Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to ensure that all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys undergo annual checks. The law also requires that you give a copy of the check to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous they will ask permission to shut off the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches are installed.
What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate for landlords is a document which demonstrates that all of the rented property's gas appliances and flues have been inspected by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are required to arrange an annual gas inspection for each rental property they have at least once a year. The inspection is performed by an Gas Safe registered engineer and makes sure that all pipework appliances, flues, and pipes are in good working order and that they comply with safety regulations.
Landlords are also legally required to provide their tenants with copies of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (Gas Safety Record) at the end of each year's gas safety inspection and test. This should be provided to tenants in the 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the beginning of their lease.
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 identifies the date of the last gas inspection or test, the results, any issues or actions that need to be addressed, as well as the name of the person who conducted the test.
The engineer will give advice if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will outline what needs to be corrected in order to ensure it is safe to use. If a gas appliance is found to be Immediately Dangerous or abnormally lethal, the gas supply will need to be disconnected until the issue is solved.
If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for gas security checks to be conducted, it is a criminal offence. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction should it be necessary, but it is generally easier to send a clearly worded letter explaining the reasons why it is crucial that the checks are conducted and what they will entail. This should encourage tenants who are hesitant to let access to the property. If not the landlord is not willing, he will have to begin the eviction process.
How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
The landlords and letting agencies are legally required to carry out an annual gas safety inspection on all gas appliances and flues that they provide to tenants. This is to ensure that their equipment is safe for use and that there aren't any gas leaks in the property. Gas inspections are an essential obligation for landlords, and they must ensure that they are carried out by a certified engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document that affirms that an engineer has completed a gas inspection in the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord, and should be presented to the tenant to verify the safety of gas supply. It is valid for 12 months, and has to be renewed each year.
A landlord who does not provide the Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be penalized. Gas Safety checks must be carried out by landlords on time. They should keep a copy in case tenants request it.
Installing inspection hatches on all gas appliances is a good idea as it allows engineers to easily access the appliances to conduct annual inspections. If the appliance is found to be 'at risk' during an inspection, the engineer will formally declare it to be at risk and will shut off the boiler and recommend that the tenant not use it until the inspection hatch is installed.
Landlords must also ensure that they give tenants at least 24 hours notice before they are allowed to enter the property to perform Gas Safety checks. This allows tenants to prepare and ask permission if needed. If a tenant refuses to allow the engineer access the landlord must write to them explaining the reason for the visit and what happens if they don't follow through. If the tenant is still refusing then the landlord should look into evicting them pursuant to section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.
What is the consequence if I don't have a Gas Safety Certificate?
In short it is the landlord's legal obligation to ensure that their property is equipped with a valid gas safety certificate before tenants move into. Infractions to the law can lead to the landlord being charged or fined severely. The regulations also stipulate that landlords must provide an electronic copy of the gas safety record to their tenants on request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord to conduct an inspection of all gas appliances. During the inspection, an engineer will note any problems that could pose a danger to tenants. The engineer will issue a CP12 Gas Safety Document, also known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record (or a Gas Safety Certificate).
This is a crucial document that every tenant must keep. This document contains information about gas installations in a rental home, including when they were tested as well as their expiration dates. It can assist tenants in identifying issues with their appliances and installations and ensure that they are aware of how to contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.
Landlords must give the gas safety report to their tenants, new and existing, within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord must also provide an original copy of CP12 at the beginning of the lease. Landlords that fail to provide the copy of the gas certificate could be prosecuted and face unlimited fines, or six months in prison.
In the same way, landlords must make sure that their properties have working carbon monoxide alarms. They should also arrange for them to be tested every month. The landlord is accountable for repairing any alarm that doesn't work. The rules around this apply to private, council and housing association landlords, and also to licensable houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
In June 2017 In June 2017, the High Court ruled that it was illegal for landlords to issue Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid gas Safety Certificate. The decision was based upon a law that requires landlords who have assured shorthold leases to obtain an official gas safety certificate for their property prior to when tenants move in.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that the gas appliances, flues and pipework in their properties are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with this. To be in compliance with the regulations landlords are required to conduct annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues that they install for use in the property. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate and it must be signed by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
It is also a good idea for landlords to look into having an annual boiler service performed simultaneously with the CP12 inspection, since this will help ensure that all gas appliances are operating in a safe and efficient manner. Gas engineers can provide a combined CP12 inspection and boiler service at a reasonable cost. They will inspect the boiler burner's seals as well as look for leaks and cracks within the flue system and clean the heat exchanger, and carry out general maintenance.
The CP12 document is often referred to as the 'landlord gas safety certificate' but it is actually the Gas Safety Record documentation. It contains the results of all safety inspections and the details of any actions or problems that need to be addressed. Landlords are required to give tenants a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.
It is essential that landlords and letting agents allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and maintenance. It is a good idea to inform tenants of the importance of allowing access and explaining that the gas engineer is there to protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the tenant is unwilling to let access in it's the landlord's or letting agent's responsibility to clarify the legal obligations in writing. Then follow with a visit to the property to compel entry if needed.
Gas safety certificate should be requested by tenants before entering the property. This will ensure that the engineer is qualified to work with your home's systems and can therefore be trusted to carry out the safety inspection. Be aware that a gas engineer can legally shut off faulty equipment or cut off the gas supply in case of need.