CP12 started life as a form number. It stuck, and now almost every landlord, agent and engineer uses it to mean the landlord gas safety record: the document produced when a Gas Safe registered engineer inspects the gas appliances in a let property.
Confusion around the term costs landlords money, because a cheap quote for a CP12 is sometimes a quote for a bare safety check when the property actually needed a service, and sometimes it is a quote from someone not registered to sign one at all.
What the document has to contain
- The address of the property inspected and the date of the inspection.
- The name, signature and Gas Safe registration number of the engineer who did the work.
- Every appliance and flue that was checked, described and located.
- The results of each test, including any defect identified.
- Whether each appliance passed, and what action was taken or is required.
- Any appliance that could not be tested, and the reason.
Who can legally issue one
Only an engineer on the Gas Safe Register, and only for the appliance types they are registered to work on. Registration is per category, so being registered for boilers does not automatically cover, for example, a particular type of fire or a commercial appliance.
You are entitled to ask to see the engineer's Gas Safe card, and the registration number on the certificate should match it. Anyone who cannot produce one cannot issue a valid record, whatever they call the document.
CP12 versus a boiler service
A safety check answers one question: is this appliance safe today. A service is maintenance, which cleans and checks components so the appliance keeps working and, on newer boilers, keeps its manufacturer warranty valid.
They are frequently done in the same visit and that is usually the sensible option, but they are separate pieces of work. If a price looks unusually low, establish which of the two it buys.
Copies and record keeping
- The tenant should receive a copy within 28 days of the check.
- A new tenant should receive a copy at the start of the tenancy.
- Landlords should retain records for at least two years.
- Digital copies are fine and far easier to produce when an agent or council asks.
Frequently asked questions
- Is CP12 an official legal term?
- No. It is an old form reference that became the trade and landlord shorthand for the gas safety record. The legal document is the record of the gas safety check, and that is what a valid certificate is.
- Can a plumber who is not Gas Safe registered issue a CP12?
- No. Only a Gas Safe registered engineer, working within the categories they are registered for, can carry out the check and sign the record.
- Does a CP12 mean my boiler will not break down?
- No, and that is an important distinction. It confirms the appliance was safe on the day it was inspected. Reliability comes from servicing, which is a different piece of work.
- Do I need a CP12 for a property with no gas appliances at all?
- If there is genuinely no gas appliance and no gas installation you are responsible for, there is nothing to certify. A capped supply should be properly decommissioned and evidenced rather than simply ignored.
Get the record you actually need
We will tell you whether the property needs a bare safety check or a service alongside it before we quote.