Landlord gas safety records explained

If you let a property with gas appliances in England, Scotland or Wales, you almost certainly need a gas safety check every year and a record to prove it. For gas engineers, these checks are steady, repeat work that books itself, if you have a system that remembers when each one is due.

What the law requires of landlords

Landlords must:

• make sure gas appliances, fittings and flues they provide are safety checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• make sure the installation is maintained in a safe condition, which usually means following the manufacturer's servicing instructions
• give a copy of the record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in
• keep a copy of each record for at least two years

Appliances owned by the tenant are the tenant's responsibility, but the landlord remains responsible for the pipework and any flue serving them.

Why people still call it a CP12

CP12 stands for CORGI Proforma 12, the form gas installers used when CORGI ran the register. Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI in 2009, but the name stuck. Today there is no single compulsory form. A landlord gas safety record can be on any paper or digital form, as long as it contains the required information.

What the record must include

A gas safety record must show at least:

• a description and the location of each appliance or flue checked
• the name, registration number and signature of the engineer who did the check
• the date of the check
• the address of the property
• the name and address of the landlord or their agent
• any defect found and any action taken to fix it
• confirmation that the safety checks were done, including the results of the checks on flues, ventilation, gas rate, burner pressure and safety devices where relevant

Engineers often add appliance make and model, flue type and combustion readings, which is useful history for next year.

The two-month window

Since April 2018, landlords can have the check done up to two months before the deadline and keep the original expiry date. For example, if the record expires on 30 June, a check on 5 May still runs to 30 June the following year. This "MOT-style" window makes it far easier to book access with tenants without losing months of cover.

For engineers, it is a reason to contact landlords six to eight weeks before the due date, not the week before.

What happens on the day

A typical landlord gas safety check includes:

1. Checking gas tightness of the installation.
2. Checking the standing and working pressures.
3. Checking each appliance burns correctly and the flue removes combustion products, often with a flue gas analyser.
4. Checking ventilation is adequate.
5. Testing safety devices.
6. Recording results, defects and any appliance that is unsafe.

If an appliance is unsafe, the engineer follows the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure, which may mean disconnecting it and labelling it, with the landlord's permission where required. The landlord must then arrange the repair.

A gas safety check is not the same as a full service. Many landlords book both together, because servicing keeps appliances safe between checks and many manufacturers' warranties need it.

Access problems

Landlords must take all reasonable steps to carry out the check. If a tenant refuses access, the landlord should keep a record of every attempt, such as letters, emails and missed appointment notes, to show they tried. Engineers can help by offering text confirmations, reminders the day before and an "on my way" message, which cuts missed appointments.

Penalties

Failing to comply is a criminal offence and can lead to fines or, in serious cases, imprisonment. Gas leaks and carbon monoxide can kill. Local authorities and the HSE can both take action, and letting agents increasingly refuse to manage properties without a current record.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Separately, in England, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 require landlords to fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation with a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers, and to repair or replace alarms when told they are faulty. Engineers often note on the record whether an alarm is present and working.

For gas engineers: turning checks into a reliable income

Landlord gas safety work is predictable. Every check you do this year should become a booking next year. A good process looks like this:

• Record every appliance against the property, with make, model and install date.
• Set the due date automatically from the check date.
• Remind the landlord or agent six to eight weeks before expiry, then again at four weeks.
• Offer a combined service and gas safety visit at one price.
• Send the record digitally the same day, so the landlord can forward it to tenants straight away.
• Give letting agents one place to see every property's records and due dates.

How Cuppaflow helps

On the Pro plan, Cuppaflow lets heating engineers complete landlord gas safety records and boiler service records on their phone, capture the customer's signature on screen and send a branded PDF the moment they finish. The asset register stores every boiler with its install date and service due date, reminders go out automatically, and letting agents and landlords can see their properties and records in their own portal. You remain responsible for the checks themselves and your Gas Safe registration.