How often does a landlord need a gas safety certificate?

Every 12 months. Each gas appliance and flue the landlord provides must be safety checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least annually, and the check can be done up to two months early without losing the original anniversary date.

Is a CP12 the same as a landlord gas safety record?

Yes. CP12 was the name of the CORGI form, and the name stuck. The regulations call it a landlord gas safety record, and Gas Safe Register uses that term.

How long must a landlord keep gas safety records?

At least two years. Existing tenants must be given a copy within 28 days of the check, and new tenants before they move in.

Landlord gas safety certificates (CP12): what the rules require

Last reviewed 18 October 2026

Landlords must have the gas appliances and flues they provide checked every year and keep a record of each check. The record is still often called a CP12, after the form CORGI used before Gas Safe Register replaced it. The regulations call it a landlord gas safety record.

The legal requirement

Regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 requires landlords to make sure every gas appliance and flue they provide in a let property is checked for safety at least every 12 months, by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. Appliances the tenant owns, and flues that serve only those appliances, are outside the landlord's annual check.

What the record must contain

The regulations set out what the record has to include:

The date the check was carried out.
The address of the property.
The name and address of the landlord, or their agent.
A description and location of each appliance and flue checked.
Any defect identified and any remedial action taken.
Confirmation that the safety checks were carried out, including an examination of the effectiveness of each flue, the supply of combustion air, the operating pressure or heat input, and the safe functioning of the appliance.
The name, Gas Safe registration number and signature of the engineer who did the check.

Timing: the two-month rule

Since April 2018 a check can be carried out up to two months before the due date and keep the original anniversary as the next deadline. A check done on 1 May for a 1 July deadline is treated as if it were done on 1 July, so no months are lost by booking early.

Giving tenants a copy

Existing tenants must receive a copy within 28 days of the check.
New tenants must receive a copy before they move in.
For lets of 28 days or less, such as holiday lets, a copy can be displayed prominently in the property instead.
Landlords must keep each record for at least two years.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Since 1 October 2022, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022 require landlords in England to fit a carbon monoxide alarm in every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. Many engineers note the presence and operation of CO alarms on the gas safety record, which gives the landlord useful evidence.

Defects and warning notices

If an engineer finds an appliance unsafe, they classify it under the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure as Immediately Dangerous or At Risk, and record it on the safety record. An Immediately Dangerous appliance will be disconnected with the responsible person's permission. The landlord must not let anyone use an appliance that has been classed as unsafe until it is repaired.

Frequently asked questions

How often does a landlord need a gas safety certificate?: Every 12 months. Each gas appliance and flue the landlord provides must be safety checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least annually, and the check can be done up to two months early without losing the original anniversary date.
Is a CP12 the same as a landlord gas safety record?: Yes. CP12 was the name of the CORGI form, and the name stuck. The regulations call it a landlord gas safety record, and Gas Safe Register uses that term.
How long must a landlord keep gas safety records?: At least two years. Existing tenants must be given a copy within 28 days of the check, and new tenants before they move in.

This guide summarises the regulations and guidance it cites. It is not legal advice. Check the current versions of those documents before relying on it.