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Landlords must ensure their rental properties are safe and habitable. Part of this is completing annual gas safety checks.
Written by
Ben Luxon
PUBLISHED ON
Mar 24, 2025
As a landlord, you are responsible for ensuring your rental properties are safe and habitable. Part of this is ensuring you complete the required gas safety checks for the property every year. This gas safety certificate is essential. Not completing these checks will see you liable for serious fines.
In this article we take a look at everything landlords need to know about Gas Safety Regulations, what the legal requirements mean, how often gas safety checks need to be undertaken, and when you need to provide an up to date Gas Safety Certificate to your tenants.
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 made it a legal responsibility for landlords and letting agents to ensure the safety of any gas fittings and appliances in rental properties. Appliances and fittings that landlords and letting agents must maintain the safety of include:
Annual inspections should be undertaken to ensure there are no leaks and all appliances are properly functioning.
In April 2018, the Gas Safety Regulations (Installation and Use) (Amendment) 2018 was implemented, providing landlords with more flexibility regarding the renewal of gas safety records.
Prior to this amendment, landlords were required to complete gas safety checks "within 12 months" of the previous checks, often leading to checks every 10 or 11 months to remain compliant.
Over a ten-year period, this resulted in landlords completing 11 checks instead of the statutory 10.
The 2018 amendments introduced flexibility in the timing of annual gas safety checks without shortening safety check cycles.
This flexibility reduced the issue of ‘over complying’ and enabled improved maintenance planning; benefiting both the tenant and the landlord.
You can find out more about what this means and how to meet requirements in the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance.
Gas safety checks are needed by:
Related: What Is An HMO And Do You Need An HMO Licence?
Landlords need to renew their gas safety certificates every year.
The Gas Safety Regulations 2018 allow landlords to renew the gas safety record up to two months before the deadline date (which is 12 months from the prior inspection) without losing any validity period.
Once the check has been completed, the record is treated as if it were carried out on the last day of the 12-month period to ensure no shortening of safety cycles and to reduce over-compliance.
Example:
If your current gas safety certificate expires on October 1st, 2025, you could carry out your gas safety check on August 1st, 2025, and your new certificate will still be valid until October 1st, 2025.
It's important to note that this 'MOT-style' renewal is only available if you can prove that your two previous gas checks were carried out on time.
If you cannot provide evidence of the two previous gas safety records, the expiry date of the current gas safety record will be used as 12 months from the date of the last gas safety check.
An annual gas safety check involves employing a certified Gas Safe registered Engineer. They will need to visit your property and inspect any gas appliances, such as a gas oven, boiler and hot water cylinder.
During their visit, the engineer will:
It’s important to note that an annual gas safety check is different to a gas or boiler service. Whilst a check involves inspection and testing, it does not include the repairing of appliances.
Gas safety certificates include the following details:
This document must be kept on record for at least two years.
A gas safety check usually takes around 30 minutes to complete, although this depends on the size of the property and the number of appliances. It may take longer if urgent repairs are needed.
After your gas safety inspection, your engineer will provide you with a digital copy of the Landlord Gas Safety Record, otherwise known as a gas safety certificate or 'CP12'.
If any gas appliances in the property are deemed unsafe, the engineer will indicate this on the gas safety certificate by marking them “Not Safe to Use.” They may assign one of the following codes:
If the appliance is ID or AR, the engineer will request permission to disconnect it. You should arrange any necessary repairs as soon as possible and have a reinspection carried out to secure an updated, valid gas safety certificate.
All gas safety checks and services should be carried out by a fully qualified Gas Safe Engineer. You or your tenant should ask the engineer to present their ID on arrival to ensure that they are certified.
You can search for a certified engineer via the Gas Safe Register.
The typical cost for a gas safety check in 2025 ranges from £40 to £120, depending on your location and the number of appliances.
A few additional helpful links:
If you’re letting through an agent, make sure they follow this rule too—it’s still your responsibility.
As with any form of property inspection, landlords must give at least 24 hours notice before entering the property. However, it is advisable to give more notice to ensure you don’t inconvenience your tenant and ensure there are no objections.
Not having a valid certificate is a criminal offence that can result in:
Failure to comply also affects your legal standing during an eviction process under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988—you cannot legally serve notice without a valid gas safety record in place at the start of the tenancy.
Alongside annual gas safety checks, landlords must also comply with:
Keeping on top of your compliance responsibilities—like scheduling annual gas checks and storing gas safety certificates—can get overwhelming. With Landlord Studio, you can:
Staying compliant doesn't have to be complicated. Learn more about how Landlord Studio can help and create your free account today.
Gas safety is not just a legal responsibility but an essential part of keeping your tenants safe and your investment protected.
Annual inspections, keeping records up to date, and acting on faults quickly will help you stay compliant and avoid costly penalties.
Whether you manage one property or a full portfolio, it pays to stay organised. Using a tool like Landlord Studio can help simplify your landlord responsibilities and give you peace of mind.
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