What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One?
A gas safety certificate is a document which includes all the tests and inspections an engineer conducts on your gas appliances. These inspections lower the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning within your home.
The law obliges landlords to conduct annual inspections of their properties. Gas Safe registered engineers must also conduct the inspections.
What is a Gas Safety Certificate?
A gas safety certificate is a legal document that proves that all the appliances and installations within your property have been checked by a certified engineer to ensure they are safe to use. Gas appliances and flues must be inspected by a certified engineer each year. This is a legal requirement in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other serious accidents. Landlords that do not comply with these regulations could be prosecuted or fined.
A gas engineer will conduct an exhaustive inspection of the house prior to issuing the document which will include details of each appliance and installations that they tested. The report will show whether the appliances and installations passed or failed, as well as any suggestions for further action. The certificate will include the landlord's name, address and the date the test was conducted.
Gas safety certificates are available in two distinct kinds: domestic and non-domestic. The first is for residential properties like studios, homes and flats. The second one is for commercial properties, such as offices and warehouses. Both certificates need to be renewed each year. The engineer will provide the details of each appliance they've inspected.
Who should undergo gas safety checks? The answer is anyone who owns or rents out a property that has any gas appliance or installation. This includes private homeowners as well as housing associations, local authorities and hotels and hospitality establishments. Landlords are required to get their properties checked and to provide their tenants with the latest Gas Safety Record, as they are legally accountable to ensure that their tenants are secure in the homes they rent or own.
If gas safety certificate homeowner own a property and have a managing agent to take care of your property, then it's crucial to ensure that they're the ones who organize the annual gas safety check. A managing agent cannot disqualify you from the legal obligation to have your property tested and to give your tenants a Gas Safety Record.
Although it's not a legal requirement for homeowner-occupiers to keep their own records on gas safety, they can be helpful when it comes to selling the property since prospective buyers will be looking for evidence that the appliances have been maintained and are safe. In addition the TA6 form that is part of the conveyancing process requires for a record of gas safety which is why it's a good idea to have one prior to selling.
Who needs a Gas Safety Certificate?
Gas Safe registered engineers will be required to check any gas appliance or pipework in the domestic or commercial property. This includes landlords, building owner, and some tenants living in a property managed by an agency that manages the building.
Gas Safe engineers must check and verify that all appliances, flues and fittings in rental properties are safe for a period of 12 months. This is known as a Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 and is an essential part of any rental property. It is unlawful for the landlord to let out any property that is not accompanied by this document.
Although homeowners don't have to adhere to the same legal obligations that landlords do, it's still a good idea for them to undergo an annual gas Safety Check once a year. This will keep their boiler in good condition and identify any issues that may require fixing.
The front of the gas safety certificate is likely to include the name and registration number of the engineer who carried out the inspection, along with any other identifiers relevant to the inspection. It will also contain an inventory of all appliances that were examined, as well as an indication of whether they passed or failed. If any appliance was found to be dangerous, they will be marked as Not Compliant (NCS), Immediately Dangerous (ID) or At Risk (AR).
This document is then issued to the homeowner after the service, and is best kept 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 can assure buyers that the property is safe for gas.
What is included in a Gas Safety Certificate
A gas safety certificate will include a full list of all gas appliances and infrastructure that an engineer has examined. The certificate also contains details about the engineer, including their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document will usually begin with a header listing the date and place of the inspection. The document then lists the appliances that were inspected along with their condition, as well as any safety concerns or actions taken.
The gas safety certificate includes information about the property where the inspection was conducted, as well as details of the landlord or managing agents. The certificate must include the address, postcode, as well as any relevant identifiers that distinguish between properties. The certificate must also include the engineer's ID number and name, as well as signature.
Landlords must conduct regular gas safety inspections in their properties they lease. It is essential to ensure that the gas appliances and pipework can be used safely and that there aren't any leaks or other dangers that could pose a risk to the occupants. If any appliances are found be unsafe the engineer will mark them as such on the certificate. Three codes are used to indicate the safety level of an appliance: immediately Dangerous, At Risk, or Not Current Standards.
It is important for landlords to keep their gas safety certificates current and up to date, as they can be a legal requirement when selling the property. Buyers who are considering buying the property may request the certificates as part of their due diligence. They could use them to identify any issues that they need to address prior to buying the property.
Landlords can arrange an appointment for a Gas Safety Inspection with a Gas Safe registered Engineer, or they can do it themselves with our user-friendly platform. We recommend conducting the Gas Safety Check at least once every 12 months to make sure that all the appliances are in good working order and are not posing any safety risks to people living in the premises.
It is not the responsibility of tenants to get the issue of a gas safety certificate, or have their appliances checked. It is the landlord's responsibility to conduct an annual inspection and issue the certificate of gas safety.
How much will a Gas Safety Certificate cost?
A gas safety certificate is an obligation for landlords to ensure their rental properties are safe for tenants to use. The cost of a safety check for gas appliances will vary in accordance with the size of your home, location and number of appliances.
It is important to inform your tenants about when the inspection is scheduled to take place so they can prepare. It's also helpful to explain the reason to let them in to allow the engineer to conduct the inspection. It's not unusual for tenants to be reluctant to allow access as they may feel it's an invasion of their privacy or they may be at risk when the engineer doesn't have access to check the fireplace, boiler or any other appliances. It's important to remind them that it's a legal requirement that could lead to them facing fines or even criminal charges if they don't permit access if a problem with your appliance is discovered, for instance, carbon monoxide poisoning.
The gas engineer will send you an official copy of the certificate once the inspection is complete. It will include the date of the service as well as the details of the engineer as well as your property address, along with a full list of all the appliances or installations that were tested. It will also indicate whether any of the appliances or installations failed the tests. It will detail any work that has to be completed.
A Gas Safe certificate will usually be an ordinary black and yellow document, and your engineer will give you an original for every appliance or installation they have inspected. The documentation should be saved to be used in the future and you must also give an original copy to each of your tenants.
Your gas engineer will send you a copy 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 the expiration date. You should also give the certificate to any new tenants who move into the property.