Gas safety certificate (CP12): what landlords and engineers need in 2026
In short: A landlord gas safety record, still known in the trade as a CP12, is required every 12 months for every rental property with gas appliances, costs around £60 to £120 in 2026, and must be issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants get a copy within 28 days and records are kept for two years.
Key points
- A landlord gas safety record (CP12) is required every 12 months for rentals with gas appliances.
- It must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer; the legal basis is the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
- Tenants get a copy within 28 days; new tenants before they move in; records kept at least two years.
- It can be renewed up to two months early without losing the original expiry date, like an MOT.
- Owner-occupiers have no legal duty to hold one.
The CP12 designation is a hangover from CORGI days, but everyone in the trade still says it, and the duty it describes has not changed: every rental property with gas appliances needs a landlord gas safety record, renewed every 12 months, issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It is the gas twin of the five-yearly EICR duty, on a faster clock.
What the engineer actually checks
For each appliance and flue: operating pressure or heat input, ventilation provision, flue operation and termination, the presence and operation of safety devices, and physical condition. Plus a tightness test on the installation pipework. Each appliance gets a pass or a defect recorded; an appliance found immediately dangerous gets disconnected with the tenant's agreement and a warning notice, not a polite note.
The 12-month rule and the MOT window
The record runs 12 months from the check. Since 2018 the regulations allow the renewal check up to two months early while preserving the original expiry date, exactly like an MOT, so there is no reason for a landlord's record to ever lapse over a booking delay. Engineers who track the due dates and text the landlord a month out keep that work year after year.
Copies and record-keeping
Existing tenants get a copy within 28 days of the check; new tenants get one before they move in. The landlord keeps each record for at least two years. The fine print that catches people out: the duty covers flues serving gas appliances even where the appliance belongs to the tenant, and a property with the gas capped still benefits from a record saying exactly that.
Prices in 2026
| Visit | Typical price |
|---|---|
| CP12, one appliance | £60 to £90 |
| CP12, boiler plus hob or fire | £75 to £120 |
| CP12 combined with boiler service | £120 to £180 |
London pricing sits at the top of each band, as ever.
One visit, two trades, one folder
Letting agents do not think in certificates, they think in properties: is this address compliant, and when does anything expire. The engineers and electricians who win agent work are the ones whose paperwork arrives the same day, reads cleanly, and whose retest reminders arrive before the agent's own spreadsheet notices. The trade that runs its gas records and its electrical certificates out of one tidy system looks, to an agent, like the safe pair of hands.
The defect classifications
When an engineer finds a problem, it is not a free-text note; it is one of a small set of classifications that decide what happens next. Knowing them helps a landlord read the record rather than just file it.
| Classification | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Immediately Dangerous (ID) | A danger to life or property is present now | Disconnected with permission, warning notice issued |
| At Risk (AR) | One or more faults could make the appliance dangerous | Turned off pending repair, with permission |
| Not to Current Standards (NCS) | Installed to an older standard, not unsafe | Recorded and brought to the responsible person's attention |
How it compares with the electrical duty
Landlords juggle two safety regimes with different rhythms, and confusing them is a common way to fall foul of one. The gas record runs annually; the electrical EICR runs at least every five years.
| Gas (CP12) | Electrical (EICR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Interval | Every 12 months | At least every 5 years |
| Who can do it | Gas Safe registered engineer | Qualified, competent electrician |
| Legal basis | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 | Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 |
| Copy to tenant | Within 28 days | Within 28 days |
The two duties sit side by side in any well-run landlord file, which is the logic behind the per-property compliance view a good system gives an agent: one address, every expiry date, nothing slipping.
Common questions
How much does a gas safety certificate cost?
Typically £60 to £120 in 2026 depending on region and the number of appliances, often less when combined with a boiler service on the same visit. Each additional appliance adds a little to the time and the price.
Can a CP12 be done early without losing days?
Yes. The check can be done up to two months before the current record expires while keeping the original expiry date, MOT-style, so landlords lose nothing by booking early.
Is a CP12 the same as a boiler service?
No. The gas safety record is an inspection: tightness, appliance operating pressure, flue performance, ventilation and safety devices. A service is maintenance. Doing both in one visit is common and sensible, but the paperwork is separate.
Do homeowners need a CP12?
No. There is no legal duty on an owner-occupier to hold a gas safety record. The annual duty falls on landlords. Owners are still well advised to have appliances serviced and checked, but the certificate itself is a landlord obligation.
What is the legal basis for the landlord gas check?
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. Regulation 36 places the annual check and record duty on landlords, which is why the gas record runs on a 12-month cycle rather than the five years that applies to electrical EICRs.
What happens if an appliance is unsafe?
The engineer classifies it. An Immediately Dangerous appliance is disconnected with permission and a warning notice issued; an At Risk appliance should be turned off pending repair. The record states the classification, so a defect is documented, not just mentioned.
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