Guide · Gas safety
Gas safety certificates for landlords
If there are gas appliances in a property you let, you must have them checked every year and give your tenants a copy of the record. It is the most common compliance check to lapse, because it comes round so often.
Updated 21 September 2026
What the law requires
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords must make sure gas appliances, fittings and flues they provide are safe and maintained. Each one must have a safety check at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer, who records the result in a gas safety record, often called a CP12.
Who gets a copy, and when
You must keep a copy of each record for at least two years.
- Existing tenants: within 28 days of the check
- New tenants: before they move in
Keeping the same renewal date
You can have the check done up to two months before the current record expires and keep the original expiry date. That gives you a window to arrange access with your tenants without the anniversary creeping earlier each year.
Appliances the tenant owns
The check covers the appliances you provide. Appliances your tenant owns are their responsibility, although the pipework serving them is still yours to maintain.
If a tenant will not give access
You must take all reasonable steps to get the check done. Keep a record of every attempt to arrange access — letters, emails and messages — so you can show what you did if the check could not go ahead.
Where this applies
This guide covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so check the requirements for where your property is.
Common questions
- How long is a gas safety certificate valid for?
- Twelve months. The check must be repeated every year while the property is let.
- Do I need one if the property has no gas?
- No. The gas safety check only applies where there are gas appliances, fittings or flues.