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What safety certificates do landlords need to provide?

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Donald Smith

Founder and Co-owner

Being a new landlord can be both exciting and challenging. On the one hand, owning a rental property can provide a source of passive income and the opportunity to build wealth through real estate. On the other hand, being a landlord comes with a range of responsibilities, legal obligations, and potential risks.

We outline the legal obligations and explain what Landlords are legally required to provide:

Gas Safety Certificate – this must be renewed annually and shows that all gas appliances and installations in the property have been inspected and meet safety standards.

Electrical Safety Certificate – from 1st July 2020, all new tenancies require an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to confirm that the electrical installations in the property are safe.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) – this provides information on the energy efficiency of the property and is required whenever a property is built, sold or rented.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms – landlords must ensure that working smoke alarms are installed on every floor of the property and carbon monoxide alarms are installed in any room with a solid fuel-burning appliance.

These certificates must be provided to tenants before they move in and updated as required.

To obtain a Gas Safety Certificate in the UK, landlords must:

  1. Hire a Gas Safe registered engineer – the engineer must be registered with the Gas Safe Register, which is the official list of gas engineers who are qualified to work safely and legally on gas appliances.
  2. Arrange an inspection of gas appliances and installations – the engineer will inspect all gas appliances, pipework, and flues in the property to ensure they are safe and in good working order.
  3. Receive a Gas Safety Certificate – if the engineer determines that all gas appliances and installations are safe, they will issue a Gas Safety Certificate. This document must be provided to tenants before they move in and a copy must be kept by the landlord for at least two years.

Landlords must also ensure that gas safety checks are carried out annually and provide tenants with a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate within 28 days of the inspection.

To obtain an Electrical Safety Certificate in the UK, landlords must:

  1. Hire a qualified electrician – the electrician must be qualified and registered with a government-approved scheme, such as NICEIC, ELECSA, or NAPIT.
  2. Arrange an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) – the electrician will conduct an inspection of the electrical installations in the property and produce an EICR. The report will detail any defects, damage, or potential safety risks in the electrical installations.
  3. Receive an Electrical Safety Certificate – if the electrician determines that the electrical installations meet safety standards, they will issue an Electrical Safety Certificate. This document must be provided to tenants before they move in and a copy must be kept by the landlord for at least two years.

Landlords must ensure that electrical safety checks are carried out at least every five years, or more frequently if specified in the EICR. Additionally, for new tenancies starting on or after 1st July 2020, the landlord must provide a copy of the EICR to the tenants and to the local housing authority within 28 days of the inspection.

To obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in the UK, landlords can follow these steps:

  1. Find an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) – DEAs are qualified professionals who are authorized to produce EPCs. They can be found through the EPC register, which is maintained by the government.
  2. Schedule an EPC assessment – the DEA will conduct an assessment of the property, taking into account its age, construction, insulation, heating, lighting, and other features that affect its energy efficiency.
  3. Receive an EPC – the DEA will produce an EPC, which will rate the property’s energy efficiency on a scale of A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least. The EPC will also include recommendations for improving the property’s energy efficiency.
  4. The EPC must be provided to tenants before they move in, and a copy must be available to prospective tenants upon request. The certificate is valid for 10 years, or until a new assessment is carried out.

Here at British Estates letting agency we like to take the stress out of all these legal obligations and support you with our property management packages, where these can be added to your monthly subscription.

If you require any further support or help, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team

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