What the certificate is
The “gas safety certificate” is officially the Landlord Gas Safety Record — still widely called a CP12. It’s the document a Gas Safe registered engineer produces after checking the gas appliances, fittings and flues in a rented home. It records what was checked, whether each item is safe, and any faults found.
It exists because landlords have legal duties under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to keep gas appliances and flues safe and to have them checked every year.
Gas Safe is the only valid registerOnly an engineer on the Gas Safe Register can legally do the check. You can look up an engineer’s registration on the Gas Safe Register website to confirm they’re genuine.
The rules your landlord must follow
| Duty | What it means |
|---|
| Annual check | Every gas appliance and flue checked within 12 months (can be done 10–12 months in without moving the expiry date) |
| Give you the record | A copy within 28 days of the check — or at the start of the tenancy for a new tenant |
| Keep records | Kept for about 2 years (until two further checks are done) |
| Maintain appliances | Keep the gas installation and appliances in safe working order, not just checked |
The landlord is responsible for the gas appliances and flues they provide. A gas appliance you own and brought with you is usually your responsibility — but the pipework and flues serving it are still the landlord’s.
Getting your copy
You’re entitled to see the record. Your landlord must give you a copy:
- within 28 days of each annual check, and
- at the start of your tenancy if you’re a new tenant (before you move in).
Haven’t been given one? Ask — ideally in writing. A landlord who’s had the check done should be able to hand it over straight away. Keep the copy safe; it shows the check is in date and lists any issues found.
Carbon monoxide & smoke alarms
Separately from the gas check, landlords in England must ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is fitted in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance (like a gas boiler or gas fire), and repair or replace alarms once told they’re faulty. Smoke alarms are also required on each storey. Scotland and Wales have their own alarm rules.
Two separate dutiesThe gas safety check covers the appliances; the CO alarm is an extra legal duty on top. Make sure your home has both — and test the alarm.
If your landlord won’t provide one
No valid, in-date certificate — or no check done at all — is a safety matter, not just admin. Steps:
- Ask in writing for a copy of the current Landlord Gas Safety Record.
- If they won’t provide it, report it to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which enforces landlords’ gas duties, and to your council’s environmental health team.
- Gas safety failures are a criminal offence and can carry serious penalties for the landlord.
If you smell gas or feel unwellLeave it to the experts — don’t tamper with appliances. Call the
National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999, open doors and windows, and get out if you need to. Suspected carbon monoxide (headaches, dizziness, nausea that eases when you leave the property)? Get fresh air and seek medical help.
Do this now
Check the date on your gas safety certificate — is it within the last 12 months? No certificate, or an out-of-date one? Ask your landlord in writing today, and if they don’t act, report it to the HSE and your council.
While you’re at it, know your other renting rights: tenant fees, deposit protection, and damp & mould. Free help from Shelter (0808 800 4444) and Citizens Advice.
Source verification
Primary sources: HSE — Gas safety: landlords and letting agents, and Gas safety check records (
hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords); Gas Safe Register — Landlord gas safety responsibilities (
gassaferegister.co.uk); plus GOV.UK for the England carbon monoxide / smoke alarm rules. Last verified 2 July 2026 — the annual (12-month) gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, the 10–12-month window that keeps the expiry date, the copy to current tenants within 28 days and to new tenants at the start of the tenancy, the ~2-year record retention, the duty to maintain appliances (Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998), the CO/smoke alarm duties in England, and the HSE/council enforcement route were web-checked against HSE and Gas Safe Register. Confidence: High — statutory duties. Scope: Great Britain (GSIUR applies in England, Wales & Scotland; alarm rules differ by nation; Northern Ireland has separate rules). Not legal advice — free help from Shelter and Citizens Advice; National Gas Emergency
0800 111 999.
Gas safety certificates — common questions
What is a CP12?
The Landlord Gas Safety Record — the certificate a Gas Safe registered engineer gives after the annual check of a rented home’s gas appliances and flues. It records what was checked, whether it’s safe, and any faults.
How often is a check needed?
Every 12 months. It can be done 10–12 months after the last one without changing the expiry date. The landlord must also keep the appliances in safe working order and keep records for about 2 years.
When should I get the certificate?
Within 28 days of the annual check, or at the start of your tenancy if you’re a new tenant. Ask in writing if you haven’t been given one.
What if my landlord won’t give me one?
Ask in writing, then report it to the HSE and your council’s environmental health team — gas safety failures are a criminal offence. Call 0800 111 999 if you smell gas.
Does the landlord have to fit a CO alarm?
In England, yes — in any living room with a fixed combustion appliance (like a gas boiler or fire), plus smoke alarms on each storey. Scotland and Wales have their own rules. It’s a separate duty from the gas check.
Sources: Landlord gas duties, the annual check and records · HSE — Gas safety and Gas Safe Register. SortedUK is not a law firm and this is general information. National Gas Emergency: 0800 111 999. Last reviewed: 2 July 2026.