Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords of privately rented residential property must ensure all gas appliances, fittings, and flues are maintained in a safe condition and have a gas safety check carried out every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
The annual gas safety check must cover all gas appliances provided by the landlord, including:
Appliances owned by the tenant (e.g. a gas cooker they brought with them) are not the landlord's responsibility to check, but any flues or pipework they connect to must still be inspected.
After each annual check, the engineer issues a Gas Safety Record (commonly called a CP12). You must:
Failure to provide a valid CP12 before a new tenancy starts is a criminal offence under the Gas Safety Regulations.
From 1 October 2022, landlords in England must install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers). This means a CO alarm is required in every room with a gas boiler, gas fire, or solid fuel appliance.
The alarm must be in working order at the start of each new tenancy. Landlords must repair or replace alarms that are faulty if reported by the tenant.
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Failing to carry out annual gas safety check | Criminal offence — unlimited fine and/or imprisonment (up to 2 years if tried in the Crown Court) |
| Failing to provide CP12 to tenant | Criminal offence — unlimited fine |
| Failing to install CO alarm | Civil penalty up to £5,000 |
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