The annual landlord gas safety record — widely known as the CP12 — that every let property with gas must hold. Carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers, with the certificate emailed to you the same day, ready to pass to tenants and agents.
What it is
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, a landlord must have every gas appliance and flue they provide checked once every 12 months — and only a Gas Safe registered engineer may legally do it. The check covers each appliance you supply: the boiler, gas hob, gas fire or water heater, together with the flues and chimneys that serve them.
The engineer works appliance by appliance — operating pressure and heat input, combustion performance, flame picture, safety devices and stability — then confirms the flue is drawing correctly, that the room has the ventilation the appliance needs, and that the installation holds pressure on a tightness test at the meter. Appliances the tenant owns are not part of the landlord's duty, though the pipework serving them still is.
Everything is written up as the landlord gas safety record, the document letting agents, councils and insurers will ask to see.
Deadlines and penalties
The paperwork has deadlines of its own. A copy of the record must reach existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and a new tenant must be given it before moving in — not on the day the keys are handed over. Each record must then be kept for at least two years, so an inspector can always see the property's recent gas history.
Non-compliance is a criminal matter, prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive. Magistrates can fine a landlord up to £20,000 for each offence and can imprison; if a case reaches the Crown Court the fine is unlimited. Where a defective appliance kills, landlords and agents have faced manslaughter charges. An expired CP12 also weakens your position in possession proceedings and with insurers.
The regulations work like an MOT: a check done in the two months before the current record expires keeps the original anniversary date, so nothing is lost by booking ahead. We aim for that window on every renewal — it protects the date and leaves room to sort any defect before the old record lapses.
Defects are classified and recorded, and anything unsafe is made safe on the spot — usually by isolating the appliance from the gas supply. You get a clear written description of the fault and a quote for the repair, so tenants are without heating for the shortest possible time.
Make the visit count. While the engineer is on site we can fit and record carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms, so one appointment covers the gas and alarm duties together. Many landlords also line up the EICR for the same property to keep all certificates on one renewal calendar.
Common questions
It depends on the number of gas appliances and where the property is — a flat with a single boiler is quicker to check than a house with a boiler, hob and gas fire. Send the postcode and appliance count and we'll reply with a fixed quote, usually the same working day.
Existing tenants must receive a copy within 28 days of the check; anyone starting a new tenancy must have it before they move in. We email the certificate as a PDF the same day so it is easy to forward, and we recommend keeping proof that it was sent.
No. Like an MOT, a gas safety check carried out in the final two months before the current record expires preserves the original renewal date. Booking ahead costs you nothing in coverage — and it leaves time to fix anything the engineer finds before the old record runs out.
The defect is written on the record along with the classification and the action required. An appliance that is unsafe to use is made safe, which usually means isolating it from the gas supply, and we send a repair quote straight away so heating and hot water are restored as quickly as possible.
You must take all reasonable steps: write to the tenant explaining the check is a legal requirement for their safety, offer alternative dates, and keep a record of every attempt. We are happy to arrange the appointment with the tenant directly, which resolves most access problems.
Tell us the property type and postcode — we'll come back with a fixed quote and the earliest available date.