What is a Gas Safety Certificate?

Man servicing a boiler

Landlords must obtain a gas safety certificate for every gas appliance in rental properties from a Gas Safe registered engineer, such as boilers and gas hobs. It’s a legal requirement and each individual certificate has to be renewed every year. Without them, landlords risk a hefty fine, and the appliances may be unsafe for tenants to use.

Landlords also must provide a copy of the certificate to tenants before they move in, or within 28 days of the check.

It’s not a legal requirement to service the boiler at the same time, but it’s best practice. It’ll also extend the life of your boiler.

Useful tips for gas safety certificates

  • Like MOTs, a Gas Safe engineer can carry out the inspection up to two months before the due date. The gas safety certificate will still retain the existing expiry date.
  • I keep a central list of all of the expiry dates of the gas safety certificates. I make a note in my calendar two months beforehand, and a further reminder a month before the expiry date.
  • If you use a portfolio management system like Landlord Vision, it’s easy to enter in the expiry dates on the platform.
  • It is not a requirement for boilers to be serviced each year. However, I arrange this at the same time to preserve the 10 warranty, which requires them to be serviced every year. It is also best from a safety perspective and is what a responsible landlord should do.
  • When considering the purchase of a new rental property, check to see if the box has been ticked on the gas safety certificate to show the boiler has been serviced. If not, it is worth investigating whether the boiler will need replacing.

How to arrange a gas safety certificate

Most gas engineers will be able to carry out a gas safety certificate for you.

OpenRent offer really good rates for Gas Safety Certificates with £45 as standard, with £15 for additional appliances (prices as of 25 August 2023). You can also add a boiler service for £55 . Click here for more details on OpenRent’s Gas Safety services (affiliate link).

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Gas hob in background, title in foreground: What is a Gas Safety Certificate and why is it important?
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