How long does a gas safety certificate last, and who needs one?
A landlord's gas safety certificate, properly called a gas safety record or often a CP12, lasts 12 months. The law requires every gas appliance and flue a landlord provides to be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least once every 12 months. Since April 2018 you can have the next check done up to two months early and still keep the original anniversary date, so the cycle does not creep forward each year. Homeowners living in their own property have no legal duty to hold a certificate, and one is not required to sell a house, although an annual check or service is still the safe choice.
Loyal Plumbers · Updated
Discuss your plumbing workThe 12-month rule for landlords
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, a landlord must make sure every gas appliance and flue they own and provide for tenants' use is checked for safety within 12 months of its installation and at intervals of no more than 12 months after that. The check must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the result is recorded on a gas safety record.
The record is valid for 12 months from the date of the check. It is not tied to the tenancy, so a new tenancy starting halfway through the year does not reset the date, and an expired record is not rescued by a tenant moving out. Gas appliances the tenant owns, such as their own cooker, are the tenant's responsibility, but the landlord remains responsible for the pipework and any flue serving them.
| What | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Safety check on each appliance and flue | At least every 12 months |
| Renewing early without losing the date | Up to 2 months before the deadline |
| Copy to existing tenants | Within 28 days of the check |
| Copy to new tenants | Before they move in |
| Keeping the records | At least 2 years |
Renewing early without moving your date
Before 2018, a check done a month early simply became the new anniversary, so landlords who booked ahead lost time each year. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 changed that. If the check is carried out in the two months before the deadline, the new record runs as if the check had been done exactly 12 months after the last one.
To use this, keep the previous record as well as the new one, so you can show the dates if HSE or the local authority asks. HSE's guidance is that you must be able to demonstrate the checks were carried out within the required timescales. A check done more than two months early is still valid, but it resets the anniversary to the new date.
In practice, booking in the eight weeks before expiry also gives you room to rearrange if a tenant cannot give access. Our guide to planning access for a landlord gas check covers what to do when a tenant keeps cancelling.
Do homeowners need a gas safety certificate?
No. The annual gas safety record is a landlord's duty. If you own and live in your home, there is no legal requirement to hold one or to have your boiler checked each year. The regulations still require that any gas work is done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and that you do not use an appliance you know or suspect is unsafe.
Most manufacturers ask for an annual service to keep a boiler's warranty valid, and a service includes the safety checks on the boiler itself. A service and a gas safety check are not the same thing, though: the safety check covers every gas appliance and flue in the property, and a service goes deeper into the boiler. Our guide to a boiler service versus a gas safety check explains the difference, and how often a boiler should be serviced covers the timing.
Selling or buying a house
You do not need a gas safety certificate to sell a house in England. Buyers' solicitors are more likely to ask for the Building Regulations compliance certificate for the boiler and any service records, which show that it was fitted by a registered engineer and has been looked after.
If you are buying, a gas safety check after you get the keys is worth doing, especially if the property has been empty or the boiler's history is unclear. It is also the moment to fit a carbon monoxide alarm if there is not one already. Our plumbing checks before buying a house guide lists the other things worth looking at.
Other situations where the rules apply
If you have missed a renewal, do not wait for the next convenient date. Book the check straight away, keep evidence of your attempts to arrange access, and read our guide to what to do after a missed gas safety check.
- Lodgers: if you rent a room in your own home, the landlord duty applies to the appliances and flues you provide for the lodger's use
- Holiday lets and short stays: the same annual check applies, and for stays under 28 days a copy of the record should be displayed in the property
- HMOs and managed blocks: the landlord or managing agent is responsible, and checks may need coordinating with the building owner for shared flues or plant
- Commercial premises: different duties apply, and employers and those in control of premises have their own obligations for gas safety
Booking a gas safety check in London
Loyal Plumbers carries out landlord gas safety checks across London and everywhere inside the M25, with every check done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You receive the record for each appliance checked, and if a fault is found we explain it and quote for the repair. Call us or send an enquiry with the address, the appliances in the property and the date your current record runs out, and we will book the visit inside the two-month window so you keep your renewal date.
If you smell gas or a carbon monoxide alarm goes off, do not wait for a scheduled check. Turn off the gas at the meter if you can do so safely, open windows, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
Common questions
- How long is a gas safety certificate valid for?
- A landlord gas safety record is valid for 12 months from the date of the check. The next check must be completed before the 12 months run out.
- Can I renew my gas safety certificate early?
- Yes. Since April 2018, a check done up to two months before the deadline keeps the original anniversary date. Keep both the old and new records as evidence.
- Do I need a gas safety certificate if I own my home?
- No, the legal requirement applies to landlords. Homeowners are still advised to have gas appliances checked or serviced every year and must use a Gas Safe registered engineer for any gas work.
- Do I need a gas safety certificate to sell my house?
- No. It is not a legal requirement for a sale, although buyers may ask for the boiler's installation certificate and service history.
- How long must landlords keep gas safety records?
- At least two years. If you rely on the early renewal rule, keep enough past records to show each check was done within the required time.
Sources and further reading
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