What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One?

A gas safety certification is a document which contains all the tests and inspections an engineer conducts on your gas appliances. These inspections lower the risk of poisoning with carbon monoxide at home.

The law obliges landlords to conduct these inspections every year. They must also be carried out by an Gas Safe registered engineer.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate?

A gas safety certificate is a legal document that shows that all the appliances and installations within your home have been examined by a certified engineer to ensure they are safe to use. Gas appliances and flues should be inspected by a certified engineer each year. This is a legal requirement to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other serious accidents. Landlords who fail to comply with these regulations could be penalized or fined.

A gas engineer will conduct a thorough inspection of the house prior to issuing the certificate that will include the details of all the appliances and installations they tested. It will also indicate whether they passed or failed the test and include recommendations for further action if needed. The certificate will also include the name of the landlord, his address, and the date the test was conducted.

There are two types of gas safety certificates: domestic and non-domestic. The first is for flats, homes, and studios while the latter refers to commercial properties such as warehouses or office buildings. Both certificates need to be renewed each year. The engineer will give the details of each appliance they have examined.

Who is eligible for a gas safety check? The answer is anyone who rents out a property that has any type of gas appliance or installation. This includes private homeowners as in housing associations, local authorities, hotels and hospitality establishments. Landlords are especially required to have their properties examined and issue their tenants with the most recent Gas Safety Record, as they are legally responsible to ensure that their tenants are safe in the properties they lease or own.

If you own a house and employ an agent managing the care of your property, then it's important to make sure that they're the ones who arrange the annual service and gas safety inspection. A managing agent will not let you out of the legal requirement to have the property tested, and to provide your tenants with an official Gas Safety Record.

It's not required for homeowners to keep gas safety records. However, they are useful when selling a home. Potential buyers would like to see proof that the appliances are maintained and are safe. The TA6 form, which is part of the conveyancing procedure will also require an evidence of gas safety and it's recommended to have one prior to selling.

Who is in need of an Gas Safety Certificate?

Gas Safe registered engineers will be required to inspect any gas appliance or pipework that is in any domestic or commercial property. This includes landlords as well as building owners and even tenants who live in a building that is managed by an agent managing the building.

Landlords are bound by a variety of legal obligations, and one of these is to ensure that all flues, appliances, and fittings are examined and considered safe by a Gas Safe engineer every 12 months. This is referred to as a Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 and is an essential element of any rental property. It is illegal for landlords to rent out any property that is not accompanied by this document.

For homeowners, even though they aren't subject to the same legal obligations as landlords, it's nevertheless a good idea to get a Gas Safety Check done once a year. This will keep their boiler in good condition and will highlight any issues that might require fixing.

The header of the Gas Safety Certificate Check safety certificate will typically include the name and registration numbers of the engineer who carried out the inspection as well as any other relevant identifiers. The certificate will also list all appliances that were tested and note whether they were successful or not. If appliances are found to be unsafe they will be identified as Not Compliant(NCS) immediately hazardous (ID) and At Risk (AR).

This document is then issued to the homeowner after the service and should be kept somewhere safe to be able to refer to it in the future. This document is an excellent idea for homeowners who are selling their house. It will reassure potential buyers that the home is safe for gas.

What is Included in a Gas Safety Certificate?

A gas safety certificate includes the complete list of all the gas appliances and the infrastructure that an engineer has checked. It also contains details about the engineer, including their name and Gas Safe Register ID number. The document is usually arranged with a header listing the date and time of the inspection. The document will then list the appliances that were inspected as well as their condition and any safety issues or actions taken.

The gas safety certificate includes information about the property where the inspection was conducted as well as details of the managing agent or landlord. The certificate must include the address, postcode, and any relevant identifiers that distinguish the properties. The certificate must also contain the engineer's ID number and name, as well as signature.

Landlords are required to conduct regular gas safety inspections in their rental properties. It is important to check that the gas appliances and pipework can be safely used and that there aren't any leaks or other dangers that could pose a danger to the occupants. If any appliances are found be unsafe, the engineer will mark them as in the certificate. Three codes are used to determine the level of safety of an appliance: immediately dangerous, at risk or Not Current Standards.

It is essential for landlords to keep their gas safety certificates current and up to current, as they could be legally required when selling the property. Prospective buyers may ask for the documents as part of their due diligence. They can use them to find any issues they require to address prior to buying the property.

Landlords can arrange for a gas safety inspection with a Gas Safe registered engineer, or they can do it themselves through our user-friendly platform. We recommend that an annual Gas Safety Check is performed at least once a year to ensure that all appliances are in good in good condition and do not 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 checked. This is the landlord's responsibility, who must schedule an annual inspection and issue a gas safety certificate to their tenants.

How much will a Gas Safety Certificate cost?

A gas safety certificate is a legal requirement for landlords in order to ensure that their rental properties are safe for tenants to use. The cost of a gas safety check will vary based on the size and the location of your property, as well as the number of gas appliances that require checking.

It is crucial to inform your tenants about when the inspection will take place to allow them to prepare. It's also a good idea to explain the reason they should permit the engineer to conduct the check. Some tenants are hesitant to grant access to their property because they believe it is an invasion of privacy or could be in danger if they don't allow the engineer to inspect the fireplace, boiler or other appliances. It's important to remind them that it's a legal requirement that could lead to the tenant facing fines or criminal charges if they do not permit access if an issue with one of your appliances is found, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.

The gas engineer will send you an official copy of the certificate once the inspection is complete. The certificate will include the date, the engineer's contact details along with your address at the property and the list of all the appliances and installations that were tested. It will also mention if any of the appliances or installations failed the tests and will outline any work that needs to be completed.

A Gas Safe certificate will usually be a standard black and white document. Your engineer will give you the certificate for each appliance or installation that they have inspected. It is recommended to keep this certificate for future reference and also to give a copy to your tenants.

Your gas engineer will send you a copy of the Gas Safety Record. This record is valid for a period of 12 month from the date of the inspection. You must renew your Gas Safety Certificate prior to its expiration. You should also give a copy of it to any new tenants moving in.