If you are a landlord in the UK, gas safety is one of your most important legal responsibilities. A landlord gas safety certificate, commonly referred to as a CP12, is the document that proves all gas appliances and installations in your rental property have been inspected by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer and found to be safe. This guide covers everything you need to know about the requirements, the inspection process, and the consequences of not complying.
What Is a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate?
A CP12 is a formal record of a gas safety inspection carried out on a rental property. The name CP12 comes from the old CORGI registration system, but the document is now officially called a Landlord Gas Safety Record. Despite the name change, most people in the industry still refer to it as a CP12. The certificate records the details of every gas appliance in the property, the results of the safety checks carried out on each one, and the name and Gas Safe registration number of the engineer who performed the inspection.
Legal Requirements
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, all landlords in England, Scotland, and Wales are legally required to have every gas appliance, flue, and pipework in their rental properties checked annually. This includes gas boilers, gas fires, gas cookers, and any other gas-burning appliances that are provided as part of the tenancy. The inspection must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and a copy of the certificate must be provided to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection. New tenants must receive a copy before they move in.
This obligation applies to all types of tenancy, including assured shorthold tenancies, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), and holiday lets. It also applies to communal areas in blocks of flats where landlords are responsible for the gas installations.
What Gets Checked During a CP12 Inspection?
During the gas safety inspection, the engineer will carry out a thorough check of every gas appliance and associated installation in the property. The key areas covered include the following.
- Gas tightness test to check that all gas pipework and connections are sealed and not leaking
- Burner pressure and gas rate to confirm each appliance is receiving the correct gas supply
- Flue flow test to ensure combustion gases are being safely and effectively expelled from the property
- Ventilation check to verify that each appliance has adequate air supply for safe operation
- Safety devices to confirm that flame failure devices, overheat thermostats, and other safety mechanisms are working correctly
- Visual inspection for signs of damage, deterioration, or unsafe modifications
If any appliance is found to be unsafe, the engineer will classify it according to the Gas Safe severity scale and may disconnect or condemn the appliance if there is an immediate risk. In such cases, the landlord is responsible for having the issue repaired or the appliance replaced before it can be used again.
How Often Is a CP12 Required?
A gas safety check must be carried out at least once every 12 months. There is some flexibility in the timing. If you arrange the inspection within the final two months before the expiry date of the current certificate, the new certificate can be backdated to the expiry date of the old one. This means you do not lose any time on the certificate cycle and can plan inspections more conveniently without the deadline creeping forward each year.
For example, if your current certificate expires on 1 March, you can arrange the inspection any time from 1 January onwards and the new certificate will still be valid until 1 March the following year.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Failing to obtain a valid gas safety certificate is a criminal offence. The potential consequences are serious and include fines of up to six thousand pounds per offence, a criminal prosecution that can result in a custodial sentence of up to six months in extreme cases, invalidation of your landlord insurance, difficulty in gaining possession of the property through a Section 21 notice if one has not been served with a valid CP12, and civil liability for any injury or harm caused to tenants as a result of a faulty gas installation.
Beyond the legal penalties, the safety of your tenants is paramount. Carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty gas appliances is a very real risk, and a proper annual inspection is the most effective way to prevent it.
Tenant Rights
Tenants have the right to see a copy of the current gas safety certificate for their property. If a landlord refuses to provide one, tenants can contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or their local authority environmental health department. Tenants should also be aware that they cannot refuse access for a gas safety inspection. While reasonable notice must be given, typically at least 24 hours, landlords can apply to the courts for access if a tenant repeatedly refuses entry for a legally required safety check.
Booking a CP12 Gas Safety Check
We provide landlord gas safety certificates across Stafford and the surrounding Staffordshire area. Our Gas Safe registered engineers will carry out a thorough inspection of all gas appliances in your property, issue the CP12 certificate, and provide clear advice on any issues that need attention. We offer competitive fixed pricing, flexible appointment times including evenings and weekends where available, and we can coordinate directly with your tenants to arrange convenient access.