Renewing certificates and staying compliant during a tenancy

Track applicable certificate deadlines throughout the tenancy and act on safety defects promptly. Missing a required check can lead to enforcement or prosecution. New Section 21 notices ended for private assured tenancies in England on 1 May 2026; the last possible claim-start deadline on an eligible older notice was 31 July 2026. Proceedings started in time can continue under the historical rules.

Use the certificate tracker PDF or TenancyVault reminders. Check the engineer’s dates, including shorter EICR intervals and any preserved gas-check anniversary.

What the rule is

The following covers routine checks for applicable private rented homes in England. Inspection, maintenance, document delivery and remedial work are separate tasks.

Gas Safety Record (GSR / CP12) Arrange an annual Gas Safe engineer check of relevant landlord-provided appliances and flues, alongside maintenance. Give existing tenants the record within 28 days of the check and new tenants a copy before occupation. Keep records for at least two years; where preserving an early-check anniversary, retain the record until two further checks. See the gas safety guide.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) For homes covered by the electrical-safety regulations, use a qualified and competent inspector at least every five years, or sooner where required. Give existing tenants the report within 28 days of the inspection and test, and new tenants a copy before occupation. C1 indicates immediate danger, C2 a potentially dangerous condition and FI investigation without delay. Required work must be completed within 28 days or the report’s shorter deadline. Send the report and written completion confirmation to tenants and the council within 28 days of completing the work. Read the EICR guide.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) An EPC is normally valid for ten years. Check when a certificate is required for marketing or letting; do not treat its expiry as the same kind of annual safety-check deadline. The current MEES guidance requires covered properties to meet band E or have a valid registered exemption. Check the official scope and exemption rules for the property, rather than assuming a cost estimate automatically creates an exemption.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2022 (which updated the 2015 Regulations), landlords must:

• Install at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property used as living accommodation
• Install a CO alarm in each room used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance, except a gas cooker
• Ensure all alarms are in working order at the start of each new tenancy
• Replace or repair faulty alarms as soon as practicable after being notified

There is no fixed renewal date for alarms, but you should test them at the start of every tenancy and replace batteries or units as needed.

When it applies

Track gas checks, the EICR’s specified next inspection and separate defect deadlines. A qualifying early gas check can preserve the existing anniversary. Alarm repair duties arise when faults are reported; they do not wait for an annual review. Check EPC and MEES requirements separately when the circumstances of the letting change.

What landlords must do

• Diarise all renewal dates at the start of each tenancy. When you onboard a new property or tenant, note the expiry dates for the GSR, EICR, and EPC in your management system.
• Book gas safety checks in advance. Do not wait until the day the certificate expires. Book at least four weeks ahead to allow for engineer availability.
• Deliver renewed records. Keep the document and delivery evidence. HSE permits electronic gas records where the tenant accepts and can access them; provide paper on request.
• Act on electrical defects promptly. Do not treat 28 days as permission to leave a dangerous installation in use. Current guidance gives a maximum council financial penalty of £40,000 for specified breaches; the applicable rules depend on the breach and its date.
• Keep all original certificates. Store certificates in a way that you can retrieve them immediately if needed — for a council inspection, a dispute, or to serve on a new tenant.

What evidence to keep

• Gas Safety Records for the applicable retention period, including preserved-anniversary evidence
• The current EICR and any remedial works completion evidence
• A valid EPC for the property
• Evidence of service to the tenant — email delivery confirmation or signed receipt
• Smoke and CO alarm test records at the start of each tenancy
• Replacement receipts for alarms

Common mistakes

Leaving booking until the deadline. Arrange checks early enough to handle access or engineer availability problems. A reminder is not an inspection or an extension of time.

Not serving the new certificate on the existing tenant. Many landlords serve the certificate at the start of the tenancy and then forget to serve renewals. Failure to serve each annual renewal on existing tenants is a breach of the regulations.

Treating every date identically. EPC validity, gas-check anniversaries and EICR remedial deadlines have different rules. Check the relevant source before setting a renewal date.

Ignoring further investigation. FI is not a satisfactory result. Follow the inspector’s action and deadline requirements as well as any C1/C2 remedial instructions.

Forgetting CO alarms for gas boilers. The rule is not limited to solid-fuel appliances; check the living-accommodation condition and gas-cooker exclusion above.

FAQ

Q: Can I carry out the gas safety check on the same day as the current certificate expires? A: Plan to complete it by the applicable deadline and book ahead. Check the engineer’s record and any preserved anniversary; the gas calculator is a planning aid, not proof that an extension applies.

Q: Do I need to serve the EICR on the tenant every five years or only at the start? A: Deliver each new report under the deadlines above. New tenants must receive it before they occupy the property.

Q: What if the tenant refuses access for the gas safety check? A: Keep correspondence and appointment attempts, explain the safety need and seek advice if access remains unresolved. Do not force entry or assume that a refusal removes your duties.

Q: How do I track renewal dates across multiple properties? A: Store the reports, check their dates and review notification settings in TenancyVault reminders. Free includes one property. Keep a separate plan for urgent work and failed deliveries.

Q: Is there a landlord exemption from the MEES EPC E requirement? A: There are several exemptions with different evidence and registration requirements. Use the official MEES guidance above; do not assume that one quotation or a proposed improvement creates an exemption.