Gas and electrical work in Bristol
In Bristol, 10.2% of households live in part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits. Across England the share is 3.5%. [1]
Facts checked against their sources on 2 October 2026.
Bristol against England, 2021 Census
Share of households. Each bar runs from 0 to 100%.
What kind of home
Who owns the home
Property licensing in Bristol
- Since 6 August 2024 a citywide scheme has required an additional licence for a privately rented HMO where 3 or 4 people from 2 or more households share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. An HMO with 5 or more people needs a mandatory licence anywhere in the city. [4, 5]
- Selective licensing covers most other privately rented homes in Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham and Easton wards from 6 August 2024, and in Bedminster and Brislington West wards from 6 April 2022. [4]
- Under the selective licence conditions for Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham and Easton, where gas is supplied the licence holder must give the council a gas safety certificate from the last 12 months every year. They must also produce an electrical installation condition report less than 5 years old within 7 days of a request, even where the home would otherwise be exempt from the 2020 private rented electrical safety regulations. [6]
- The same conditions require a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker. [6]
For your work: An EICR you issue on a selectively licensed home in those three wards may be asked for by the council, and the landlord then has 7 days to produce it. [6]
Landlord gas and electrical checks
The same across England.
Gas safety check [7, 8]
- Covers
- Each gas appliance and flue the landlord provides
- How often
- At least every 12 months
- Done by
- A Gas Safe registered engineer
- Tenant gets a copy
- Within 28 days of the check
Electrical inspection and test [9]
- Covers
- The electrical installation
- How often
- At least every 5 years, or sooner if the last report says so
- Done by
- A qualified person
- Tenant gets a copy
- Within 28 days of the check
Electrical work and building control
- In England, a new circuit, a replacement consumer unit, or an addition or alteration to a circuit in a special location needs a building notice or a full plans application. That is not needed when the work is done by someone registered with a competent person scheme for it, or checked by an approved third party certifier. [10]
- Bristol City Council has an exempt building works enquiry form that takes up to 5 documents and gets a reply on whether a building regulations application is needed. Building notices go in through its online Building Control Portal. [11, 12]
Driving a van
- Bristol's Clean Air Zone started on 28 November 2022. A van under 3.5 tonnes that does not meet its standard pays £9 a day. As a guide, diesel vans from about the end of 2015 (Euro 6) and petrol vans from about 2006 (Euro 4) are not charged. [13]
Training
Jobs on CertBox Jobs
Sources
- 1ONS Census 2021, table TS044 Accommodation type (Nomis)Bristol (E06000023): 191,638 households; part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits, 19,494 (10.2%); terraced 61,440 (32.1%). England: converted or shared house 3.5%, terraced 23.0%.
- 2ONS Census 2021, table TS054 Tenure (Nomis)Bristol: private rented 50,213 (26.2%); rents from council or local authority 24,977 (13.0%). England: private rented 20.5%, rents from council 8.3%.
- 3ONS Census 2021, table TS046 Central heating (Nomis)Bristol: mains gas only 143,784 of 191,638 households (75.0%); electric only 24,851 (13.0%). England: mains gas only 74.0%, electric only 8.7%.
- 4Bristol City Council, Types of property licenceCitywide additional HMO licensing from 6 August 2024 for 3 or 4 people in 2 or more households sharing facilities; selective licensing in Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham and Easton from 6 August 2024; additional and selective licensing in Bedminster and Brislington West from 6 April 2022.
- 5Bristol City Council, Check if you need a property licence and applyMandatory licence for an HMO anywhere in Bristol in which 5 or more people live.
- 6Bristol City Council, Selective licensing conditions, July 2023 (PDF)Condition 4.1: gas safety certificate from the last 12 months supplied to the council annually. 4.2: carbon monoxide alarm in any living room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker. 4.4: EICR less than 5 years old on demand within 7 days where the home would otherwise be exempt from the 2020 regulations.
- 7Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36Paragraph (3)(a): safety check at intervals of not more than 12 months. Paragraph (6)(a): copy to each existing tenant within 28 days.
- 8HSE, Gas safety: landlords and letting agents FAQAnnual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- 9Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, regulation 3Paragraph (1)(b) and (2): inspection and testing by a qualified person at intervals of no more than 5 years, or earlier if the last report requires. Paragraph (3)(b): copy to each existing tenant within 28 days.
- 10Building Regulations 2010, regulation 12Paragraph (6A): new circuit, consumer unit replacement, or work on circuits in a special location needs a building notice or full plans application. Paragraph (6): not needed for Schedule 3 competent person work or Schedule 3A third party certifier work (England).
- 11Bristol City Council, Check if you need building regulations approvalExempt building works enquiry form, up to 5 documents; the council replies whether a building regulations application is needed.
- 12Bristol City Council, Submit a building noticeBuilding notices submitted online through the Building Control Portal.
- 13Bristol City Council, Bristol's Clean Air Zone charges and vehicle checkerZone started 28 November 2022. Light goods vehicle under 3.5t: £9 daily charge. Not charged as a guide: Euro 4, 5 and 6 petrol, about 2006 or newer; Euro 6 diesel, about end of 2015 or newer.
- 14City of Bristol College, Plumbing Level 3 ApprenticeshipTaught at the Advanced Construction Skills Centre; delivered over 4 years on day release; Phase 4 covers the natural gas content.
- 15City of Bristol College, Advanced Construction Skills CentrePurpose-built annexe to the South Bristol Skills Academy in Hengrove; The Boulevard, Hengrove Park, BS14 0DB.