What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One?

A gas safety certificate is a document that includes all the tests and inspections an engineer conducts on your gas appliances. These inspections to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in your home.

Landlords are legally required to organise the inspections on an annual basis. They must also be carried out by an Gas Safe registered engineer.

What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC)?

A gas safety certificate is an official document that demonstrates that all appliances and installations in your property have been checked by a licensed engineer to ensure that they are safe to use. gas certificate appliances and flues should be inspected by a certified engineer every year. This is a legal requirement in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other serious accidents. Landlords who fail to adhere to these rules could be fined or prosecuted.

Before releasing the document, gas safe certificate check engineers conduct an exhaustive inspection to assess the condition of all appliances and installations. It will also state whether they passed or failed the test and provide recommendations for further action if necessary. The landlord's name and address will be listed on the certificate along with the date that the test was conducted.

Gas safety certificates are available in two distinct types: domestic and non-domestic. The former is for homes, flats and studios whereas the latter refers to commercial properties such as warehouses or office buildings. Both certificates have to be renewed each year, and the engineer will give a copy of each appliance that they have examined.

Who is required to undergo an inspection for gas safety? Anyone who owns, rents or owns the property with any gas appliance of any kind. This includes private homeowners, housing associations local authorities, hotels and hospitality places, and even schools. Landlords are especially required to get their properties checked and to provide their tenants with the most recent Gas Safety Record, as they are legally responsible for ensuring that their tenants stay safe in the properties they lease or own.

If you own a property and employ an agent managing the care of your property, it's important to make sure that they are the ones who arrange the annual service and gas safety checks. A managing agent cannot let you out of the legal obligation to have the property tested, and also to provide your tenants with an official Gas Safety Record.

It's not required for homeowners to keep gas safety records. However, they are beneficial when selling a house. Potential buyers will want to see proof that the appliances have been maintained and are safe. The TA6 form, which is part of the conveyancing process, also asks for an evidence of gas safety and it's recommended to have one before selling.

Who needs a Gas Safety Certificate?

Basically, anyone who owns a domestic or commercial property that is equipped with gas appliances and pipes is required to be examined by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer. This includes landlords, building owner and tenants who reside in a property managed by an agency that manages the building.

Gas Safe engineers must check and verify that all appliances, flues, and fittings in a rental property are safe for a period of 12 months. This is known as a Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 and is a vital element of any rental property. It is illegal for landlords to rent out a property without this document.

In terms of homeowners, although they do not have the same legal obligations as landlords, it's nevertheless a good idea to take advantage of an annual gas Safety Check done once a year. This will help keep their boilers and gas appliances in good condition and also help to identify any issues that require fixing, which could save them money in the long term.

The gas safety certificate will usually contain a header which displays the name and registration number of the person who conducted the inspection, as well as the address of the property, postcode, and other pertinent identifications. The certificate will also list all appliances that were tested and will indicate whether they passed or failed. If appliances are deemed to be unsafe, they are identified as not Compliant(NCS), Immediately Hazardous (ID) and At Risk (AR).

This document will be given to the homeowner at the conclusion of the service. It should be saved securely to be used in the future. It is recommended for homeowners to have this document when selling their home, as it will reassure potential buyers that the property is safe for gas.

What is Included in the contents of a Gas Safety Certificate?

A gas safety certificate contains a full list of all the gas appliances and infrastructure that an engineer has examined. The certificate also includes details about the engineer, including their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document usually starts with the header, which displays the date and location of the inspection. The document then lists the appliances that were inspected, their condition, and any safety concerns or actions taken.

The gas safety certificate contains information about the house where the inspection was conducted along with the information of the managing agent or landlord. The certificate must contain the address, postcode, as well as any other identifiers that can be used to distinguish the properties. The certificate must also contain the engineer's ID number and name and signature.

Landlords are legally obliged to conduct regular gas safety inspections in their properties they let. This is to ensure that all of the gas appliances and pipes are safe to use and there aren't any leaks or other risks that could pose a danger to occupants. The engineer will stamp the certificate if any appliances are unsafe. There are three codes that show the safety rating of an appliance that are immediately dangerous (ID), At Risk (AR) or Not to Current Standards (NCS).

Gas safety certificates are a legal requirement for landlords selling their home. As part of their due diligence, prospective buyers can request the certificates and utilize them to pinpoint any issues they need to address prior to purchasing the property.

Landlords can arrange for a gas safety check with an Gas Safe registered engineer, or conduct the check themselves via our user-friendly platform. We recommend that the Gas Safety Check is performed every year at a minimum to ensure that all appliances are in good properly and don't pose any safety risks to the residents.

It is not the responsibility of tenants to obtain an official gas safety certificate or have their appliances inspected. This is the responsibility of the landlord, who is required to arrange an annual inspection and issue a gas safety certificate to their tenants.

How Much is a Gas Safety Certificate Cost?

Gas safety certificates are a legal requirement that landlords must obtain to ensure the security of their rental properties. The cost of a safety inspection for gas appliances will vary according to the size of your property, location and number of appliances.

It's important to communicate with your tenants and inform them when the inspection is scheduled to take place to ensure that they are prepared for it. It's also a good idea to explain to them the reasons why they should permit the engineer to conduct the check. It's not unusual for tenants to be hesitant to grant access because they feel it's an invasion of their privacy or that they could be in danger in the event that the engineer does not have access to check the fireplace, boiler, or any other appliances. It's important to remind them that it's a legal requirement and could also lead to the tenant facing fines or criminal charges if they fail to allow access and there is a problem with one of your appliances is discovered, like carbon monoxide poisoning.

After the gas engineer has finished carrying out the inspection after which they will send you the gas safety certificate cp12 safety certificate. The certificate will contain the date and the contact information of the engineer along with your address at the property and an inventory of all appliances and installations that were examined. The report will also detail any appliances or installations that failed the test, as well as any work required.

Gas Safe certificates are usually in yellow and black and your engineer will provide you a copy of every appliance or installation they have been examining. It is recommended to keep this certificate to refer to in the future and you'll also have to provide a copy of it to your tenants.

Your gas engineer will send you a copy of the Gas Safety Record. This record is valid for one months from the date of the inspection. You must make sure that you renew your Gas Safety Certificate before it expires, and you should also give a copy of the Gas Safety Record to the new tenants when they move in.