Landlord Gas Safety Record: What It Is and How to Get One Right

The Record vs the Certificate

People use "gas safety certificate" and "gas safety record" interchangeably, but only one term appears in the law. Regulation 36(3)(c) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 requires the production of a Landlord Gas Safety Record — not a "certificate." The industry label "CP12" (from the old CORGI Proforma 12) persists, but it carries no statutory weight.

The practical difference? None, as long as the document contains all nine mandatory fields. The danger is assuming any piece of paper from an engineer counts. A boiler service report, an installation certificate, or a handwritten note confirming "boiler checked" doesn't satisfy Regulation 36 unless every prescribed field is there.

The Nine Mandatory Fields

Under Regulation 36(3)(c), your record must include:

1. Inspection date — the exact calendar date the check happened
2. Property address — full postal address of the let premises
3. Landlord or agent details — name and address
4. Appliance and flue inventory — description and location of every item checked
5. Defect details — any safety issues found during the inspection
6. Remedial action — what the engineer did about any defects
7. Compliance statement — formal confirmation the check meets GSIUR requirements
8. Engineer identity and signature — the attending engineer's name, printed and signed
9. Gas Safe registration number — the 7-digit number for the engineer or their employer

Missing a single field makes the record non-compliant. That doesn't just create a paperwork problem — an incomplete record can invalidate your compliance for the entire year.

How Long You Must Keep It

Regulation 36(3)(c) requires you to keep each record until two further safety checks of that appliance or flue have been completed. HSE guidance says to keep records for at least two years. If an appliance or flue is removed, keep its last record for two years from the date of its last check.

If you use the Regulation 36A early-check window (booking within two months of expiry to preserve your anniversary date), you must retain the records from the preceding two consecutive checks. That proves the legal validity of the preserved date if the HSE or your local authority ever audits your file.

Digital vs Paper Records

The law doesn't mandate a specific format. A digitally stored record is as valid as a paper one, provided it captures all nine fields. Many engineers now issue records electronically through Gas Safe Register's notification system.

What matters is retrieval. If the local council requests your records during a licensing inspection, or the HSE opens an enforcement inquiry, you need to produce the documents promptly. A filing system — whether a cloud folder, a physical binder, or property management software — beats a stack of loose papers in a drawer.

Using the Record as Your Compliance Backbone

The Landlord Gas Safety Record does triple duty. It proves the annual check happened, it proves an engineer with the right qualifications did the work, and — when combined with a delivery receipt — it proves you served the tenant on time. Stack those three pieces of evidence together and you have a defence that holds up under scrutiny.

Our Gas Safety Compliance Guide includes the full record-checking protocol, a delivery log template, and the retention schedule laid out against the actual regulation numbers.

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