Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances chimneys, flues and chimneys are regularly inspected. You must also provide a copy to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an device or installation to be immediately dangerous they will request permission to shut off the gas supply and recommend that inspection hatches be installed.
What is an Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?
A gas safety certificate issued by a landlord is an official document that proves that all gas appliances and flues in the rented property were inspected by a qualified gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to organize a gas safety check every year for each rental property they own. The inspection is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer and checks to ensure that all of the pipework, appliances, and flues are in good working order and in compliance with safety regulations.
Landlords are also legally required to provide 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 given to tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety Inspection and to new tenants at the start of their tenancy.
CP12 is an abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was employed by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form identifies the date of the last gas inspection or test and the results of these tests, any actions or issues that require to be addressed, as well as the name of the engineer who carried out the inspection.
If the Gas Safety check highlights any issues with a gas appliance, the engineer will advise on what must be done to ensure it is safe for use. If an appliance is deemed immediately dangerous or abnormally dangerous the gas supply should be turned off until the issue has been resolved.
If a tenant is unwilling to allow access for the gas safety checks to be carried out the tenant is guilty of an offence that is criminal. If necessary landlords can apply to the courts for an order to stop the tenant from preventing the gas safety checks. However, it's often easier to send a letter which describes why the check is essential and what will be involved. This should entice tenants who are hesitant to allow access to the property. If not the landlord has to initiate the eviction process.
How often should I get a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords and letting agents are required by law to carry out an annual gas safety inspection on all flues and gas appliances that they supply to their tenants. This is to ensure that the equipment is safe for them to use and to ensure that there aren't gas leaks within the property. Gas inspections are a vital obligation for landlords and they should ensure that they are completed by a certified engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate, formerly known as the Gas Safety Check Record, is a legal document that indicates that an engineer completed a gas check within the last 12 months. It is issued by the landlord and must be provided to the tenant to verify the security of the gas supply. It is valid for a period of 12 months, and must be renewed annually.
A landlord who is unable to provide a Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be fined. It is therefore essential for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out on time and keep a copy of the documentation in case a tenant requests it.
Installing inspection hatches on all gas appliances is a good idea since it allows engineers to gain access to the appliances for their annual inspections. The engineer will classify the appliance as being at-risk and may recommend that tenants stop using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed.
landlord gas safety certificate cp12 are also required to give their tenants at least 24 hours' notice prior entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows tenants time to prepare and ask permission if they need. If a tenant does not permit the engineer to enter, the landlord should inform them why it is necessary and what will happen if they don't comply. If the tenant refuses to allow the engineer entry, the landlord could consider evicting the tenant under section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act.
What happens if I don't get a Gas Safety Certificate?
In essence it's the landlord's legal responsibility to ensure their property has a valid gas safety certificate before tenants move into. Failure to adhere to this law can result in the landlord being prosecuted or fined heavily. The regulations state that landlords must also furnish copies of the gas safety certificates to their tenants upon request.
Gas Safe registered engineers must visit the rental home of the landlord to conduct an inspection of all gas appliances. During the inspection the engineer will be able to identify any issues that may cause a threat for tenants. They will then issue a CP12 gas safety document, which is also known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is a vital piece of documentation that all tenants should be able to access and keep. The document contains information about gas installations in a rental home, including when they were tested and expiration dates. It will help tenants recognize problems with appliances or installations and ensure that they know how contact the Gas Safe Engineer to have them checked.
Landlords must provide a gas safety report to their tenants, new and existing within 28 days after the engineer has visited their property. The landlord must also give the copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords who do not provide an original copy of the gas safety certificate may be prosecuted under the rules and face unlimited fines or a six-month imprisonment.
Additionally, landlords should ensure that their properties have working carbon monoxide alarms. They can also arrange for them to be tested every month. The landlord is accountable for repairing an alarm that does not work. This is applicable to councils, private landlords, and housing associations, and also licensable houses of Multiple Occupation.
In June 2017, the High Court ruled that it was illegal for landlords to serve Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with an official gas Safety Certificate. The decision was based on the law that requires landlords with assured shorthold tenancies to have a gas safety certificate for their property prior to the time tenants move into it.
How do I get a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords are required by law to ensure that the gas appliances, flues and pipework within their properties are safe for tenants. This is covered under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. To ensure compliance with the regulations, landlords are required to conduct annual gas inspections of all gas appliances and flues they provide for use in a 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 consider having a boiler service carried out simultaneously with the CP12 inspection, since this will ensure that all gas appliances are functioning correctly and safely. Gas engineers can provide the combination CP12 inspection and boiler service for a reasonable price. They will examine the boiler burner's seals as well as look for leaks and cracks within the flue system, clean the heat exchanger, and carry out general maintenance.
The CP12 is often known as "landlord's gas safety certificate" however it actually is known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It contains the results of all safety checks and the details of any actions or problems that need to be addressed. Landlords must provide their tenants with a copy of the CP12 document within 28 days of the Gas Safety check being completed.
It is essential that landlords and letting agents only allow Gas Safe registered engineers access to the property to conduct safety inspections and for maintenance. It is a good idea to inform tenants about the necessity of allowing access, and explaining that the gas engineer will ensure they are safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. If a tenant is hesitant to let access in it's the landlord's or letting agent's duty to explain the legal responsibilities in writing. Then follow by visiting the property to force entry if necessary.
Gas Safe ID cards should be requested by tenants before they are allowed to enter the property. This will ensure that the engineer is qualified to work on the systems in your home and can therefore be trusted to conduct the safety check. It is also important to know that a gas engineer can legally disconnect defective equipment or shut off your gas supply if needed.