How long must landlords keep a CP12 gas safety record?
Landlords must keep each CP12 gas safety record for at least two years from the date of the gas safety check. Keep the record securely with the property’s compliance paperwork, even after a newer certificate replaces it.
The legal minimum applies separately to every completed CP12 gas safety record, not just the most recent document. Keep each record for at least two years from the date of the corresponding gas safety check.
For example, if you arrange checks in successive years, keep the older record until its own two-year period has ended. Do not delete or replace it simply because a newer CP12 is available. The renewal record does not restart the retention period for the earlier one.
At the end of a tenancy, the retention rule still applies. The record relates to the gas safety check at the property, so the landlord should keep it for the required period even if that tenant has moved out.
Keep the record in a form that can be read and retrieved. A paper copy is acceptable, while a clear digital copy can make property records easier to manage. Use a consistent file name or folder for each property and include:
- the property address;
- the date of the gas safety check;
- the appliances and flues inspected;
- the results of the checks;
- any defects identified;
- the remedial work completed or still outstanding; and
- the engineer or business that carried out the check.
A CP12 is not the same as a boiler service report. A service may include maintenance details that do not form part of the gas safety record. Keep service reports, repair invoices, notices about unsafe appliances and evidence of remedial work with the property file as well.
Keeping those supporting documents for longer than the legal minimum is sensible. They can show what happened between inspections, particularly if an appliance was disconnected, repaired or replaced. They may also help if a tenant, agent, insurer or enforcing authority later asks how a defect was dealt with.
If a record has been lost, contact the engineer or business that carried out the check to ask whether they still hold a copy. Do not create a replacement record from memory. If you cannot establish that the required check took place, arrange the appropriate inspection and keep the new record with an explanation of what happened to the earlier paperwork.
Landlords remain responsible for managing the legal duty even when a letting agent arranges the inspection. Agree who will book the check, receive the CP12, provide the required copies and store the records. A written process prevents documents being lost when a property changes agent or a member of staff leaves.
Our Gas Safe engineers can carry out the landlord gas safety check and provide the completed record for the property file. If the inspection identifies a problem, we explain what needs attention and record the action taken rather than treating the paperwork as complete before the safety issue is resolved.
A digital CP12 is only useful if someone can read the complete record. Scan every page, including continuation sheets, signatures and any notes about defects or remedial action. Keep the original file rather than relying on a photograph that may be cropped or unclear.
Use the property address and inspection date in the file name. This helps you identify the correct record when several properties have similar appliances or when an agent requests evidence for a particular tenancy.