Top 5 Key Components of a Gas Safety Certificate You Should Know

The gas safety certificate is a legal requirement for all rented properties in the UK. Its purpose is to ensure that the gas appliances installed on the property are safe for use. Landlords are legally responsible for getting a gas safety certificate for their rented properties.

Gas is the most commonly used energy source in residential and non-residential properties. It is economical and environmentally friendly. Gas is generally considered a safe energy source, but as with other fuels, it has some potential risks. Gas can cause explosions, fires, and carbon monoxide poisoning. A gas accident mainly occurs when the standard safety protocols are not complied with.

The authorities in the UK have formulated a comprehensive law to regulate the safe use of gas for domestic and non-domestic purposes. The prime objective of this law is to ensure the safety of the end users of gas. The law is "Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998". Getting a gas safety certificate is one of the requirements of these rules and regulations.  

Understanding Gas Safety Regulations

The fundamental law regulating the use of gas in the UK was promulgated in 1998, titled "Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998." While the introductory provisions of this law remain the same, further amendments were also made subsequently to make it more effective, as was done through "Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendments) Regulations 2018.”

The main requirements are summarized below to understand Gas Safety Regulations better:

• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 applies to England, Wales, and Scotland.
• Landlords must conduct gas safety inspections on all gas appliances and allied pipework installed on their properties.
• The gas safety inspection must be conducted at least once a year.
• This can only be done by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.
• On successful completion of the annual gas safety inspection, the gas-safe registered engineer will issue a Gas Safety Certificate, also known as a Gas Safety Record or more commonly referred to as CP 12.
• The gas safety certificate is valid for 12 months. It has to be renewed before the expiry of the current certificate.
• After an amendment through the “Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018,” the current CP 12 can be renewed anytime during the last two months before its expiry. This will not affect the next expiry date. So, if the current certificate is valid until 30 September 2024, renewal can be made anytime during August or September. The next expiry will then be considered on 30 September 2025.
• The landlords must give the current tenant a copy of the gas safety certificate within 48 hours and the new tenants within 28 days of its issuance.
• The landlords must retain the gas safety certificate for at least two years for future reference.

What is the Gas Safe Register? 

Gas safe register is an official organization in the UK, responsible for registering qualified gas safety engineers. Gas Safe Register is responsible for maintaining the record of these registered engineers. A license is issued to these registered engineers, valid for one year, and needs to be renewed for the next year before its expiry.

This license authorizes the gas-safe registered engineers to work on gas appliances and allied installations in residential and non-residential properties. On successful inspection and satisfying himself that the gas appliances are functioning in conformity with the safety standards, he will issue a Gas Safety Certificate, also called Gas Safety Records or, more commonly, CP 12.

The Process of Issuance of Gas Safety Certificate

Issuance of a gas safety certificate depends on the successful gas safety inspection. During the annual gas safety inspection, the gas-safe registered engineer will do the following:

• Visual inspection of all gas appliances and allied installations to check for any signs of damage or corrosion.
• He will check the entire pipework for any gas leaks.
• He will check the performance of all gas appliances to see if these are working as expected.
• The engineer will also check that the gas appliances are installed correctly per standard safety protocols.
• The engineer will examine whether the gas connections are up to the standard.
• He should also check the flues and chimneys to see any blockage.
• He should also examine the performance of gas leak detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
• He will then record all the gas appliances and mark them “fit for use” or “not fit for use.”
• The appliances he marked as “Not Fit For Use” will be further classified as under:

1. 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.
2. AR – At risk. The appliances rated as AR must be replaced on an urgent basis, as these are not fit for use. However, the level of their risk is relatively less than the above category ID. But must be repaired at the earliest and should not be used before proper rectification of the fault.
3. 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.

• The engineer will disconnect the appliances marked “Not Fit for Use,” and the occupants will not be allowed to use them.
• Once the process of inspection is completed, the engineer will produce a gas safety certificate, either in paper form or electronically. The electronically generated gas safety certificate is mostly used these days.
• The gas safety certificate comprises complete details of the property, the name of the inspecting engineer, the name of the landlord, and complete details of each gas appliance checked by the engineer. The engineer will also mention his ID number and other relevant details on the certificate. His signatures are also required.

Top 5 Key Components of a Gas Safety Certificate You Should Know

The gas safety certificate is a comprehensive legal document, that is proof that the gas safe registered engineer inspected the property. It comprises detailed information about the property, the inspector, and the appliances checked by him. It also contains detailed information about the landlord.

The gas safety certificate will essentially have the following information:

• Date of inspection.
• Complete address of the property inspected by the engineer.
• Name of the landlord or his representative or agent.
• Name and identity number of the gas safety engineer, as appears on his ID Card issued by Gas Safe Register.
• Signature of the gas safety engineer.
• The engineer checked the complete details of gas appliances, including boilers, flues, allied installations, and pipework.
• The precise location of each appliance, i.e., where they are installed in the premises.
• The current status of the appliances. This will essentially include the actual operational performance of each appliance, precisely mentioning whether they are fit for use or not.

Although every piece of information is essential and must be correctly mentioned on the gas safety certificate, you should specifically check for the following; otherwise, the certificate might not be a valid document:

1. The gas safety certificate should essentially have the logo of the Gas Safe Register on the document's top right corner. Each certificate must have this official logo to be a valid document.
2. Gas-safe registered engineers are issued a license by the gas-safe register, which is proof that they are authorized to work on gas appliances for issuance of a gas safety certificate. Check for his ID number, which he must mention on the gas safety certificate. You may also ask him to show his ID Card to verify its correctness. It will have complete details about him along with his photograph. So, the ID number is important and must be mentioned on the certificate.
3. The date of inspection is of prime importance. It is proof that the property has undergone an annual inspection for gas safety. Ensure that the date of inspection/issuance of the certificate should be correctly mentioned on the certificate.
4. The property's address and the landlord's name should be properly and correctly mentioned on the certificate. Correct identification of the property largely depends on the correct address. If the address is not correctly mentioned, you may face difficulty in proving that your property was inspected by the gas-safe registered engineer.
5. The certificate should mention all the gas appliances checked by the engineer and give their current status, whether fit for use or not. This information is also of key importance. It is proof that the appliances were inspected and declared fit for use.

Important

Gas safety certificates, whether in printed or digital form, must be kept in safe custody for at least 2 years. You may have to show this record as proof of having conducted the annual gas safety check on your premises at any time, especially in case of an accident. It is also advisable to keep a historical record of all previous inspections, if possible.

Conclusion

Gas safety has always been a concern for authorities all around the world, including the UK. Accordingly, comprehensive legislation was done and gas safety regulations of 1998 were enforced. The main idea behind this law is to ensure the safety of people and properties against the possible risks of fire, explosion, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The requirement of a gas safety certificate is one of the major provisions of gas safety regulations. It is a complete document that has information about the property, the engineer, and the gas appliances inspected during the annual gas safety inspection. The information added to this certificate is very important. The landlords must ensure that the provided information is correct, especially the property details, appliances inspected, and more importantly the credentials of the gas-safe registered engineer.