Quick GuideLandlord’s Gas Safety Certificate

Gas safety remains an absolutely critical part of being a landlord and, by extension, a letting agent. The requirements around gas safety have evolved over the years and its current form is the Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate, which has been in place since 2009. Previously to this it was known as a CP12 check which stood for CORGI Proforma 12, a certificate that engineers used to award when CORGI were still in charge of gas safety in the UK.

If landlords are found to not be complying with gas safety law tenants have a right to report this to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) so it is important to ensure that your landlords are on top of it.

This quick guide covers:

•How to stay compliant on the Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate

•How to ensure your contractors are compliant

•What the 2018 amendment to the regulations meant

The law around gas can seem intimidating and complicated - this is the perfect starting point for your gas safety education or to double check your knowledge is up-to-date. As ever if you have anything you’d like us to cover or if you have any questions we’d be delighted to hear from you.

How often should checks happen under the Gas Safety Regultions?

There is now a little more flexibility on the timings of gas safety check ups. Currently landlords letting properties with a gas supply are expected to:

• Arrange for a Gas Safe engineer to inspect all gas appliances and flues before a tenant takes up occupation;

• Provide a Gas Safety Certificate to tenants before they move in; and

• Ensure gas safety checks are undertaken every 12 months and certificates provided to tenants within 28 days.

An amendment to the Regulations came into force in 2018 and its most significant change was to provide private landlords with more flexibility on gas safety certificate renewal dates as there can be issues with gaining access to the property in the correct time frame. Annual safety checks can be carried out between 10-12 months from the point of the previous check but treated as if the check happens on the final day of those 12 months - preserving the existing expiry date of thesafety check record. This means you can getthe certificate sorted well before the 12month mark to ensure you have don’t haveany issues with access.

What has to be recorded?

When a Gas Safety engineer performs the check this is what, as a minimum, the record of a gas safety check must contain:

• The description and location of each appliance, chimney, or flue checked

• The name, registration number and signature of the engineer carrying out the check

• The date on which the appliance or flue was checked

• The address of the property at which the appliance or flue is installed

• The name and address of the landlord (or their agent where appropriate)

• Any safety-related defect identified and any remedial action taken

• Confirmation that the safety check has included an examination of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d) of Regulation 26(9) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

What do tenants need to have?

Existing tenants will need to be provided with a copy of the gas safety check record within 28 days of the check being completed. New tenants will need a copy of the gas safety check record before they move in.If either of these are missed the tenant has the right to report the landlord to the HSE. If your tenants have brought any gas appliances with them, you are only responsible for the pipework that supplies them, but it’s worth including them in your annual check.

What will contractors need to do?

Contractors will need to be Gas Safe engineers, and this information can be found on the gassaferegister.co.uk website under “find an engineer”. It’s crucial to ensure that the engineer is qualified as otherwise your certificate will not be safe or valid. Here’s what to expect the Gas Safe engineer to do:

•Check the ‘tightness’ of all gas appliances andfittings

•Do standing and working pressure tests on allavailable test points

•Check gas rates and burner pressure againstmanufacturers’ data plates

•Check vents and flues to ensure that adequateventilation is available and combustion byproductsare expelled

•Check the operation of flame failure devices

•Undertake appropriate physical stability checks

•Any signs of unsafe operation should beinvestigated and reported

How to store records

Records can be stored electronically as long as they can be printed in hard copy when needed, are secure from loss and as long as they they uniquely identify the Gas Safe engineer who did the safety check. You have to store records for at least two years. In addition to all of the above you should also let your tenants know how to turn off the gas at the mains and what to do if there was a gas emergency.

DisclaimerWhile every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, it does not constitute legal advice and cannot be relied upon as such. Simple Estate Agents does not accept any responsibility for liabilities arising as a result of reliance upon the information given.