Gas Safety Information for Tenants
Is your landlord is complying with the law
Your landlord has specific legal responsibilities when it comes to gas safety. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations require your landlord to:
- Maintain pipework, appliances and flues provided for your use in a safe condition.
- Carry out a 12 monthly gas safety check on each gas appliance/flue. A gas safety check will make sure gas fittings and appliances are safe to use.
- Provide you with a record of the annual gas safety check within 28 days of the check being completed or if you’re a new tenant before you move in. If a property or room is hired out for less than 28 days at a time, it is also permissible for your landlord to display a copy of the current Landlords Gas Safety Record in a prominent position within the property.
What is a gas safety record?
If you are renting a property from a private landlord, from the council, a housing association or any other landlord, ask for a copy of the gas safety record.
When a Gas Safe registered engineer does a gas safety check in your home they will provide a record of the checks that they carried out. This form is a gas safety record. It will list each of the appliances and other gas fittings they checked.
The landlord’s gas safety record includes:
- description and location of each appliance and flue checked
- name, registration number and signature of the engineer who carried out the check
- date on which the appliance and flue was checked
- the address of the property at which the appliance and flue is installed
- the name and address of the landlord (or agent where appropriate)
- any defect identified and any action required or taken to fix it
- Confirmation of the results of operational safety checks carried out on the appliances.
What if I own the gas appliances in my rented property?
If you own the gas appliances in your rented property, your landlord is not responsible for getting them safety checked, you are. But, your landlord may still be responsible for the maintenance of the gas pipe work and any chimney or flue that serves your appliances. In which case, you and your landlord should arrange the gas safety check together.
What to do if you think your landlord isn’t gas safe.
If you do not have a copy of the current record for your property, you are entitled to ask your landlord for a copy. If your landlord refuses, you can complain to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) via the HSE website. Failure to follow gas safety requirements is a criminal offence and the HSE can issue a formal caution and may prosecute your landlord.