Gas safety and electrical checks: what your landlord must give you

Published July 2026 · Facts with official sources. Not legal advice.

Two documents protect your life in a rented home: the Gas Safety Certificate and the EICR. Both are legal duties of the landlord. Both must be handed to you — not just exist. Here is what the law says, and what to do if you got nothing.

Gas Safety Certificate: every year, in your hands

If the home has any gas appliance — boiler, hob, fire — the law is strict. A Gas Safe registered engineer must check every appliance and flue once every 12 months.

The landlord must give you a copy of the record. Before you move in, and within 28 days of each annual check. This comes from the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; the rules are explained by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Non-compliance carries fines of up to £6,000 per offence. Serious cases can bring criminal liability — up to 6 months.

For example: your flat has a gas boiler and you moved in eight months ago. You have never seen a certificate. That is a concrete, checkable fact — and a fair written question to your landlord today.

EICR: the electrical report, every five years

The Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 cover every private tenancy in England. A qualified electrician must inspect the installation — wiring, consumer unit, sockets — at least every 5 years.

The landlord must give you a copy of the EICR before you move in. New tenants get it up front; existing tenants get any new report within 28 days. If the report demands remedial work, it must be done within 28 days or sooner.

Councils enforce this one. Fines reach £30,000 per breach. The full guidance for tenants is on GOV.UK.

Why tenants rarely see these documents

Usually not malice — disorganisation. The certificate sits in a folder at the agency. The EICR was emailed to a previous tenant. Nobody asked, so nobody sent it.

That changes nothing legally. The duty to hand you copies is the landlord’s, automatic and free. You never pay for safety checks — charging tenants for them is not allowed.

Not given a copy? Do this, in order

Ask the landlord or agent in writing — email is perfect. One line: “Please send the current Gas Safety Certificate and EICR for my address.” Keep the reply.
Give it a reasonable week. A landlord with paperwork in order sends two PDFs in minutes.
For gas: report to the HSE — they enforce gas safety and take missing certificates seriously.
For electrics: complain to your local council — the housing standards team can inspect and fine.
Free expert help at every step: Shelter and Citizens Advice.

For example: you email a request on Monday and hear silence for two weeks. Now you have dated evidence of the request AND the silence. Councils and the HSE act on exactly this kind of record.

Bonus fact: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Since 2022, landlords must fit a smoke alarm on every storey. Rooms with a boiler, fire or stove (gas cookers excluded) need a carbon monoxide alarm. A broken alarm must be fixed once you report it — the landlord’s duty, free of charge. Rules: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2022.

Verify the engineer, not just the paper

Every legitimate gas engineer carries a Gas Safe ID card. Anyone can check an engineer or a business for free in the Gas Safe Register. A certificate signed by an unregistered fitter is not a valid certificate.

Track it in your Rent Report

Rent Radar now includes both checks in the address flow. Mark whether you were given each document — your answers stay on your device and appear in your dated report next to the register facts. Free and anonymous.

FAQ

How often must a landlord do a gas safety check?

Every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You must get a copy of the record before you move in, and within 28 days of each annual check.

How often is an EICR required in a rented home?

The electrical installation must be inspected at least every 5 years. The landlord must give new tenants a copy of the report before they move in.

What if my landlord will not give me the certificates?

Ask in writing first. For gas, report to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). For electrics, complain to your local council’s housing standards team. Shelter and Citizens Advice can guide you for free.

Can I be evicted for asking for safety certificates?

Asking for documents you are legally owed is your right. Since the Renters’ Rights Act ended no-fault evictions, a landlord needs a legal ground to evict — your request is not one.

Facts with dates, never verdicts: “not provided” is your documented experience, not an accusation. For action, use GOV.UK, Shelter or Citizens Advice.

Check your address for free →