For landlords with gas appliances in a rental property, gas safety is not simply another item on the property maintenance checklist. It is a legal responsibility that needs to be managed properly throughout the tenancy.

A landlord gas safety certificate, commonly called a CP12, provides a record that the relevant gas appliances and flues have been checked by a suitably qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. But arranging the inspection is only part of the responsibility. Landlords also need to understand when checks are due, what records must be kept, how tenants should receive them and what happens when access or remedial work becomes an issue.

This guide focuses on the requirements applying in England, Scotland and Wales under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as amended.

What is a landlord gas safety certificate (CP12)?

The formal HSE terminology is the Landlord Gas Safety Record (LGSR). “Gas safety certificate” and “CP12” are commonly used terms for the same type of record.

The gas safety check covers the relevant gas appliances and flues to which the landlord's duties extend. The landlord's wider responsibilities also include maintaining relevant gas fittings and installation pipework in a safe condition. The engineer records the appliances and flues checked, the results of the safety checks and any defects or remedial action required.

A CP12 is therefore evidence that the required gas safety check has been carried out. It is not a general certificate stating that every part of a property is safe, nor is it a substitute for proper maintenance.

Which gas appliances need to be checked?

The landlord is responsible for gas appliances and flues they own or provide for the tenant's use. This can include boilers, gas fires, cookers and other relevant appliances.

A tenant's own appliance is generally not part of the landlord's annual appliance check. However, responsibilities relating to the gas installation and associated pipework can still apply.

Each relevant appliance and flue should be checked at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

This is one reason a landlord should not simply book a “boiler check” and assume the property's gas safety obligations have been met. The inspection needs to cover the relevant landlord-provided gas appliances and flues.

When does a landlord gas safety check need to be carried out?

The gas safety check must be completed every 12 months.

For a new tenancy, the required checks must have been completed within the relevant period before the tenancy begins. Existing tenants must also receive the appropriate gas safety record within the required timeframe.

There is an important point about timing that is sometimes misunderstood. In Great Britain, the regulations allow a landlord to have the annual check carried out up to two months before the existing deadline without losing the original deadline date. This can help landlords align different properties or appliances onto a more manageable inspection cycle.

It is not, however, a general “grace period” after the certificate has expired. The purpose of the flexibility is to bring the check forward, not to allow landlords to carry on after the due date.

What information should the gas safety record contain?

The record should include information such as:

  • The property address
  • The appliances and flues checked
  • The date of the check
  • The engineer's name and Gas Safe registration details
  • Any safety defects identified
  • Remedial action taken or required
  • Confirmation that the relevant safety checks were completed

A landlord should retain the record for at least two years. Copies must also be provided to tenants within the required timescales: existing tenants should receive a copy within 28 days of the check, while a new tenant should receive it before moving into the property.

What if the tenant does not allow access?

Access can become one of the more difficult practical aspects of landlord gas safety.

A landlord cannot simply force entry because an annual inspection is due. Instead, HSE guidance expects landlords to take all reasonable steps to arrange access and to keep evidence of their attempts.

That can mean providing written notice, explaining why the inspection is legally and practically important, offering reasonable appointment options and keeping records of correspondence or missed appointments.

For landlords with recurring access problems, the tenancy agreement should also make the arrangements for necessary gas safety inspections clear.

The important point is to demonstrate a genuine and documented effort to complete the required check rather than simply allowing the deadline to pass.

What happens if the engineer finds a gas safety defect?

A gas safety check is not simply a pass-or-fail exercise.

If the engineer identifies a defect, the issue should be recorded and appropriate remedial action taken. Where an appliance is considered unsafe, it should not be used until the problem has been dealt with appropriately.

The gas safety record is issued when the inspection is completed; it does not need to be withheld simply because remedial work is required. Any subsequent work should be properly documented.

This is where the difference between compliance and maintenance becomes important. Completing the annual inspection does not remove the landlord's wider responsibility to keep gas appliances and flues appropriately maintained. HSE also recommends that appliances and flues are serviced according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Is a CP12 the same as a boiler service?

No.

A gas safety check is primarily about checking that relevant gas appliances and flues are safe to use and meeting the landlord's legal gas safety responsibilities.

A boiler service is a separate maintenance procedure intended to assess the boiler's condition and performance in line with manufacturer requirements.

They may be carried out during the same visit where appropriate, but one should not automatically be treated as a replacement for the other.

For landlords, keeping these two maintenance activities separate in the property records makes compliance much easier to demonstrate.

How should landlords manage gas safety across multiple properties?

For a single property, it can be easy to remember an annual inspection. For a portfolio, relying on memory is a poor compliance strategy.

A simple central schedule should record:

  • Property  
  • Last check 
  • Next due date 
  • Tenant notified 
  • Defects identified 
  • Remedial action completed

It is sensible to arrange inspections ahead of the deadline rather than waiting for the certificate to expire. Where the regulatory timing flexibility is applicable, landlords can also use the permitted early-check window to help bring several properties onto a more manageable annual cycle.

Using the same Gas Safe registered contractor across a portfolio can also simplify communication, record keeping and follow-up work.

Keeping landlord gas safety compliance under control

A CP12 should be treated as part of an ongoing gas safety process, not as a document that is obtained once a year and forgotten.

For landlords, the essentials are straightforward:

  • use a Gas Safe registered engineer,
  • ensure the relevant appliances and flues are checked on time,
  • provide tenants with the required records,
  • retain evidence,
  • respond promptly to defects and
  • maintain a clear schedule across the property portfolio.

For landlords and letting agents in London, Maintracts' gas safety certificate service can help arrange the required inspections and associated gas safety work through Gas Safe registered engineers.