Quick answer: A landlord gas safety certificate (officially a Landlord Gas Safety Record, still widely called a CP12) shows that a Gas Safe registered engineer has checked every gas appliance and flue you provide for tenants. In England you need one every 12 months, must give existing tenants a copy within 28 days of the check (or new tenants a copy before they move in) and must keep each record for at least two years.
- How often: every 12 months, with a two-month early window that keeps your date
- Who does it: a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Tenant copy: within 28 days, or before a new tenant moves in
- Keep records: at least two years
Get a free quote or call 01438 601616 to book a Gas Safe registered engineer.
What Is a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate?
It is the written result of your annual gas safety check. It records what the engineer inspected, whether each item is safe to use and any defects found. “CP12” is the older name for the same document; the official term is Landlord Gas Safety Record.
A typical record shows:
- each gas appliance and flue checked, and where it is
- whether each one is safe to use
- any defects found and what needs doing
- the engineer’s name and Gas Safe registration number
Who Needs One?
If you let a property in England with gas appliances or flues, the legal duty is yours under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. That stays true even when a letting agent manages the property for you.
- Landlords renting out homes with a gas boiler, hob or fire
- Landlords who use an agent: you keep overall responsibility, even if the agent books the check
- Holiday and short lets of 28 days or less: a copy of the record must be displayed prominently inside the property
Gas appliances your tenant owns are generally outside the landlord’s check duty. Any appliance, flue or gas pipework you provide is not.
This guide covers England. The rules, including carbon monoxide alarm rules, differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How Often Do You Need a Gas Safety Check?
Every 12 months. Each appliance and flue must be checked within 12 months of installation and every 12 months after that.
The two-month window. You can have the check done up to two months before it is due and keep your original expiry date, much like an MOT. For example, if your record expires on 1 September 2027, a check from 1 July 2027 still leaves your next expiry date as 1 September 2028. Book earlier than that and the 12-month clock restarts from the new check date.
- Put the renewal date in your diary as soon as you receive the record
- Aim for the start of your two-month window, so there is time to fix any defects before the deadline
- Autumn is busy. Book before the heating comes on, and see our winter boiler checklist for what else to sort before the cold weather
What Does the Engineer Check?
The engineer inspects each gas appliance you supply and its flue, then records the results. A typical visit takes in:
- the boiler, gas hob and gas fire, where you provide them
- flues and ventilation
- safety devices, and that each appliance operates correctly
- any visible problems with accessible pipework
What the defect codes mean
If the engineer finds a problem, it is usually recorded under one of three codes on your certificate.
Immediately Dangerous (ID)The appliance is a danger to life or propertyTurned off or disconnected and not to be used until fixedAt Risk (AR)Not yet dangerous, but could become soNormally turned off, with your or your tenant’s consent, until fixedNot to Current Standards (NCS)Not dangerous, but does not meet today’s standardsAdvice given; no immediate action needed
|
Code |
Meaning |
What usually happens |
| Immediately Dangerous (ID) | The appliance is a danger to life or property | Turned off or disconnected and not to be used until fixed |
| At Risk (AR) | Not yet dangerous, but could become so | Normally turned off, with your or your tenant’s consent, until fixed |
| Not to Current Standards (NCS) | Not dangerous, but does not meet today’s standards | Advice given; no immediate action needed |
Annual Service vs Gas Safety Check
These are not the same thing. A service keeps your boiler running well. The safety check is the legal inspection recorded on your certificate, and a service on its own does not meet the requirement.
- Service: performance, wear and efficiency, covered on our boiler servicing page
- Safety check: a legal check of appliances and flues, recorded on the certificate
- Both in one visit: many landlords book the two together to save time, so ask for both when you book
Want to spread the cost of annual servicing? Our Boiler Care Plans start from £10.99 a month and include an annual boiler service and a carbon monoxide alarm inspection. A care plan’s service does not replace the landlord gas safety record, so book the safety check as well.
What Happens If Something Fails?
If the engineer finds a fault, you must deal with it, and an unsafe appliance must not be used until it is fixed. Putting right any Immediately Dangerous or At Risk defect is part of staying compliant.
- Unsafe appliances may be turned off or disconnected on the day
- Arrange the repair quickly through our boiler repair service
- If a fault leaves a tenant without heating or hot water out of hours, our emergency plumber team is on call
- Keep a note of the follow-up work with the original record
Records, Tenant Copies and Access
Once the check is done, the paperwork is your responsibility.
- Give existing tenants a copy within 28 days of the check
- Give new tenants a copy before they move in
- Keep each record for at least two years. If you use the early two-month window, keep records until two further checks have been done, so you can show your dates
- Electronic copies are fine if they can be printed when needed, and with your agreement the engineer can send the record straight to the tenant
- Tenants cannot be charged for the check
If your tenant will not give access
You are expected to take all reasonable steps to get the check done. Start early, and keep proof of each attempt.
- Give written notice and offer more than one date
- Follow up by letter or email if the tenant does not reply
- Keep copies of every message with the original record
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
The gas safety record does not replace alarms. Since 1 October 2022, rented homes in England need a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or gas fire. Gas cookers are excluded.
- Test the alarms on the first day of each tenancy and keep proof
- Repair or replace an alarm once you are told it is faulty
- Ask your engineer to note alarm locations at the same visit, so the paperwork sits together
Book Your Landlord Gas Safety Check with LRT Heating
LRT Heating is a family-run, local Gas Safe and OFTEC registered company with 15+ years of experience, a 9.93 out of 10 customer rating on Checkatrade and engineers working across Hertfordshire seven days a week. Read more about us.
Landlord in Hoddesdon or Broxbourne? See our Hoddesdon and Broxbourne pages. We also cover Cheshunt and Hertford, and the wider Hertfordshire area.
If the check turns up a wider problem, see our central heating services.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is a CP12 the same as a landlord gas safety certificate?
Yes. CP12 is the older name, and the official term is Landlord Gas Safety Record.
2. How much does a landlord gas safety certificate cost?
It depends on how many appliances need checking, for example a boiler, a hob and a gas fire. Ask for a free quote and we will give you a clear price.
3. Does my boiler service count as a gas safety check?
No. A service alone does not meet the requirement, so ask for both in one visit.
4. Who can issue a landlord gas safety certificate?
Only a Gas Safe registered engineer. Ask to see their ID card: the front shows their photo, licence number and expiry date, and the back lists the work they are qualified to do.
5. Does the certificate cover electrics?
No, it covers gas only. Electrical safety is a separate check.
6. What if my tenant will not let the engineer in?
Take and record all reasonable steps: written notice, more than one date offered and follow-ups. Start early so there is time before your deadline.
7. Do I need a new certificate when a tenant moves out and another moves in?
Not if your current record is still in date. New tenants must receive a copy before they move in.
8 Can I charge my tenant for the check?
No. The cost of the annual gas safety check sits with the landlord.