Gas safety certificates in 2026: what every landlord must do
If you let a property with any gas appliance - a boiler, hob, fire or water heater - you have a legal duty to get it checked every year and prove it. This guide covers the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, not the Renters' Rights Act. It has applied since 1998, across England, Wales and Scotland, and nothing about it changed on 1 May 2026. What has changed is the cost of getting it wrong: a missing record can now undermine a Section 8 possession claim, not just risk prosecution.
What a gas safety certificate actually is
The document landlords and tenants usually call a gas safety certificate, or by its old trade reference, CP12, has a proper legal name: a Gas Safety Record. It is the written result of an annual safety check on every gas appliance, fitting and flue you provide, carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It is not automatically the same as a boiler service - a service does not have to cover every point a safety check requires, so if you want an engineer to do both in one visit, ask them to confirm that explicitly.
The three duties you actually have
- Maintenance is ongoing. Keep every gas appliance, fitting and flue you provide in a safe condition at all times, not just once a year.
- The annual check has a real deadline. Each appliance and flue must be checked within 12 months of installation, then at intervals of no more than 12 months after that. Since a 2018 amendment to the regulations, you can carry out the check up to 2 months early without losing your original renewal date, so a busy engineer's diary does not push the whole cycle later each year.
- Records have to be kept and shared. Keep the record for at least 2 years, in practice until you have 2 further checks on file for that appliance. Give existing tenants a copy within 28 days of the check, and give new tenants a copy of the most recent record before they move in.
Who can carry out the check
Only a Gas Safe registered engineer, qualified for that specific appliance type - check their ID card, or search the register at gassaferegister.co.uk before you book. The same rule applies to LPG appliances. You cannot hand this responsibility to a tenant, even under a full repairing and insuring lease.
| Duty | What it means | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Annual safety check | Every gas appliance and flue you provide, checked by a Gas Safe engineer | Within 12 months of install, then every 12 months (can start up to 2 months early) |
| Copy to existing tenants | The safety check record | Within 28 days of the check |
| Copy to new tenants | The most recent record | Before they move in |
| Record keeping | Safety check records for each appliance | At least 2 years, or until 2 further checks are on file |
| Carbon monoxide alarm | Any room with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers) | Required since 1 October 2022 (England) |
If your tenant will not let the engineer in
You still have to show you took reasonable steps. HSE recommends at least 3 documented attempts: a note through the door explaining that a check is a legal requirement and is for the tenant's own safety, an offer for them to book their own appointment, and a written record of each attempt. You cannot force entry. If access is refused throughout, a court ultimately decides whether what you did was reasonable, so the paper trail matters more than any single letter.
What happens if you get it wrong
Letting a property without a current gas safety record is a criminal offence under the Gas Safety Regulations, enforced by the Health and Safety Executive - HSE puts it plainly: you are putting lives at risk and breaking the law, and the consequence can be a substantial fine and a custodial sentence. Even short of prosecution, an out-of-date record is exactly the paperwork gap that undermines a possession claim or an HMO licence renewal.
Between tenancies
The duty does not pause when a property sits empty. Before re-letting, confirm every appliance and flue still has an up-to-date check, and if the property has stood empty a while, or you suspect tampering, arrange a fresh check before handing over keys. It is also worth inspecting the pipework and agreeing which appliances belong to you before the next tenancy starts. This sits alongside the other pre-move-in checks on our landlord compliance checklist.
Never miss a renewal date
The Complete Landlord Pack includes a Landlord Compliance Calendar that tracks your gas safety check, EICR and EPC renewal dates alongside your tenancy paperwork, so nothing quietly lapses.
See the packs →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a gas safety certificate if my property has no gas supply? No. The duty only covers gas appliances, fittings and flues that you provide. If there is no gas appliance in the property, there is nothing to check or certify.
What is the difference between a CP12 and a gas safety certificate? Nothing - they are the same document. CP12 was the old CORGI-era form reference and is still widely used in conversation, but the correct legal term today is a Gas Safety Record.
Can I get the check done early without losing my renewal date? Yes. Since a 2018 amendment to the regulations, you can carry out the annual check up to 2 months before it is due and keep your original 12-month anniversary date, rather than it creeping earlier every year.
How long do I need to keep old gas safety records? At least 2 years. The precise rule is that you keep each record until you have 2 further annual checks on file for that appliance, or for 2 years from the final check if the appliance has been removed.
This guide is general information for landlords, not legal advice for your specific circumstances. Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer and check current guidance at gassaferegister.co.uk or hse.gov.uk.