HomeYour rightsRegulationsGas Safety Regulations 1998
Statutory instrument
Gas Safety Regulations 1998
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 · In force from 31 October 1998
Requires landlords to have a Gas Safe-registered engineer check every gas appliance and flue annually, with a copy of the certificate (CP12) given to the tenant.
Background
Carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty gas appliances was killing tens of people a year in the 1990s. The Gas Safety Regulations 1998 set the framework that has applied to all rented homes since: annual inspection by a qualified engineer, written certificate, criminal penalty for non-compliance.
Although the Regulations are nearly three decades old, they remain the cornerstone of landlord gas duties. They sit alongside the Electrical Safety Regulations 2020 and Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
What it requires
- Annual gas safety check on every gas appliance and flue by a Gas Safe-registered engineer
- Written gas safety certificate (Form CP12) given to the tenant within 28 days
- Certificate also given to any new tenant at the start of the tenancy
- Certificate retained for at least 2 years
- All gas pipework, fittings and appliances kept in safe condition between checks
What it means for tenants
You should have a copy of the current gas safety certificate. If the landlord has not given you one, request it in writing. A missing or expired certificate is grounds for a Section 8 ground 8 defence in some eviction cases, and supports a disrepair argument if there is a gas fault.
Enforcement and penalties
Breaches are criminal offences enforced by the Health and Safety Executive. Penalties include unlimited fines and up to two years' imprisonment. A landlord cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice while a gas safety certificate is overdue or has never been given to the tenant.
Official source
Related Help Centre guides
Gas safety: your landlord's duties (and what to do if you smell gas)
Your landlord must get an annual gas safety check and give you the record. If you smell gas, call 0800 111 999. Here are your gas-safety rights as a tenant.
Carbon monoxide: your landlord's duties and what to do
Carbon monoxide is a silent, deadly gas from faulty boilers and heaters. Your landlord must fit a CO alarm where there is a fixed combustion appliance and fix faulty ones. Here is what to do.
My boiler won't fire up at all, what should I do?
A boiler that won't fire up is an emergency, no heating and no hot water. Your landlord must fix it fast. Here's what to do step by step.
No hot water but the heating works, what's going on?
Hot water gone but radiators still warm? It is usually a diverter valve or cylinder fault. Your landlord must fix it. Here is what to do.
Has your landlord breached this?
Call us free or start a claim online. We tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.
By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.