A Step by Step Guide on How to Get a Gas Safety Certificate

Every landlord in the UK must have a valid gas safety certificate under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to make sure that all the gas appliances, fittings, chimneys, and pipework in your property are safe for you.

Homeowners, who live on their own property, are not obligated by the law to get a gas safety certificate. There is nothing like an official homeowner gas safety certificate. However, it is recommended that homeowners should also get the gas appliances and pipelines in their house checked once a year to make sure that everything is working efficiently and safely and there are no issues that need to be repaired.

Why do you need a Gas Safety Certificate?

This gas safety check gives homeowners peace of mind knowing that their home is safe, and gas safety certificates may even come in handy if the owners plan on selling the house in the future.

You are legally obligated to have a gas safety certificate issued to you by a qualified and registered engineer after a thorough gas safety check is done if you want to rent out your property. The engineer will record all the gas safety check details on a Landlord Gas Safety Record form, also known as a CP12 Certificate, and provide you and your tenants with a copy of that record.

It is mandatory to get the gas appliances and installations of your property checked once every year. This gas safety check must be done in the 10^th or 12^th month following the gas safety check of the previous year.

The gas engineer will provide the landlord with a copy of the Gas Safety Record form. The form includes all the checks done by the engineer and the results of those checks. The landlords will have to provide a copy to the tenants. New tenants must receive a copy before they move in, and the existing tenants must receive the document within 28 days of the inspection.

In order to receive a gas safety certificate, book an appointment with a registered gas safety engineer. They will visit the property and inspect all the gas appliances, fittings, and pipework. The engineers will issue a gas safety certificate after they are sure that everything is in proper working condition.

Gas businesses registered under Gas Safe are allowed to carry out gas inspections. Every company on the official list has an employee who carries a Gas Safe ID card. Always check the ID card before allowing the gas engineers to carry out any work on your property because some gas engineers are not allowed to do all sorts of gas work.

The information that must be included in a Gas Safety Record form is:

• Location and description of each gas appliance in the house that is checked by the gas engineer.
• The name, registration number, and signature of the gas engineer.
• The date on which the gas inspection was carried out.
• The address of the property on which the inspection was carried out.
• Name and address of the landlord.
• Any issue located by the gas engineer requires immediate attention.
• Result of the gas safety check carried out on the gas appliances.

It is required by the law to inspect the pipework of the property to make sure that it is working and safe. Therefore, while the tenants are responsible for the condition of the gas appliances, the landlord is responsible for the state of the pipework.

There is no fixed price for a gas safety certificate as the certification costs depend on the gas engineer that the landlord chooses. The Gas Safe Register does not set the cost of the certificate, so the best option is to get quotes from various gas businesses and compare them to choose the one that fits the budget of the landlord.

Typically, the price range is between £35 to £150, depending on the number of gas appliances in the property.

Landlord gas safety certificate checklist: 

• Check the Gas Safe Register to find a qualified gas engineer.
• Contact the tenants to schedule a gas check on a day that is convenient to both the tenant and the landlord.
• Book an appointment with the engineer.
• Carry out all the repairs that are necessary.
• Keep a copy of the Gas Safe Record form and give one to the tenants.
• Set a reminder for the next gas check of your property. 

If you need help getting a gas safety certificate then visit us for more information.