Gas Safety Certificates (CP12) — landlord duties

Why it matters

Gas safety is a criminal duty, not a civil one. Breaches are prosecuted by the HSE and carry unlimited fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment. In England, failing to serve a valid record on the tenant also blocks certain possession routes.

Legal requirements

• Arrange a check of all gas appliances and flues every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• Give the record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in.
• Keep copies of records for a minimum of two years.
• Carry out any remedial work identified as immediately dangerous or at risk without delay.

Common mistakes

• Letting the anniversary slip because access could not be arranged — document every access attempt in writing.
• Assuming a boiler service is the same as a gas safety check; they are different jobs.
• Forgetting appliances the tenant owns still require the flue and installation to be checked.
• Not serving the record on the tenant, only filing it.

Practical guidance

• Book the check in month 10 or 11 — the new certificate can be dated from the old expiry if done within two months, so you never lose time.
• Send access requests by both email and post and keep the evidence.
• Store the record against the property so it goes out automatically in the tenant document pack.
• If the property has no gas supply, record that fact so compliance scoring stops asking for it.