Gas Safety Certificate Cost: £45 to £90, and the CP12 Explained

A gas safety certificate costs £45 to £90 for a typical rented home, and landlords must renew it every 12 months: it is the one certificate on the landlord list with an annual clock. The document is formally a Landlord Gas Safety Record, still widely called a CP12 after the old CORGI form number.

---

What sets the price

• Number of gas appliances. The quoted price usually covers the boiler plus one or two appliances; a gas hob, gas fire and gas boiler in one property adds £10 to £20 per extra appliance.
• Location and season. Engineer rates vary by area, and autumn (when everyone services boilers before winter) is the expensive time to book: summer renewals are often cheaper and faster.
• Bundling. A CP12 combined with an annual boiler service is commonly £120 to £160 together, against £150+ booked separately: worth doing, since the service protects the boiler warranty and the tenants' heating.

Only a Gas Safe registered engineer can issue the record: check the card, or book through a national provider that only uses registered engineers. Energy Performance Certificates UK arranges gas safety certificates alongside its EPC and EICR work, with boiler servicing available in the same visit (4.8/5 on Trustpilot). We may earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.

What the check actually covers

The engineer tests each gas appliance you supply: tightness of the gas supply, burner pressure and gas rate, flue flow and termination, ventilation, and the operation of safety devices. Tenant-owned appliances are not covered, though the pipework serving them is. A failed appliance is marked "Not Safe to Use" and disconnected or capped with your agreement.

It is a safety check, not a service: the engineer confirms the appliance is safe, but does not strip and clean it. That is the boiler service, and the bundle above is why most landlords do both in one visit.

The rules, and the cost of missing them

• The record must go to existing tenants within 28 days of the check and to new tenants before they move in.
• Keep each record for at least two years; keeping them all forever is cheaper than one dispute.
• No valid CP12 also blocks Section 21: courts have refused possession where the record was never served, which turns a £60 certificate into a very expensive omission.
• Breaches are criminal, enforced by the HSE, with unlimited fines and, for the gravest cases, imprisonment.

The CP12 is one of three certificates every English tenancy needs alongside the EICR (electrical, five-yearly) and the EPC (band E minimum, ten-yearly): the renewal clocks all run at different speeds, which is exactly what our landlord compliance checklist keeps straight, and the EICR has its own guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do homeowners need a gas safety certificate?

No: the legal duty is the landlord's. Homeowners are simply advised to have gas appliances serviced annually, and buyers sometimes request a gas safety check before purchase, which any Gas Safe engineer can provide for a similar price.

How long does the check take?

Thirty to sixty minutes for a typical property, depending on the number of appliances and access to the flue.

What if the property only has a gas meter and no appliances?

If no gas appliances are provided, no annual record is required for appliances, but the landlord remains responsible for the pipework. Many landlords with capped supplies still get a tightness test for the file.

Is a CP12 the same as a boiler service?

No. The CP12 confirms appliances are safe; a service maintains the boiler itself. They pair well in one visit, but only the CP12 is legally required, and only the service protects the manufacturer's warranty.

General information, not legal advice. Duties described apply to landlords in Great Britain under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations.