How long does a gas safety certificate last? Validity & renewal rules
Quick answer: a landlord gas safety certificate (CP12) is valid for 12 months. But the details — the early-renewal window, the 28-day rule for tenants, and the record-keeping requirement — are where landlords and agents get caught out. Here's the full picture.
The 12-month rule
Landlords must have every gas appliance and flue they provide checked at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The resulting Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12) evidences that check.
The early-renewal ("MOT-style") window
Since 2018, if the renewal check is carried out in the final two months before the current record expires, the new record keeps the original expiry date. In practice: book the check up to two months early and you lose nothing — no shortened certificate, no drifting anniversary date.
This removes the classic excuse for last-minute renewals — and the risk of a gap if the engineer can't come out in time.
Deadlines that trip people up
- Existing tenants must receive a copy of the record within 28 days of the check.
- New tenants must receive a copy before they move in.
- Records must be kept for at least two years (longer where the early-renewal rule is used).
- A safety check is not a service — the annual legal requirement is the check; servicing is maintenance best practice.
Never miss an expiry again
For engineers, expiring certificates are recurring revenue — if you track them. TradeHub OS logs every CP12 against the property, texts and emails the landlord or agent automatically 30 days before expiry, and books the renewal back to you, with the new certificate produced on site and linked to the job and invoice.
This guide is general information for UK trades and landlords, not legal advice. Always refer to the current regulations and official guidance from the HSE, Gas Safe Register or your competent-person scheme.
