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What is a Gas Safety Certificate and Who Needs One? A gas safety certification is a document which lists all the tests and inspections an engineer performs on your gas appliances. These inspections reduce the risk of poisoning with carbon monoxide at home. Landlords are legally required to conduct these inspections on a regular basis. They must also be conducted by an Gas Safe registered engineer. What is what is a Gas Safety Certificate? A gas safety certificate is an official document which confirms that the appliances and installations of your home have been inspected by a certified engineer. This ensures that they are safe for use. It's a legal requirement that landlords to have their gas appliances and flues checked every year to avoid the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning, or other serious accidents. gas safety certificate grace period who don't comply with these regulations may be penalized with fines or even a prosecution. A gas engineer will conduct an extensive inspection of the property before issuing the document that will include the specifics of the appliances and installations they tested. The report will show whether the appliances and installations passed or failed, and any recommendations for further actions. The landlord's name and address will be noted on the certificate along with a date when the test was conducted. Gas safety certificates are available in two types that are domestic and non-domestic. The first is intended for residential properties, such as flats, studios, and homes. The other is for commercial properties such as warehouses and offices. Both certificates must be renewed annually and the engineer will provide the details of every appliance they have been examining. Who needs gas safety checks? The answer is anyone who owns or rents out a property that has any type of gas appliance or installation. This includes private homeowners as in housing associations, local authorities, hotels and hospitality establishments. Landlords are especially required to get their properties inspected and to issue their tenants with the latest Gas Safety Record, as they are legally accountable for ensuring that their tenants are safe in the properties they lease or own. If you own a property and hire a managing agent to take care of your property, it's important to make sure that they're the ones who plan the annual service and gas safety checks. A managing agent will not disqualify you from the legal requirement to have the 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 of gas safety but they can be useful 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's part of the conveyancing process will ask for a gas safety record, so it's best to have one prior to selling. Who requires needing a Gas Safety Certificate? In essence, anyone who owns a domestic or commercial property with gas appliances and pipes must have them examined by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer. This includes landlords, building owners, and some tenants who live in a property managed by a managing agency. Gas Safe engineers must check and confirm that all appliances, flues and fittings in a rental property are safe for a period of 12 months. This is known as a Gas Safety Certificate or CP12 and is a crucial part of any rental property. It is illegal for landlords to rent out a property without this document. In terms of homeowners, although they don't have the same legal obligations as landlords, it's still a good idea get an annual Gas Safety Check done once a year. This will ensure that their boiler and all gas appliances in good working order and will also reveal any issues that require fixing, which can save them money in the end. The gas safety certificate will usually have a header that displays the name and registration number of the engineer who performed the inspection, along with the address of the property, postcode and any other relevant identifiers. It will also include an inventory of all appliances that were tested and an indication of whether they passed or failed. If any appliances were found to be unsafe they will be labeled as not compliant (NCS), Immediately Dangerous (ID) or At Risk (AR). This document is issued to the homeowner following the service and is best kept safe to be able to refer to it in the future. It is often recommended for homeowners to have this with them when selling their house, since it will reassure potential buyers that the property is gas safe. What is included in the Gas Safety Certificate A gas safety certificate contains an exhaustive list of all the gas appliances and infrastructure that an engineer has checked. The certificate also contains details about the engineer, including their name and Gas Safe Register number. The document usually starts with the header, which displays the date and time of the inspection. The document will then list the appliances checked along with their condition, as well as any safety concerns or actions taken. The gas safety certificate includes specifics about the property where the inspection was conducted in addition to the name of the landlord or managing agent. The certificate should include an address, a postcode and any identifiers which distinguish different properties. It also contains the name of the engineer and Gas Safe Register ID number, as well as their signature. Landlords must conduct regular gas safety inspections at their properties they lease. This is to ensure that all the gas appliances and pipework are safe to use and there are no leaks or other hazards that could pose a risk to the occupants. If any appliances are found be unsafe the engineer will label them as such on the certificate. There are three codes that indicate an appliance's safety level: Immediately Dangerous (ID), At Risk (AR) or Not to Current Standards (NCS). Gas safety certificates can be an obligation for landlords who are selling their property. As part of their due diligence, potential buyers may request the records and utilize them to pinpoint any issues they must be able to fix prior to buying the property. Landlords may arrange a Gas Safety Check through a Gas Safe registered Engineer, or they can conduct it themselves with our user-friendly platform. We recommend that a Gas Safety Check is performed every year, at least to ensure that the appliances are in good properly and don't pose any safety risks to the occupants. It is not the responsibility of tenants to arrange for a gas safety certification or have their appliances inspected. It is the landlord's responsibility, who must schedule an annual inspection and issue a gas safety certificate to their tenants. How much does a Gas Safety Certificate cost? Gas safety certificates are an obligation that landlords must obtain to ensure the safety of their rental properties. 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 crucial to inform your tenants about when the inspection will take place, so that they can prepare. It's important to explain to them the reasons why they should allow the engineer to conduct the check. It's not uncommon for tenants to be reluctant to allow access to their property because they believe it's an invasion of their privacy or they may be at risk when the engineer doesn't have access to inspect the boiler, fireplace or any other appliances. It's worth reminding them that it's a legal requirement, and could also lead to being fined or even criminal charges if they do not allow access when an issue with one of your appliances is discovered, like carbon monoxide poisoning. Once the gas engineer has completed the inspection, they will provide you with an original copy of your gas safety certificate. The certificate will contain the date and the contact information of the engineer, your property address and an inventory of all the appliances and installations that were examined. It will also indicate if any of the appliances or installations failed the tests. It will list any work that has to be done. A Gas Safe certificate will usually be in the form of a standard black and yellow document. Your engineer will give you the certificate for every appliance or system they have examined. The certificate should be kept to be used in the future and you will also need to give copies to each of your tenants. Your gas engineer will provide you with a copy the Gas Safety Record, which will be valid for 12 months from the date of the inspection. You must renew your Gas Safety Certificate prior to its expiration. It is also recommended to give the certificate to any new tenants moving into the property.