Responsibility for gas safety
This content applies to England only.
Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland
Landlords, tenants and owner-occupiers all have legal responsibilities when it comes to gas safety.
Tenant's responsibilities for gas safety
Allow access
Landlords have a legal duty to get all gas appliances in their properties inspected every year. If you are a tenant, you must allow a Gas Safe registered engineer access to your accommodation to carry out safety checks and any repair work needed. Your landlord should give you adequate notice of the gas safety inspection.
Get your gas appliances checked
If any of the gas appliances in your home belong to you, you should arrange for a Gas Safe registered installer to check them each year as well.
Don't use unsafe gas appliances
You also have a responsibility not to use any gas appliances that you know or suspect to be unsafe. If there is a gas leak, you should try and prevent any further escapes of gas, for example by turning off the gas supply. You should also report any gas leaks immediately.
Don't try to mend gas appliances yourself
Never try to mend gas appliances yourself, it's dangerous and likely to be illegal. All safety checks and repair works must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Landlord's responsibilities for gas safety
Provide gas safety records
All landlords are required to have a valid gas safety record for the gas equipment in the property they rent out. A gas safety check must be carried out each year by a Gas Safe engineer and a copy of the record must be provided to the tenant.
Landlords are only responsible for the safety of appliances that they own, although the record will list all appliances, including those owned by the tenant. Tenants are responsible for ensuring the safety of their own appliances. Tenants are also responsible for the safety of flues that serve only their own appliances, although the Health and Safety Executive guidance on Landlords' responsibility for gas safety recommends that landlords include all flues in their safety checks.
Gas safety records can only be issued by Gas Safe registered engineers who have carried out a gas safety check and are valid for 12 months.
Fix problems
If a registered gas engineer identifies any problems which affect gas safety, the landlord has to get them repaired. The gas engineeer will take the appropriate action to make the installation safe, which may include disconnecting faulty equipment. They can also ask the Gas Emergency Service provider to cut off the supply to the property if necessary.
Ask to see the identification of any gas engineer who comes to do repair work in your home - all registered gas engineers are issued with an ID card which contains their registration details.
Keep records
Landlords must keep a record of the date of the safety check, any problems highlighted and any work that was done to rectify these problems. Landlords should give tenants a copy of this record within 28 days of the safety check.
If landlords don't comply with gas safety rules
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing gas safety. You should get in touch with the HSE if your landlord:
- has not provided you with a valid gas safety record
- refuses to let you see records of safety checks
- doesn't do any work required.
Failure to follow gas safety requirements is a criminal offence and the HSE can issue a formal caution and may prosecute your landlord. If convicted, the landlord may be fined or even given a prison sentence.
You can call the HSE helpline on 0845 345 0055 or 0800 300 363 or contact your nearest office - details are available on the HSE website.
If you live in a house or flat that is occupied by more than two households (an HMO or house in multiple occupation), your local council also has powers to ensure that your landlord complies with the rules on gas safety.
Homeowner's responsibilities for gas safety
Get gas safety checks
If you own your home, you should arrange for a gas safety check to be carried out once year - this is not a legal requirement unless you have lodgers or tenants, but is recommended.
Be gas safety conscious
If you suspect any gas appliances in your home may be faulty, don't use them. Call out a Gas safe registered engineer as soon as possible. If the engineer disconnects any appliances, you mustn't reconnect them until any faults have been rectified. If you do, you are breaking the law.
Keep your Declaration of Safety
If you are having a gas appliance installed or replaced, the registered gas engineer you use will issue you with a document called a Declaration of Safety. Keep this somewhere safe, as you'll need it when you come to sell your home in the future, to prove that the work has been carried out properly by a registered engineer.
