Gas Safety Record (CP12): landlord duties in England

A gas safety record, often called a CP12, records the results of a landlord’s gas safety check. Arrange the check with a Gas Safe registered engineer, give tenants their copies and keep the record. This page covers landlords in England; the possession changes below concern private assured tenancies.

What needs checking

HSE’s landlord guidance distinguishes ongoing maintenance from the annual safety check. Maintain landlord-provided gas appliances, flues and installation pipework safely. Have relevant appliances and flues checked annually; the check alone does not replace maintenance.

Responsibility depends on the equipment and letting arrangement. A gas supply alone does not mean every appliance belongs to the landlord. Check HSE’s detailed responsibilities for tenant-owned appliances, shared systems and unusual leases.

When to arrange the next check

Normally, the next check is due within 12 months. The 2018 flexibility allows an eligible check in the two months before the existing deadline without moving that deadline forward. Retain the records needed to establish the anniversary date and confirm it with the engineer. It is not permission to carry out a late check.

Use the gas safety expiry calculator as a planning aid and verify the result against your records. If an early check preserved an anniversary, do not assume that adding 12 months to the inspection date gives the correct deadline.

Give tenants the record

• Existing tenants: provide the new record within 28 days of the check.
• New tenants: provide the current record before they occupy the property.
• Keep each record for at least two years, including earlier records needed to demonstrate any preserved anniversary.
• Keep evidence of which record you provided, to whom, when and how.

The gas safety service letter can accompany the engineer’s record. It is not a replacement certificate. For electronic delivery, follow HSE’s guidance on the tenant’s ability and agreement to access it.

If something goes wrong

Arrange overdue checks promptly and follow the engineer’s instructions about defects or unsafe appliances. Gas safety breaches can lead to enforcement and prosecution; uploading a certificate does not establish that the installation is safe.

If access is refused, document appointments, correspondence and reasonable attempts to arrange a check. Do not force entry. HSE’s access guidance explains that reasonable steps depend on the circumstances.

Historical Section 21 cases

New Section 21 notices ended on 1 May 2026 for England’s private assured tenancies. The final deadline to start a claim on an eligible earlier notice was 31 July 2026, or the notice’s earlier deadline. Proceedings started in time can continue.

Gas-record evidence may still matter in those existing cases. Do not treat a missing or late record as a simple prediction of the court’s decision. Read the historical notice guidance and obtain advice about a live case.

Keep the certificate and deadline together

TenancyVault certificate reminders and document storage are included in Free for one property. Upload the record, check the obligation’s due date and confirm the reminder settings. Keep the service evidence alongside it.

For a paper record, use the certificate tracker PDF. A reminder helps with scheduling; the landlord still needs to arrange the check and act on its findings.