Gas, oil and electrical work in Cornwall
Fewer than half of Cornwall households heat with mains gas alone. Across England it is three in four. [1]
Facts checked against their sources on 2 October 2026.
Cornwall against England, 2021 Census
Share of households. Each bar runs from 0 to 100%.
How it is heated
Bottled gas and no heating
Holiday lets, caravans and LPG
The same across England.
- A landlord's gas safety duties apply to premises let for people to live in under a lease or a licence. HSE lists rented holiday accommodation among them, including chalets, cottages, flats and caravans. [3, 4]
- LPG appliances a landlord provides need the same maintenance and the same check at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer as natural gas ones. [4]
Private water supplies
- Cornwall Council says there are thousands of private water supplies in Cornwall, from boreholes and wells to springs and adits, because many properties cannot easily connect to the mains. [5]
- A supply used commercially, which includes holiday lets and tenanted homes, must be sampled at least once a year. The council notes that Cornish geology affects groundwater, and that high levels of manganese, iron and arsenic have been recorded in samples. [5]
- For problems with mains water the council sends people to South West Water first. [5]
Building control
Training
- Cornwall College teaches construction and building services, including plumbing and electrical installation, at its Camborne and St Austell campuses. [8]
Jobs on CertBox Jobs
Sources
- 1ONS Census 2021, table TS046 Central heating (Nomis)Cornwall (E06000052, excluding the Isles of Scilly): 250,535 households; mains gas only 116,942 (46.7%); electric only 38,076 (15.2%); oil only 34,476 (13.8%); tank or bottled gas only 10,837 (4.3%); no central heating 8,776 (3.5%). England: 74.0%, 8.7%, 3.2%, 1.0%, 1.5%.
- 2ONS Census 2021, table TS044 Accommodation type (Nomis)Cornwall: detached 93,105 (37.2%); caravan or other mobile or temporary structure 3,886 (1.6%). England: detached 22.9%, caravan or mobile 0.4%.
- 3Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36Paragraph (1): "relevant premises" are premises occupied for residential purposes, for money or money's worth, under a lease or a licence.
- 4HSE, Gas safety: landlords and letting agents FAQLandlord duties cover rented holiday accommodation such as chalets, cottages, flats, caravans and narrow boats. Landlord duties for LPG appliances are the same as for natural gas: maintenance and a safety check at least once every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- 5Cornwall Council, Private water suppliesThousands of private supplies, from boreholes, wells, springs and adits; many properties cannot easily connect to the mains. Commercial supplies, including holiday lets and tenanted homes, sampled at least once a year. Geology affects groundwater; high manganese, iron and arsenic recorded. Mains water issues: South West Water first.
- 6Cornwall Council, Do I need Building Control?A form to find out whether building regulation permission is required; "This service is free of charge." Building Control, New County Hall, Treyew Road, Truro TR1 3AY.
- 7Cornwall Council, Isles of Scilly feesStandard Isles of Scilly building regulations fees for common domestic work from 1 July 2025; bespoke quotes by email for other work.
- 8Cornwall College, Construction and Building ServicesTaught at Cornwall College Camborne and Cornwall College St Austell; practical skills include plumbing and electrical installation.