Preparing for the Autumn Gas Safety Check Season
Even though summer has consisted of heatwave after heatwave, it’s important for landlords to start thinking about heating supply, appliances and installations in their rental properties.
Timing this article around Gas Safety Week (14th - 20th September 2026) is no accident. Coordinated annually by the Gas Safe Register, the campaign brings the gas industry, landlords, letting agents and consumer bodies together to reinforce one message - every check counts.
Steps worth taking Now
Gas engineers' diaries tend to fill up quickly once the weather starts to change, and a missed or delayed gas safety check carries legal and safety consequences that extend well beyond administrative inconvenience.
Missed appointments remain one of the most common causes of delay and inconvenience not only for landlords but for contractors who will charge for missed appointments or where tenants fail to allow access.
Sending clear reminders in good time, offering a choice of appointment slots where possible, and following up promptly where a tenant does not respond can all improve the likelihood of an appointment being kept on the first attempt — reducing both cost and risk to the landlord, letting agent and contractors.
The Statutory
Under regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, all landlords must ensure that each gas appliance and flue in residential properties are checked annually.. The Gas Safe Register is the official, legally recognised body maintaining the list of engineers permitted to work on gas appliances in the UK, therefore, landlords and letting agents should always verify an engineer's registration and competence category before instructing them. A record of the check must be given to an existing tenant within 28 days of the check being carried out, and to a new tenant before they move in. Landlords must also retain copies of the two most recent records for each property and proof that the document has been given to the tenant.
Some Key Provisions
Landlords must ensure the boilers and other heating appliances. Remember, these appliances may not have been used since the spring and may require servicing before use.
Check the relevant warranties and service agreements that are in place.
Confirm tenant access arrangements well ahead of the visit, including a backup arrangement for any tenant who has previously proven difficult to reach.
Send tenants a reminder about heating and ventilating the property. This will remind the tenants of their obligations but also avoid issues relating to condensation escalating and becoming unmanageable. Local authorities have guidance and information written specifically for tenants.
Ensure that tenants are prompted to report all maintenance issues as soon as possible. They have a duty to do so but sometimes wait to discuss issues at the next property visit.
Gas Safety - What Tenants Need to Do
Tenants play an important role in keeping their home gas safe. They must allow access to the property when a gas safety appointment has been arranged, and should contact the landlord or letting agent promptly if the date or time is inconvenient, so that an alternative can be agreed rather than the appointment simply being missed.
Tenants should never attempt to fix, service, or interfere with gas appliances themselves, and any concerns about a gas appliance — such as a lazy yellow or orange flame, soot marks, a pilot light that keeps going out, or unusual condensation — should be reported to the landlord or agent without delay. Where a carbon monoxide alarm is fitted, tenants are responsible for testing it regularly and reporting immediately if it fails to work or if it sounds. If a gas leak is suspected, tenants should turn off the gas supply at the meter, open windows and doors, avoid using any naked flames or electrical switches, leave the property, without delay. Cooperating with gas safety checks is not simply good practice — it helps ensure the landlord can meet their statutory obligations and keeps the household safe.