CP12 or gas service record: which one a landlord needs

They are two different duties, and a landlord in Great Britain has both. The gas safety record (the CP12) is the record of a safety check that the law requires at least every 12 months on every gas appliance and flue the landlord provides. A service is maintenance. The law requires the appliances to be kept in a safe condition, and HSE's guidance is to have them serviced as the manufacturer says, or every year if there are no instructions. Both must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

This guide covers Great Britain. For the CP12 itself in more detail, including digital records, see the CP12 guide.

Two duties in one regulation

Both come from regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998:

• Regulation 36(2), maintenance. The landlord must make sure every gas fitting and flue they provide is maintained in a safe condition.
• Regulation 36(3), the safety check. Each appliance and flue must be checked for safety at least every 12 months, and a record made.

HSE says the maintenance duty is distinct from the duty to keep gas safety records. Doing one does not discharge the other.

The gas safety record (CP12)

When it is required

Every gas appliance and flue the landlord provides must be checked within 12 months of being installed, and then at intervals of no more than 12 months. For a new tenancy, each one must have been checked in the 12 months before the tenancy starts, or within 12 months of being installed if that is later.

A check done in the 2 months before the deadline counts as done on the deadline, so the renewal date does not move earlier.

What the check covers

The check must include at least the four things in regulation 26(9): how well any flue works, the supply of air for combustion, the operating pressure or heat input (or, where those cannot reasonably be checked, the combustion performance), and whether the appliance works safely.

What the record must contain

• The date of the check
• The address of the property
• The name and address of the landlord, or their agent
• A description and the location of each appliance or flue checked
• Any safety defect found
• Any remedial action taken
• Confirmation that the check covered what regulation 36(9) requires
• The name and signature of the person who did the check
• Their registration number, or their employer's

Copies and keeping it

• Each existing tenant gets a copy within 28 days of the check.
• Each new tenant gets a copy before moving in. For a tenancy of 28 days or less, the record can be displayed prominently in the property instead.
• Keep each record until there have been two further checks of that appliance or flue. If the appliance or flue is removed, keep it for 2 years from its last check.

Some HSE pages still say to keep the record for 2 years. That was the rule before 6 April 2018, when the regulation changed to "until there have been two further checks".

The gas service record

When it is required

No regulation sets a service interval. The duty is to keep appliances and flues in a safe condition. HSE's guidance on how to meet it is to service them in line with the manufacturer's instructions, or every year if there are none, unless a Gas Safe registered engineer advises otherwise. HSE says regulation 36(2) means maintenance checks are an ongoing duty, for example before a new tenancy starts.

Where there are no manufacturer's instructions, HSE says maintenance should at least examine the physical condition and safe working of the appliances, installation pipework, ventilation and any flue, carry out performance tests, and put right what needs it.

What it must contain

No regulation lists what a service record must contain, and HSE says there is no formal requirement for a landlord to keep maintenance records. HSE also says a landlord should be able to show, if asked, that appliances and flues were maintained regularly and that repairs were done. A service record is one way to show it.

Servicing is "work" on a gas appliance under the regulations, so the engineer must check the same four things in regulation 26(9) straight afterwards: the flue, the combustion air, the operating pressure or heat input, and safe operation.

A landlord does not have to give tenants maintenance records.

Does one count as the other?

HSE's advice is not to assume either way. Its landlord guidance says a landlord should not assume that an annual service includes the points a safety check needs, and should not assume that an annual safety check is enough maintenance.

The same engineer can do both on one visit. If they do, the landlord still needs a gas safety record with everything regulation 36 lists, whatever else the paperwork covers.

Who can do it

Both the safety check and the service must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The law puts it as membership of a class of persons approved by HSE (regulations 3(3) and 36(4)), and HSE's landlord guidance says to use only a Gas Safe registered engineer. The engineer must also be competent for the work they are doing (regulation 3(1)).

To check an engineer is registered, or a record you have been given, see how to check a gas or electrical certificate is genuine.

Pipework

HSE notes that installation pipework is not covered by the annual safety check, though the landlord must still keep it in a safe condition. HSE recommends asking the engineer to test the whole gas system, pipework included, when booking the check, and testing the pipework before a property is re-let. See gas tightness testing.

Both records in CertBox

CertBox has a gas safety record (CP12) and a gas service and maintenance record, on the same account.

• Filling in and checking a certificate is free.
• Downloading, emailing, sharing or printing a certificate needs Pro, the 14-day trial, or a one-off payment for that certificate. See pricing.
• On Pro, your customer is reminded 60 and 30 days before a CP12 expires.

Landlords keeping track of several properties can see the landlord compliance checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Is a gas service a legal requirement for landlords?

The law requires a landlord to keep gas appliances and flues in a safe condition, but it does not set a service interval. HSE's guidance is to service them as the manufacturer says, or every year if there are no instructions.

Does a gas service include the CP12 check?

Not unless the engineer does the safety check too and gives you a gas safety record. HSE says not to assume an annual service covers the points a safety check needs.

Do I have to give my tenant the service record?

No. HSE says landlords do not have to give maintenance records to tenants. The gas safety record is different: existing tenants must get a copy within 28 days of the check.

How long should a landlord keep a CP12?

Until there have been two further safety checks of that appliance or flue. If the appliance is removed, keep the record for 2 years from its last check.

Does a homeowner need a gas safety record?

No. The annual check and record in regulation 36 are landlord duties. HSE strongly advises homeowners to have gas appliances checked for safety at least every 12 months and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Sources

Checked against these on 2026-11-01.

• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 26
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 2
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 3
• HSE: Maintenance, gas appliances and flues
• HSE: Landlords FAQ
• HSE: Domestic gas FAQ

Corrected and updated 2026-11-01. This article is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Always refer to the relevant standards and consult qualified professionals for definitive requirements.