Gas Safety Certificate

Having an up-to-date Gas Safety Certificate approved by a qualified engineer is a legal requirement. Here at Mashroom, we offer landlords professional checks to guarantee your property has a valid certificate

Taking the stress out of remaining compliant

We can take care of this check for you with a professional engineer and ensure that you don’t forget when a check is due – helping to keep you, your tenants, and your property safe. We even have a free Document Storage tool that allows you to store your documents all in one place and alerts you when they are due to expire.

What is a Gas Safety Certificate?

As a landlord, you’re legally required to provide an official Gas Safety Certificate for your rental property before a tenant moves in. But what exactly is a Gas Safety Certificate (GCS) or Gas Safety Record, as it is becoming known?

Well, this is the paperwork and official documentation given to you by a Gas Safe registered engineer after they’ve inspected your property to check that all gas appliances and systems are safe.

What kind of document you will receive will depend on what type of work the engineer has carried out, for example a service or safety check.

All gas engineers are required by law to be on the Gas Safe Register, but surprisingly it’s not actually a legal requirement for them to provide a Gas Safety Certificate after they visit you.

With one exception… if you’re a landlord. That’s all of you guys.

This certification falls under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

This law also states that landlords must have annual checks carried out on all gas appliances, fittings, and flues in their properties to ensure they’re safe.

The Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI as the gas registration body in Great Britain and Isle of Man on 1st April 2009 and Northern Ireland and Guernsey on 1st April 2010.

And the Gas Safe Register exists to protect the public from unsafe gas work.

A Gas Safe Certificate is a vitally important piece of documentation to protect both you and your tenants. It’s essential that as a landlord you have the correct legal documentation to ensure that your property is safe when you are letting it out.

As a caveat, if an appliance, e.g. a cooker, is owned by the tenant, as a landlord you are not legally responsible for having it checked.

But it would be advisable to have it checked. You still have a legal obligation to ensure the installation of the gas within the property is checked. This needs to be carried out periodically as opposed to annually.

After all, you wouldn’t want a faulty cooker causing a fire in your property.

Why is a Gas Safety Certificate important?

As it’s a legal requirement, failure to have this documentation could land you with a fine or worse.

But other than legal and financial reasons, it’s extremely important for safety reasons. The checks can reveal a variety of problems and faults that, if undetected, could cause an accident or even death to a tenant in your property.

The checks carried out can detect the levels of carbon monoxide, for example. Problems with blocked ventilation tubes will cause carbon monoxide to build up. If this harmful gas is released inside a home, it can become a very serious health risk and can even be fatal if left undetected.

If the gas safety engineer finds a fault, they will issue a notice to have it fixed.

If it’s a serious issue, they will possibly switch off the appliance to ensure safety of the tenants until the appliance can be made safe.

The gas safety engineer will explain and record the faults identified and should then arrange a follow-up visit to rectify any issues and tell you what will ensue in the process.

It is illegal for anyone other than a gas safe registered engineer to remove these notices.

A gas safety certificate will include:

A description and location of every appliance
The name, registration number and signature of the engineer
The date of the check was carried out
The address of the property
Information on any defects or faults and how to fix them.

Why is a Gas Safety Certificate important?

The advantages of a Gas Safety Certificate

Beyond sticking to the law and not going to prison (which let’s be honest is less than ideal) the advantages of having a Gas Safety Certificate include safety, finances and marketing.

Safety

Having your gas fittings regularly inspected by a professional ensures they don’t pose any danger to your tenants or their neighbours.

Finances

Were there to be a long-term problem with the pipes or appliances in your property, it could easily lead to a larger, more costly problem.

Marketing

Being able to present yourself as a reliable, safety conscious landlord means you’ll attract the right sort of tenants to your property.

Don’t take your foot off the gas when it comes to safety

Before you get to the stage where you smell gas. get a certificate from one of Mashroom's certified contractors. You need to update it every 12 months or face hefty fines. Buy now to ensure your property remains compliant, and your tenants are safe and happy.

Gas Safety Certificate

Provided by Mashroom certified contractor. Valid for 1 year.

Excellent service. Respectful & attentive, we are very satisfied! Very valuable advice were given. Thanks!

Allen Panter

Who pays for a Gas Safety Check?

As a landlord, you pay for the Gas Safety Certificate. But it’s a small cost in the grand scheme of things and remember that you can offset the cost against your tax return on the property or properties.

A Gas Safety Check with Mashroom is charged at a flat rate irrespective of the number of rooms in the property.

And as part of this we ensure the engineer is properly registered and can help make sure you never miss a deadline again, helping you stay on top of your property and all the legal requirements of letting it out.

Can my property fail a Gas Safety Check?

It is possible for the check to show as a fail – but this is good because it gives you time to get the appliance or installation fixed and re-checked so that you can pass. While it can be frustrating, at least you know that it’s not up to scratch so that you can make it safe. The Gas Safety Certificate will indicate what appliances are ‘Not Safe’ to use and also state the failure findings with a code. The codes are:

The installation will be immediately disconnected, with your permission.

If it was identified as being ID and was used or left connected to the gas supply, it could cause immediate danger to life or the property.

The appliance can’t be used until the necessary work has been carried out to repair the defects or it is replaced. For obvious reasons, if you don’t comply with this, you could be putting someone’s life in danger.

Refusing the gas engineer permission to disconnect the installation or appliance, will result in being reported to the Gas Emergency Service Provider (ESP).

This makes things more serious as the ESP has the legal right to demand entry to the property to make the situation safe. They can even have the gas supply to the property disconnected, so you must comply.

This is when one or more faults are present which could constitute a danger to life or property without further faults developing.

Again, with your permission, the installation/appliance will be turned off and shouldn’t be used again until it has been repaired.

Industry standards change over time which may result in some existing installations no longer meeting current safety standards.

Even if an appliance is deemed “not to current standards” it may still be safe to use. But it’s advisable in this instance to ensure it does meet current standards as this could improve the reliability and lifespan of the installation or appliance.

For older installations your gas engineer can advise you whether the installation should be brought in line with current standards or whether it should just be replaced.

It is worth noting that you can try and save on other areas of your property. You don’t have to have the most expensive carpets or the newest kitchen, but it is advisable never to scrimp on gas and electrical appliances, particularly a boiler.

This is an essential piece of kit so invest in a decent boiler when the time comes; it will save you time, money, and stress.

How is a Gas Safety Check carried out?

An approved engineer will visit the property at an agreed time. This will require somebody to be around to let them in, so you must give your tenant notice of the visit.

It will take up to an hour and the engineer will carry out a visual and physical check on each and every appliance or installation which works off gas.

What happens on the day of my Gas Safety Check?

When checking your gas appliances, the engineer will check that it is:

Properly set and adjusted so the gas burns correctly
Suitable for the room it’s in
Physically stable, securely fitted and properly connected to the gas pipework

Your engineer will also make sure:

There’s an adequate and permanent air supply that’s suitable for the appliance installed
All safety devices are functioning properly
Any flues, chimneys and air vents are operating correctly

This can be extended to a full gas installation safety check, where the engineer will:

Check the installation is in good condition by visually inspecting the pipework
Test for leaks in the gas pipework

A Gas Safety Certificate protects both your tenant and property from danger, and you can see why it’s such an essential check to be carried out each year. Like anything, an appliance which was fine 12 months ago, might start deteriorating in that time. As a landlord, it is your responsibility to make sure that all gas pipework, appliances, chimneys, and flues are kept in safe condition.

The Gas Safe Register recommends that you refer to the gas appliances manufacturers’ guidelines to find out how often a service is recommended. If you haven’t got access to these, they recommend an annual service – unless your Gas Safe registered engineer suggests otherwise. Also remember that a check involves inspection and testing, but not the repairs.

I’ve lost my Gas Safety Certificate, where can I find it?

Landlords are provided with a physical copy of the gas safety certificate once the property has passed its inspection.

You must provide your tenants with a copy of the certificate within 28 days of them moving into the property. Unfortunately, certificates aren’t registered or kept online. But you can request to be sent a copy if you’re not present at the property at the time of the inspection.

Here at Mashroom, we also offer a Document Storage Tool, which is an option for saving a copy and you can set a reminder of the expiry date to ensure the annual check is carried out on time.

I’ve lost my Gas Safety Certificate, where can I find it?

Gas Safety - The Legal Requirements

The letter of the law is very specific when it comes to Gas Safety Certificates. Here, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to remain compliant.

What are the legal requirements regarding a Gas Safety Certificate?

A check must be carried out on a rental property every 12 months, in its entirety. All properties in your portfolio must be included each and every year.

The engineer carrying out the check must be on the Gas Safe Register. Anyone not on this register cannot carry out the check or provide you the documentation. It won’t be legal if they do.

The Gas Safe Register estimates that there are around 7,500 illegal gas fitters operating in the UK who aren’t qualified to work on any gas pipes or gas appliances.

This results in around 250,000 illegal jobs carried out around the UK each year, and a third of UK adults admit to not checking their engineer is Gas Safe certified (Gas Safe Register).

So, it’s really important that you or your tenant check the ID of your engineer when they arrive. To check if an engineer is Gas Safe registered. you need to ask for their unique 7-digit licence number, which you will find on their Gas Safe ID card.

All checks carried out via Mashroom will eliminate this issue, as we only work with qualified engineers who are all Gas Safe registered.

Following the check, if any appliance or installation fails, you must get it fixed or replaced.

Once everything is ticked off and compliant – you will receive your certificate and you must provide your tenants with a copy of this certificate within 28 days of them moving into the property.

Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) must abide by the same gas safety regulations. You must ensure that all appliances and systems are safe to be used by tenants. The same timeframe applies for an HMO – checks must be carried out every 12 months – and, if requested, a landlord must provide a copy of the gas safety record to the local authority.

Checks on private lets and HMOs must be repeated every 12 months.

When should I update my Gas Safety Certificate?

Each certificate is valid for 12 months, at which point you will need to have another Gas Safety check carried out on the property.

This will renew the documentation and make sure it is up to date.

As a landlord, under the Gas Safety Regulations 2018, you also have the option to renew your gas safety record up to two months prior to the 12-month deadline.

So, if the deadline date is the end of the 12-month period, you can re-check during months 11 and 12 – without losing any of the validity period. However, this style of early renewal can only be carried out if you can prove that your two previous gas checks were carried out on time.

Of course, if you change appliances, something breaks and needs replacing or major work is carried out, you should ensure it is checked by a registered engineer to ensure it meets all safety criteria.

What are the consequences of not having an up-to-date Gas Safety Certificate?

It is a legal requirement to have a Gas Safety Certificate before the tenant moves in. You will also need to have these checks carried out and the certificate renewed annually, to make sure that everything is safe and up to date.

Landlords who fail to comply can be liable for unlimited fines and/or six months imprisonment.

It would also be classed as a hazardous situation and landlords can be subject to enforcement actions. These can include prohibition or improvement notices or even emergency remedial action by the local authority.

Don’t take your foot off the gas when it comes to safety

Before you get to the stage where you smell gas, get a certificate from one of Mashroom's certified contractors. You need to update it every 12 months or face hefty fines. Buy now to ensure your property remains compliant, and your tenants are safe and happy.

Gas Safety Certificate

Provided by Mashroom certified contractor. Valid for 1 year.