Does Every Gas Appliance Need a Gas Safety Certificate?

Gas is an environmentally friendly energy source compared to oil and coal. That's why it has emerged as the most favorite energy source for domestic and commercial use. Moreover, it can be supplied directly to consumers through a pipe network or in bottles and cylinders.

In colder parts of the world, the utility of gas is even more significant. It is used for heating, hot water, and cooking. Although gas is known as a safe energy source, it carries some potential risks, such as explosion, fire, and emission of carbon monoxide. The authorities worldwide, including the UK, have formulated rules and standards to regulate safe gas usage in homes and commercial properties. That has considerably reduced the number of gas accidents but still, many such incidents occur every year, mainly due to violations of the set safety standards.

A recent report reveals that more than 68,000 homes in the UK have successfully prevented gas accidents in one year by following the rules and regulations. However, the same report also highlights that one out of every five homes inspected does have one or more than one faulty gas appliance, which is alarming.

Gas Safety Regulations

The basic law that governs the use of gas in the UK was introduced in 1998 under the title “Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998". A Gas Safety Certificate is the most important among many other relevant rules. Every landlord has been made responsible by this law to get his property inspected for gas safety annually. It is also legally binding to get this done by a qualified gas safety engineer, who must be registered with the "Gas Safe Register." On successful inspection, the gas safety engineer is authorized to issue a "Gas Safety Certificate," called CP 12. This certificate is valid for 12 months; hence, the inspection must be conducted annually to renew this certificate for a further 12 months.

Flexibility in Renewal of Gas Safety Certificate

Per the provisions of the gas safety regulations, a gas safety certificate must be renewed every year. For this purpose, landlords must get their properties inspected for gas safety in the last two months of the existing certificate's validity. Consequently, the date of expiry will change every year. Practically, there would be 11 such inspections in 10 years.

This anomaly was removed through an amendment in the relevant rules under the title “The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018." This amendment provides flexibility in renewing the gas safety certificate. The following example better explains this:

• The property was inspected for gas safety on March 15, 2023; hence, the gas certificate will be valid until March 15, 2024.
• Before the above-referred amendment, if the landlord renews it on 15 February 2024, the new gas safety certificate will be valid until 15 February 2025, thus reducing its validity by one month.
• However, after the above amendment, the gas safety certificate will remain valid until 15 March 2025 in the above scenario, irrespective of the date of renewal, unless it is renewed in the last two months before the current gas safety certificate expires.

Does Every Gas Appliance Need a Gas Safety Certificate?

The simple answer to this important question is "Yes." The Gas safety certificate is a consolidated document that contains details of all the gas appliances installed on the premises, including the boilers and flues. The inspecting engineer will check each gas appliance. He will check these appliances' gas pressure, burning quality, and other functionalities. For a better understanding of this whole process, let's summarize it here:

• The landlord is responsible for engaging a qualified and gas-safe registered engineer to conduct the annual inspection of all the gas appliances installed on the premises.
• Any appliance installed for personal use by the tenant is not the landlord's responsibility. However, it is advisable to include these appliances in the inspection as well to ensure the safety of the property and the tenants.
• The date and time of the inspection must be set with the mutual consent of the landlord and tenant, considering the engineer's availability.
• The engineer will visit the site on the day of the inspection. The landlord or his representative must also be present on the premises. The tenant must facilitate smooth access to the premises and the installed appliances.

Process of Gas Safety Inspection

The process of gas safety inspection starts with a visual inspection of every gas appliance installed on the premises, under inspection.

Here's a step-by-step process of inspection:

• The engineer will inspect every gas appliance installed on the premises for the following:
  • Check for any gas leakage.
  • Check each appliance's joints and gas connections for any fault or leakage.
  • Verify that the appliances are correctly installed.
  • Check that the appliance gets the correct gas pressure for optimum working.
  • Check that the appliances are functioning correctly per the specifications provided by the manufacturers.
  • Inspect the burning process. This is a very important part of the inspection. Any incorrect or incomplete gas burning generates carbon monoxide, which is dangerous for human health and may even result in death.
• Once all the appliances, including boilers and flues, are inspected, the engineer records the findings and provides them to the landlord. This certificate will mention the working and performance status of each gas appliance.
• The appliances where the engineer detects faults are normally classified in the following categories:
  • ID—Immediately dangerous. Appliances marked as ID need urgent repair or replacement, as the case may be. They are practically unfit for instant use and dangerous if used without proper fault rectification.
  • AR—At risk. The appliances rated as AR must be replaced urgently, as they are not fit for use. However, their risk is relatively less than the above category ID, but they must be repaired as soon as possible.
  • NCS—Not to the Current Standards. These appliances can be used safely, though they are not according to the current standards due to their older versions. However, they also need to be replaced with new ones as soon as possible.
• After necessary repairs and replacements, the engineer will issue the Gas Safety Certificate, valid for 12 months.

Gas Safety Certificate – CP12

After a successful inspection, the gas safety engineer will record the following important points:

1. Here are details of all the appliances, flues, or other gas fittings that were checked, along with their exact location on the premises.
2. Date of inspection.
3. Name and address of the landlord.
4. Address and location of the property where the inspection was done.
5. Details of faults and defects detected by the engineer. This will be recorded in front of each gas appliance.
6. The engineer will confirm that the safety check was done strictly by the paragraphs (a) to (d) of regulation 26(9) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

The gas safety certificate, commonly known as the Gas Safety Record or CP12, should also include the name, registration number, and contact number of the gas safety engineer.

Important

• The gas safety inspection is conducted for all the gas appliances installed on the premises separately, but the gas safety certificate is not issued separately for each appliance. One consolidated gas certificate will contain the details of each gas appliance. In other words, all the gas appliances will be included in one gas safety certificate. Hence, every gas appliance needs a gas safety certificate, though in one consolidated document.
• Recently, remote inspection of gas appliances has also gained popularity in the UK. However, a facilitator is required who can walk through the premises while taking the engineer on a video call so that he can inspect the appliances remotely. In case of any serious problem detected in any of the appliances, the engineer may visit the site or recommend any service provider to get the fault fixed.
• Traditionally, the gas safety certificate is provided in printed form. However, a digital gas safety certificate is also available these days. If you have the facility to save it digitally on your computer, laptop, or mobile device, it is the best option. A copy of this digital certificate can also be provided to the tenants instead of giving them a printed hard copy.

Conclusion

Under the provisions of the Gas Safety (Use and Installation) Regulations 1998 and Gas Safety (Use and Installation) Amendment 2018, an annual inspection of all gas appliances is required. This is a legal compulsion for all landlords of domestic and commercial properties.

The inspection aims to verify that all the gas appliances are correctly installed, working according to the specifications set by the manufacturers, and compliant with the gas safety standards. The engineer will identify any faulty gas appliance and declare it unfit for use. A gas safety certificate will only be issued once the faulty appliances are replaced or repaired, as the case may be.

It is very important to note that all gas appliances need annual inspections for gas safety and a valid gas safety certificate. However, the gas safety certificate is not issued separately for each gas appliance; rather, it is included in one consolidated gas safety certificate. So, there should be no confusion about it. You will get one gas safety certificate, which will have the details of each gas appliance recorded separately.