instead for stays of 28 days or less |
Scotland
Scotland adds gas safety to the repairing standard under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Its statutory guidance for private landlords, applying from 1 March 2024, asks for an engineer on the Gas Safe Register and carbon monoxide detectors in every room with a fixed combustion appliance. If a tenant refuses access, the landlord can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland under its Right of Entry procedure.
Wales
Wales ties the gas record to ending a tenancy. Under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, as amended by the 2022 Schedule 9A regulations, a landlord cannot give a section 173 notice while the contract-holder has not been given a valid gas safety record, or had one displayed prominently in the home. A record stays valid until the next check is due.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland's Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 apply to leases of less than 7 years and to periodic tenancies. Regulation 36 sets the same 12-month check, 2-year record and 28-day copy, and for a stay of 28 days or less the landlord can display the record in the property instead.
Gas safety certificate, boiler service and other paperwork
A gas safety check and a boiler service are separate jobs, priced separately, though some engineers price the two together for one visit. New work and electrics come with paperwork of their own.
| Document | What it covers | When you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord gas safety record (CP12) | A safety check of each gas appliance and flue a landlord provides | Every 12 months, by law for landlords |
| Boiler service | Servicing the boiler itself | Booked on its own, or with the check on one visit |
| Building regulations certificate | Notifiable work such as installing or replacing a heating system, in England | Within 8 weeks of completion, when the installer self-certifies |
| Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) | The condition of the fixed wiring | At least every 5 years for a rented home |
A new boiler in England is work notified under building regulations, and a registered installer can self-certify it, with the certificate due within 8 weeks of completion. That certificate covers the installation. The annual record covers whether the boiler is still safe to use.
Electrics are separate again. The EICR, its electrical equivalent, reports on the wiring of a rented home at least every 5 years in all four UK nations.
What tenants can do about a missing gas safety certificate
In England, a tenant is entitled to the record within 28 days of each yearly check, and before moving in. If it has not arrived, ask the landlord or agent for it in writing.
- You cannot be charged for the gas safety check.
- Let the engineer in when given reasonable notice, or ask someone you trust to be in.
- Appliances you own are your responsibility, and you may have to pay if you ask the engineer to check them.
If the landlord still will not arrange a check, report it to the Health and Safety Executive, which can prosecute landlords who break gas safety rules.
Common questions
How much does a gas safety certificate cost?
A gas safety certificate costs £50 for a check on one appliance and the gas meter at one London fixed-price firm in 2026, including VAT. Each extra appliance adds £10, so a boiler, hob and gas fire comes to £68. Engineers set their own prices, so compare 3 quotes before booking.
Is it a legal requirement to have a gas safety certificate?
A gas safety certificate is a legal requirement for landlords, not for owner-occupiers. A landlord letting on a lease shorter than 7 years or under a licence must have every gas appliance and flue they provide checked every 12 months. The 1998 regulations set the duty in England, Scotland and Wales, and separate 2004 regulations do so in Northern Ireland.
How do I get a gas safety certificate?
You get a gas safety certificate by booking a Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out a gas safety check. Check that their ID card covers each appliance type, give the tenants notice, and collect the record when the checks finish. A landlord then gives each tenant a copy within 28 days.
Can I get a free gas safety check?
A tenant gets the gas safety check free, because the landlord pays for it and in England cannot charge the tenant. An owner-occupier pays for the visit, at £50 for one appliance and the meter at one London fixed-price firm. Tenants may have to pay if they ask the engineer to check appliances they own.
How long does a gas safety certificate last?
A gas safety certificate lasts 12 months. A check carried out up to 2 months before the due date keeps the original renewal date, so an October check on a record due in December still leaves the next check due in December. Landlords keep each record for 2 years.
What is a CP12 certificate?
A CP12 is another name for the landlord gas safety record. The name comes from CORGI Proforma 12, the form used when CORGI ran the gas register, before Gas Safe Register replaced it on 1 April 2009. The legal duty and the document are the same whichever name the engineer uses.
Can I find my gas safety certificate online?
Your landlord or the engineer who did the check holds the record, so ask either of them for a copy. Landlords can keep records electronically as long as they can be printed when needed and are secure from loss and interference. Some engineers issue the record through an online portal straight after the check.
What happens if a landlord does not have a gas safety certificate?
A landlord without a valid gas safety record is breaking the law, and HSE can prosecute, with a substantial fine, a custodial sentence or both. In Wales, the landlord also cannot give a section 173 notice until the contract-holder has a valid record. Tenants can report a missing check to HSE.
Does a gas safety check include a boiler service?
A gas safety check does not include a boiler service: they are separate jobs, priced separately. The check confirms each appliance is safe to use, while a service is maintenance on the boiler itself. One London firm charges £75 for a service on its own and £85 for the check and service together.