What the law requires
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, a landlord must have every gas appliance and flue they are responsible for checked for safety every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and must keep a record of it.
- It covers every gas appliance and flue in the property that you are responsible for — boiler, fire, hob, oven, back boiler
- It must be carried out by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register, and you are entitled to see their card
- Appliances the tenant owns themselves are generally their responsibility, but the pipework and flue serving them is still yours
- The record must be kept for at least two years
Giving tenants their copy
- Existing tenants must be given a copy within 28 days of the check
- New tenants must be given a copy at the start of the tenancy, before they move in
- In England this also matters for a Section 21 notice — a landlord who has not provided the gas safety record can find a possession notice is not valid
The 12-month rule and how not to lose your date
A check can be carried out up to two months before the current certificate expires without shifting your anniversary date. In other words, doing it early does not cost you time.
Leave it until after expiry and the clock restarts from the new date, and you have had a gap where the property was let without a valid record. Booking in the two-month window is simply the sensible way to run it.
What it is not
A gas safety record is frequently confused with two other documents, and they are entirely separate obligations.
- An EICR is the electrical installation condition report — different inspection, different qualification, different renewal period
- An EPC is the energy performance certificate, about efficiency rather than safety
- A boiler service is not the same thing either. A safety check confirms the appliance is safe; a service is maintenance to keep it working and usually to keep the manufacturer's warranty valid. Many landlords have both done in one visit, but one does not replace the other.
If the engineer finds a problem
An appliance found to be immediately dangerous will be disconnected and capped with your permission, and the situation reported. That is the system working as intended. What you cannot do is let the property with a known unsafe appliance, so it is far better to find it in September than in the middle of a tenancy in December.
Common questions
How often do I need a gas safety certificate?
Every 12 months, for every gas appliance and flue you are responsible for, carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Does an HMO or student let need anything different?
The same annual requirement applies, but with more appliances and more tenants there is usually more to check and more copies to distribute. Demand around Newcastle and Durham rises sharply before the academic year, so book earlier than you think you need to.
Is a gas safety check the same as a boiler service?
No. The safety check confirms the appliance is safe to use. A service is maintenance and is usually what your manufacturer's warranty requires. They are often done in the same visit but they are different jobs.
Related guides
What is actually included in a boiler service? Why does my boiler keep losing pressure? What actually decides the price of a new boiler
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