As a responsible landlord, ensuring the safety of your tenants is one of your top priorities. There are several ways to demonstrate that your property is safe, including undertaking a fire risk assessment and obtaining an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). However, in this comprehensive guide from the experts at LetsProtect, we’ll be focusing on the gas safety certificate for landlords, including the gas safety check that landlords must book. We’ll also answer some of your frequently asked questions about this topic and reveal the latest estimated landlord gas safety certificate price.

‍What is a gas safety certificate?

A gas safety certificate (otherwise known as a CP12, a gas safety record or even a landlord gas safety record) is a document that proves the gas equipment in your property is safe for use. 

A gas safety certificate is important as, without it, there could be an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and even gas explosions—all of which could prove fatal to your tenants and, potentially, others in or near your property. Obtaining a gas safety certificate for landlords is vital and you certainly cannot let your property until you have one of these.

What does the law state?

According to the Health and Safety Executive, as a landlord, you are legally responsible for the safety of your tenants in relation to gas safety law.

You must:

• Keep gas appliances and flues in good working order and make any repairs necessary
• Have a Gas Safe check every year, covering all appliances and flues
• Keep a record of all gas safety checks made on your property

This means booking the gas safety check landlords must carry out and obtaining a landlord gas safe certificate.

How do I get a landlord Gas Safe certificate?

If you don’t already have a gas safety certificate for landlords, you must obtain one before you rent your property out to tenants. Follow this step-by-step guide below for complete instructions.

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1. Hire a Gas Safe engineer

The first thing you must do is hire a Gas Safe engineer. You can easily find one in your local area by searching on the Gas Safe Register. To carry out any gas work legally, an engineer must be registered.

Once contacted, ask your Gas Safe engineer to perform a gas safety check on your property. At this point, it’s worth mentioning that you are a landlord, plus details about your property (e.g. size, location, etc.). You can also find out what a landlord gas safety certificate price might be.

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2. The gas safety checks landlords require

When your Gas Safe engineer arrives, you will need to show them where all the gas appliances are located within your property. This includes:

• Boilers
• Ovens
• Hobs
• Fires

They will also check all connected pipes, chimneys and flues.

Your Gas Safe engineer will perform the gas safety check landlords require. They will ensure:

• that appliances are on the right setting, so gas burns correctly
• that each appliance is suitable for the room in which it’s located
• that each appliance is stable and securely connected to the gas pipes
• that there is sufficient ventilation around each appliance so that harmful gases don’t accumulate within the property (this includes ensuring flues and pipes aren’t blocked)

Once the check has been completed, you will receive your landlord Gas Safe certificate. There is no standard template for a gas safety certificate, so don’t be alarmed if it looks different to any you’ve previously come across.

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3. Give a copy to your tenants

As a legal requirement, you must pass on a copy of your landlord gas safe certificate to any current tenants within 28 days of the check taking place. If any new tenants come in, you must supply them with a copy of the most recent gas safety certificate.

If any of your tenants install their own gas appliance (for example, an oven), it is their responsibility to have it checked for safety. However, it is still your responsibility to ensure the pipework attached to the appliance is safe.

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What does a gas safety certificate show?

A gas safety certificate for landlords includes:

• The address of your property
• Your own address
• Each appliance checked and its location
• The date the check took place
• The outcome of the check
• If there were issues and what can be done to remedy them
• The name of the Gas Safe engineer who made the check
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Your gas safety certificate for landlords questions answered

While we’ve covered the main points above, you may have further questions about the gas safety check landlords must undergo, along with more general queries about the landlord Gas Safe certificate itself. In this section, we’ll attempt to answer some of the most common questions.

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Is it a legal requirement for a landlord to have a Gas Safe certificate for any property they rent out?

Yes, it is a legal requirement for a landlord renting out a property. The need for a Gas Safe certificate is stated within the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GS(IU)R 98), Part F, Regulation 36.

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How often do I need to get a gas safety certificate?

You must get a new gas safety certificate for landlords every 12 months. So, to ensure yours doesn’t expire, it’s worth marking this date down in your diary.

Another thing worth knowing is that you must keep hold of any landlord Gas Safe certificates for two years.

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What is the landlord gas safety certificate price?

The landlord gas safety certificate price can vary depending on several factors, including your geographic location, the size of your property and the number of appliances. However, the average cost of a gas safety check landlords need will be somewhere between £35 and £99. In most cases, you shouldn’t have to pay over £100. However, it is always a good idea to get several quotes from Gas Safe engineers, to ensure you aren’t paying over the odds.

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Can I get a copy of my Gas Safe certificate online?

This completely depends on the Gas Safe engineer you use. Many now offer a digital copy of your gas safety certificate, which means you can store it on a computer, hard drive or online storage facility. However, if you only receive a paper copy, it’s highly worth making photocopies and storing the original in a safe place that’s easily retrievable.

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‍Your guide to gas safety certificates for landlords: In summary

We hope, after reading this comprehensive guide, you’ll understand more about the gas safety certificate and why, as a landlord, it is vitally important to book a gas safety check landlords require every 12 months. You should also see what landlord gas safety certificate price you’ll need to pay.

Keeping your tenants safe isn’t just a key part of being a good landlord, it’s a legal requirement. Along with your electrical certificate, fire risk assessment, and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), your gas safety certificate for landlords is required before anyone moves in and starts paying you rent.

If you’re thinking of becoming a landlord, why not read our complete checklist for renting out your property? It’s there to ensure you don’t miss out on any crucial steps.