Landlord Gas Safety Certificates (CP12)
If you let a property with gas appliances, they and their flues must be checked for safety every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Failing to do so is a criminal offence, not a paperwork oversight.
Below: who counts as a landlord under the regulations, what the engineer has to record, the deadlines for getting the record to your tenant, and what happens when it is missing.
Who the duty applies to
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 apply to premises occupied for residential purposes under a lease or a licence, in exchange for money or money’s worth. That is broader than most people expect — a licence to occupy counts, not only a formal tenancy.
The regulations define a relevant lease as one for a term of less than seven years, a periodic tenancy, or a statutory tenancy. The duty falls on the person entitled to the reversion, which in practice means the landlord rather than any managing agent, though the agent may carry it out on the landlord’s behalf.
Gas appliances or pipework used exclusively in a part of the premises occupied for non-residential purposes are outside this duty.
When the check is due
| Situation | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Any appliance or flue | Checked within 12 months of installation, then at intervals of no more than 12 months |
| A new lease starting | Checked within the 12 months before the lease begins, or within 12 months of installation, whichever is later |
| Ongoing tenancy | Every 12 months, whether or not the tenancy has changed |
A change of tenancy does not reset the clock. The anniversary belongs to the appliance, not to the tenant.
What the record must contain
The engineer produces a record — commonly called a CP12 — which the regulations require to include:
- the date the appliance or flue was checked
- the address of the premises
- the name and address of the landlord, or their agent
- a description and location of each appliance or flue checked
- any defect identified
- any remedial action taken
- confirmation that the check meets the required standard
- the name and signature of the engineer
- the registration number of the engineer or their employer
Keep the record for two years from the date of the check. A record missing the registration number or a signature is not a valid record, which is why a cheap certificate from an unregistered trader is worth nothing at all.
Getting the record to the tenant
- Existing tenants: a copy within 28 days of the check.
- New tenants: a copy before they occupy the property.
- Tenancies of 28 days or less: the record may instead be displayed prominently in the property.
Where there is no gas appliance in any room the tenant occupies, the landlord may display the record prominently with a statement that the tenant can request their own copy.
What happens if it is missing
Breach of the landlord duties under the gas safety regulations is a criminal offence under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The Health and Safety Executive can prosecute, and the penalties are an unlimited fine and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
That places it in a different category from an EPC penalty. An EPC breach is a fixed civil charge; a gas safety breach is a criminal matter with a potential prison sentence.
Booked with the EPC
A rented property needs an EPC, a gas safety record and an EICR, each on its own cycle. Where getting access is the difficult part, booking them for one visit avoids three appointments and three sets of access arrangements.
Our landlord EPC guide covers the minimum rating and the 2030 change, and the EICR page explains the five-year electrical test.
Frequently asked questions
How often do I need a landlord gas safety check?
Every 12 months. The first check must be within 12 months of the appliance being installed, and thereafter at intervals of no more than 12 months since the last check. A check can be carried out up to two months early without shortening the next due date.
Who can carry out a gas safety check?
Only a Gas Safe registered engineer. The regulations require the work to be done by, or by an employee of, a business approved by the Health and Safety Executive for that purpose. An engineer who is not Gas Safe registered cannot issue a valid record.
How long must I keep the gas safety record?
Two years from the date of the check. The record must contain the date of the check, the address, the landlord name and address, a description and location of each appliance and flue, any defects and remedial action, the engineer name and signature, and the registration number.
When must I give the certificate to my tenant?
A copy of the record must go to each existing tenant within 28 days of the check, and to a new tenant before they occupy the property. Where a tenancy is for 28 days or less, the record may instead be displayed prominently in the property.
What happens if I do not have a gas safety certificate?
Breach of the landlord duties is a criminal offence and the Health and Safety Executive can prosecute. The penalties are an unlimited fine and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
Does a gas safety check cover the boiler only?
No. Every gas appliance and its flue that the landlord provides, or that serves the premises and is under the landlord control, must be checked. That includes cookers, hobs, fires and water heaters as well as the boiler.
Do I need a gas safety certificate to sell a house?
The statutory annual duty applies to tenancies, not to sales. That said, a buyer will often ask for the service history, and a current record supports the sale. It is not a legal requirement to provide one on a sale.
Book a gas safety check
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Sources: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, reg 36 (legislation.gov.uk); Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, s 33. This page reflects the position in October 2026 and is general information rather than legal advice.