Gas Safety Regulations for Landlords: What You Need to Know

Gas safety is an important legal responsibility for landlords providing rented accommodation with gas appliances, fittings or flues.

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords have responsibilities for ensuring gas equipment they provide for tenants is safely maintained and checked by appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineers.

*HSE Gov.UK Source

Keeping clear records alongside these checks also helps create a documented history of how a rental property has been managed throughout the tenancy.

For properties covered by the regulations, landlords are responsible for the maintenance and repair of relevant gas appliances, flues and pipework they provide for tenants' use.

An annual gas safety check must also be carried out on relevant gas appliances and flues by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

In practical terms, landlords should ensure that:

A landlord must arrange a gas safety check on relevant gas appliances and flues every 12 months.

The regulations also allow some flexibility around timing: a check may be carried out during the two months before its due date while retaining the existing annual deadline, provided the relevant requirements are followed.

The check must be completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer who is appropriately qualified for the particular type of gas work involved.

Landlords must provide a copy of the gas safety check record to:

New tenants: before they move into the property.

Existing tenants: within 28 days of the gas safety check being completed.

Landlords must also retain the required gas safety records. HSE's current guidance explains the applicable record-keeping requirements.

The annual gas safety check isn't a replacement for proper maintenance.

Landlords are responsible for maintaining relevant gas appliances, flues and pipework they provide for tenants in a safe condition. HSE recommends following manufacturers' servicing instructions and, where these are unavailable, regular annual servicing unless a Gas Safe registered engineer advises otherwise.

If a tenant reports a concern relating to a gas appliance, it should therefore not simply be left until the next annual gas safety check.

Landlords cannot simply force entry to carry out a gas safety inspection.

However, they are expected to take reasonable steps to obtain access. HSE recommends keeping records of attempts to contact the tenant and arrange the required inspection, including relevant correspondence.

This is another reason why good property and tenancy record-keeping matters.

Gas safety also needs consideration when one tenancy ends and another begins.

Before re-letting, landlords should ensure relevant appliances and flues are safe and that the required gas safety check is current. HSE also advises further checks where there is reason to suspect an appliance may have been tampered with or left unsafe during a vacant period.

The new tenant must receive the relevant gas safety record before moving in.

Gas safety checks and certification must be carried out by appropriately qualified professionals. Coopers Inventory Services does not replace these specialist safety inspections.

Our professional Inventory & Schedule of Condition, Check-In, Mid-Term Inspection and Check-Out reporting can, however, form part of the wider record maintained throughout a tenancy.

Clear property documentation helps landlords, letting agents and property managers maintain an organised record of the property's visible condition and relevant observations at key stages of the tenancy.