The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 impose strict duties on landlords to maintain gas appliances and flues in a safe condition. Every gas appliance and flue in a rented property must be checked for safety at least once every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The resulting record — commonly known as a CP12 certificate or landlord gas safety certificate — is a critical compliance document.
The annual gas safety check must cover all gas appliances provided by the landlord, including boilers, gas fires, gas cookers, and gas water heaters. The engineer will check the appliance for gas tightness, test burner pressure and gas rates, check ventilation provision, and verify the safe operation of flue systems. Any defects found must be recorded and addressed.
Landlords must provide a copy of the gas safety certificate to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being completed, and to new tenants before they move in. The record must be retained for at least two years. If a property has no gas supply, a gas safety check is not required, but this should be documented.
Gas Safe Register is the official registration body for gas engineers in the UK. Only Gas Safe registered engineers may legally work on gas appliances. Landlords should verify their engineer’s registration by checking their Gas Safe ID card and confirming the engineer is qualified for the specific type of work being carried out.
Penalties for non-compliance with gas safety regulations are severe. Landlords can face unlimited fines, imprisonment for up to two years, or both. Beyond criminal sanctions, failure to maintain gas safety can invalidate property insurance and result in civil liability for any injuries caused by unsafe gas installations.
Custodia’s gas safety tracking features provide automated reminders for annual checks, certificate storage and management, contractor compliance verification, and portfolio-wide visibility of gas safety status across all properties.