The Ultimate Guide to CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Templates

When you become a landowner or even a tenant of a property, one of the most important aspects of property management is linked to gas safety. If you are looking for a new property to rent then you must ensure that the gas appliances in the property are working properly. 

Ensuring these details is also a legal responsibility as well. The primary duties and responsibilities to ensure this include gas safety inspections and issuance of CP12 certificates. Another name for the CP12 certificate in the gas safety record. In this article, we will guide you about the CP12 gas certificate templates, how to use the certificates and their importance. 

What Is a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate?

A CP12 gas safety certificate is an official document that authenticates a gas-safe registered engineer who has inspected the property. It is also an assurance that all the gas appliances on the property are safe to use, including the flues and boilers. 

The full form of CP12 is ‘Certificate Proforma 12’ which is originally a British term. However, in recent days, the term has been more commonly used by engineers to refer to gas safety records after a successful gas safety inspection. There are also CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Templates that are now available for engineers to use which we will discuss further along the way in this article.

As a landlord, it is an important and legal obligation to obtain this certificate according to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulation 1998. If the landlord fails to provide this certificate, then they can get imposed with hefty fines and imprisonment. 

Why Is a CP12 Certificate Important?

Obtaining a CP12 certificate is not only a legal obligation but a moral one, too. It ensures the safety of the individual living on the property as well as around it. Let us discuss a few of the reasons for its importance:

Legal Obligation

Obtaining a CP12 certificate ensures that the property owner is complying with all the gas safety rules and regulations set by the authorities. Several gas appliances such as cookers, and boilers have serious fire risks if not looked after properly. Ultimately, it can lead to fire explosion or even carbon monoxide poisoning.

Safety of the tenants

It is the responsibility of the landlord to provide a safe and well-maintained home to their tenants. It also includes making sure that the gas appliances have been checked by a gas-safe registered engineer.

Liability Claims

In case any accident or gas-related injury occurs on the property even after obtaining the CP12 certificate, then the landlord can claim liability. On the other hand, if there was no certificate then the owner could even get imposed with fines and penalties. 

Compliance With Insurance Policy

Many insurance providers require obtaining a gas certificate before applying for insurance. Not having an up-to-date CP12 certificate can invalidate your right to an insurance claim, which can cause a huge financial loss to the property owner. 

What Does a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Contain?

A CP12 gas safety certificate usually contains all the details of the property and the landlord. Here is what you will find on a general gas safety certificate template:

• Details of the landlord, such as the name and address
• The address of the property includes a complete address of the property where the gas safety check was carried out. 
• Details of the engineer who carried out the gas safety check. It includes the gas safety registration number and the name of the engineer.
• Details of the appliances which were checked during the inspection. It must include a list of gas appliances such as boilers, flues, cookers, and stoves. The engineer must individually mention whether that particular appliance passed or failed the gas safety check.
• Mention details of any defects that were observed during the inspection. The engineer must also mention any corrective or remedial actions for the defective gas equipment.
• Mention the date of the next inspection, which must be within 12 months of the current date of inspection.

What Does a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Template Mean?

When anyone mentions a CP12 gas safety certificate template then it usually refers to a pre-formatted document. The template of the gas safety certificate is a format designed by the safety engineers to create official records of any property. The template contains all the essential information about the property. The safety engineers have the option to either print out the format on paper or fill it out digitally with the help of software tools. 

However, online digital records are becoming increasingly popular these days and most engineers prefer to fill it up digitally. Using a pre-made template allows uniformity of all the gas certificates. It also ensures that the landlords receive a professionally made certificate every time they get a safety inspection done.

What Are the Types of CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Templates?

Depending on the type of safety inspection, there are five different templates of the CP12 gas safety certificate template:

Landlord CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Template

This template is used in cases when a landlord wants to get his property inspected for his tenants. The template covers all of the important components such as appliance checks, inspection of flues, and details of any defects found during inspection.

Commercial CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Template

If the gas safety engineer is carrying out a safety inspection on a commercial property then this is the template they will use. It covers a wider variety of gas appliances.

Domestic CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Template

The difference between domestic and landlord CP12 gas safety certificate templates is that one is issued for a rented property while the other is for non-rented property. 

CP12 Renewal Template

Whenever a gas safety certificate is being renewed then the gas safety engineers will use this template. It is the simplest template out of all the templates. The purpose of this template is to ensure that the appliances continue to run safely. 

Digital CP12 Templates

There is an increasing trend to use digital software for the generation of CP12 gas safety certificates. The digital templates help to streamline the process. Engineers can then easily fill out the certificates on any digital device, such as a tablet or smartphone, and then email the certificate to the landlord. 

Where Can You Find a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate Template?

There are many gas safety certificate providers that provide these templates online. Some of these options include:

• Gas safety software providing platforms such as Gas Checker can help you to provide customised CP12 gas safety certificates.
• There are template providers available online where you can easily download a template of your choice. 
• Any engineer registered with a gas safe register can easily access the official templates that fulfil the regulatory requirements.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Filling out a Gas Safety Certificate Template

Filling up a CP12 gas safety certificate is a really easy and straightforward process:

• Start off by selecting the right type of template depending on the type of property that is going to be inspected.
• Fill out the engineer’s details in the relevant section. The details usually include filling up the name of the engineer, the gas safe registered number, and the contact information.
• Fill up the contact information of the landlord and mention the address of the property where the inspection will take place.
• List down all the gas appliances on the property. This section will require details of the appliance as well such as make and model, location of the appliance, and its condition.
• For every appliance that is listed in the template, mention whether it passed or failed the gas safety check. Make sure to mention the defects and note them in the relevant section. 
• Make sure to set the date for the next inspection. This date is usually twelve months after the current inspection. It also means that your gas safety certificate is valid for one year only. 
• If you are using a digital template then you will have to complete the form, save the PDF, and then email the report to the landlord. On the contrary, if you are using a printed template, then you can provide the landlord with a physical copy of the filled certificate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the CP12 gas safety certificates are important for any landlord. The certificate is a regulatory obligation that any landlord is required to abide by. If a gas-safe engineer uses a pre-made template then it will simplify the process for them. Using a template also ensures that all the necessary details are accurately and efficiently mentioned in the certificate.

An engineer can either use a digital version or a paper version of the template. Regardless of the format, the goal of the safety certificate remains the same. It must provide a clear record of the gas safety inspection and any lackings that were observed on the property. Understanding and using these templates properly allows the landlord as well as the tenant to understand the legal obligation, avoid legal issues, and maintain a safe property.