Gas Safety Certificate
Are all landlords legally required to have a Gas Safety Certificate?
If a property has a live gas supply, a gas safety check must be carried out annually. This requirement is covered by Section 35 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994. Upon completion, you'll receive a Gas Safety Certificate. This document details the appliances checked and the checks performed, providing peace of mind that the gas appliances are safe.
Who can produce a Gas Safety Certificate?
Only a suitably qualified, Gas Safe-registered engineer can produce a Gas Safety Certificate. You can use the Gas Safe Register to search for engineers and check they have the appropriate registration.
What does a gas safety check involve?
A gas safety check is a thorough inspection that ensures each gas appliance is operating safely and efficiently. This includes checking things like the operating pressure, heat input and combustion efficiency.The appliances to be inspected include cookers, boilers, fires, water heaters, as well as pipework. The check will typically involve:
- Examining the boiler pressure and air supply.
- Checking that gas is being burned correctly and efficiently.
- A thorough examination of flues and chimneys to ensure they are clear of blockages and debris.
- Checking that any cut-off devices, such as safety valves, are working correctly.
Landlords are not responsible for the safety of gas appliances their contract-holders bring into the property. However, they are still responsible for the safety of any flues that connect to such appliances, unless the flue is solely connected to the contract-holder’s appliance and doesn't connect to any other gas appliances in the property.
Does a gas safety check include boiler servicing?
No, gas safety checks are more of a basic health check to confirm that things are running as they should be, rather than a thorough inspection of specific parts of a boiler. If you need to have your boiler serviced in order to comply with any warranty you may have on it, a separate service is required. Servicing doesn’t typically include the production of a Gas Safety Certificate, so the servicing of a boiler and a gas safety check usually need to be instructed independently of each other.
How long is a Gas Safety Certificate valid for?
A Gas Safety Certificate is valid for 12 months. In order to preserve its anniversary date, you can arrange for the next check to be done any time between 10 and 12 months after the last completed check, which is a similar allowance to the one you find with vehicle MOTs. If the certificate is completed less than 10 months after the last check, you’ll end up with a new anniversary date that is 12 months from date of the new check.
Does the Gas Safety Certificate need to be shared with contract-holders?
Yes, in accordance with Section 36(6) of The Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998, a copy of the certificate must be given to contract-holders within 28 days. For new contract-holders, you’ll need to provide this at the start of their contract.
What happens if a problem is identified during the gas safety check?
If the gas engineer finds any issues, they should indicate whether they are requirements or recommendations. Requirements will need to be completed before a valid gas safety certificate can be produced. Recommendations shouldn’t affect the validity of the certificate, but might become a problem later down the line if not resolved, i.e. the problem might worsen and turn into an issue that needs fixing and/or causes a fail for the next check. If a serious issue is found, the engineer may have to disconnect faulty equipment to prevent accidents. In more extreme cases, they may even need to cut off the gas to your property until repairs are complete.
How much does a Gas Safety Certificate cost?
At CPS Homes, we have trusted connections with local, qualified engineers who can get your certificate issued quickly and professionally, all for a very reasonable cost due to the amount of work we issue to them. If you are a landlord in Cardiff and want to learn more about this benefit offered exclusively to our managed clients, get in touch with us today on 02920 668585 or lettings@cpshomes.co.uk.
Disclaimer: whilst we endeavour to keep the information on this page up-to-date, legislation, British Standards and general guidance can and do change, often without prior notice. As such, CPS Homes cannot guarantee with absolute certainty that the information on this page is fully up-to-date.
