Gas Safety & Landlord Certificates in Newcastle

Gas Safety

What is a landlord gas safety certificate (CP12)?

A landlord gas safety certificate, properly called a Landlord Gas Safety Record and widely known as a CP12, is the document a Gas Safe registered engineer gives you after checking the gas appliances and flues in a property. A flue is the pipe or chimney that carries waste gases safely outside. The record lists what was tested, confirms each appliance is safe to use, and notes anything that needs attention. If you rent out a property, holding a valid, in-date certificate is a legal requirement, not an optional extra.

The check behind it is quick and non-intrusive. An engineer tests each gas appliance and the pipework feeding it, makes sure waste gases are escaping safely, and confirms the safety controls are doing their job. Our Gas Safe registered engineers carry these out every day across Newcastle Upon Tyne, so the whole visit is handled calmly and the record is ready without delay.

A landlord's legal duties under the Gas Safety Regulations

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations set out clear responsibilities for anyone who lets a property. In short, you must keep the gas side of the home safe and be able to prove it. The main duties are:

• Have every gas appliance and flue you provide checked at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Give a copy of the gas safety record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being carried out
• Provide the record to any new tenant before they move in
• Keep a copy of each record for at least two years
• Make sure any faults the engineer finds are put right before the appliance is used again

Appliances a tenant owns themselves are usually their responsibility, but the pipework and any appliance you supply are down to you. If you are unsure where the line falls in your property, just ask and we will talk it through.

What an engineer checks during a gas safety inspection

A gas safety check is a methodical inspection rather than a quick glance. Our engineers work through the whole gas system to confirm everything is operating safely and correctly. That includes:

• All gas appliances — boilers, cookers, hobs, fires and water heaters
• Flues and chimneys, to make sure the products of combustion are carried safely out of the building
• Gas pipework and connections, tested for soundness and any sign of a leak
• Operating and standing gas pressure, to confirm each appliance is getting the right supply
• Ventilation and air supply, so appliances have the fresh air they need to burn cleanly
• Safety devices and flame supervision controls, which shut an appliance down if something goes wrong

If everything passes, the record is issued there and then. If we find a fault, we explain it plainly, tell you how serious it is and talk you through the options for putting it right.

Gas safety for homeowners — worth it even when it is not required

Only landlords are legally obliged to hold a certificate, but the risks from a faulty appliance are exactly the same in an owner-occupied home. An annual gas safety check is one of the simplest ways to protect your household. It catches small faults before they become dangerous or expensive, keeps your boiler and other appliances running efficiently, and gives you genuine peace of mind heading into winter. Many homeowners book a safety check at the same time as their annual boiler service to keep everything in one visit.

Recognising an unsafe appliance and the signs of carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produced when an appliance burns gas incorrectly. It has no colour and no smell, which is what makes it so dangerous, and it can be fatal. A gas safety check confirms your appliances are burning cleanly and venting properly, but it also helps to know the warning signs between visits:

• A gas flame that burns lazy and orange or yellow instead of crisp and blue
• Sooty black marks or staining around an appliance
• Excess condensation or a stale, unventilated feeling in the room
• Pilot lights that keep blowing out
• Headaches, dizziness, nausea or tiredness that ease when you leave the house — these can be symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure

We strongly recommend fitting an audible carbon monoxide alarm near your gas appliances as an extra layer of protection. If you ever smell gas or suspect a leak, do not switch anything electrical on or off, open the windows, turn off the gas at the meter if you safely can, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 — the free, 24-hour national emergency line for suspected gas leaks.

How quickly is the certificate issued?

We know landlords often work to tight deadlines between tenancies, so we keep things moving. In most cases the gas safety certificate is issued on the same visit, as soon as the check is complete and everything has passed. Our engineers work efficiently without cutting corners, so you can meet your obligations without the stress. To arrange a check, use the quote form on this page or email info@heatingengineernewcastle.co.uk.