Landlords must conduct annual gas safety checks by a Gas Safe engineer, provide tenants with a Gas Safety Record (GSR, also known as CP12) within 28 days for an existing tenancy (or before new tenancies), maintain appliances/flues, keep records for 2 years, and install carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with fuel-burning appliances (excluding cookers).
Note, it is a criminal offence not to have a valid CP12 during the whole tenancy. You must
Landlord Gas Safety Requirements
- Annual Checks: Have a Gas Safe registered engineer inspect all gas appliances and flues every 12 months.
- Gas Safety Record (GSR): Provide a copy to tenants (within 28 days of check/before new tenancy) and keep records for the duration of the tenancy *
- Maintenance: Ensure all gas appliances, fittings, and flues are maintained in a safe condition.
- Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Required in any room used as living accommodation with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers). Test alarms at the start of each new tenancy.
- Tenant-owned appliances: Not the landlord’s responsibility, but landlord must ensure any connecting flues (unless solely connected to tenant’s appliance) are safe.
- Flexibility: Checks can be done up to 2 months early (10-12 months after the last) without changing the annual deadline.
* With increased penalties for non-compliance, we recommend all certificates from the start of a tenancy are kept and retained for two years after the end of any tenancy.
Penalties for Non-Compliance (at January 2026)
- Criminal Offense: Failure to comply is a serious criminal act prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
- Fines: Up to £6,000 per appliance/breach, potentially unlimited in serious cases, with the possibility of tenants using rent repayment orders (RROs) to claim back rent.
- Imprisonment: Up to 6 months (can be combined with fines).
- Manslaughter: Serious cases leading to death can result in manslaughter charges.
- Local Authority Action: Councils can issue Improvement, Prohibition, or Emergency Remedial Notices.
- Insurance/Eviction Issues: Non-compliance can invalidate insurance and prevent using eviction notices.
Tip: Organise your gas check for early autumn, if possible, that way, you should avoid call outs when colder weather arrives.
Tip: To keep your later expiry date from your current certification, if tests are carried out earlier, you may need to remind the company/engineer.
