BoilerFaultCodesGas safety certificates, in plain English
A gas safety check on a single boiler takes about half an hour and costs £60 to £100. If you let a property, you need one every twelve months by law. If you own and live in your home, you do not, though there are good reasons to have the work done anyway.
One boiler
One appliance
How long it lasts
How long it actually takes
Around 30 minutes for one boiler. Add roughly 10 to 15 minutes for each additional gas appliance, so a flat with a boiler and a gas hob is about 45 minutes, and a house with a boiler, hob and gas fire is nearer the hour.
Older properties take longer, because the engineer often has to trace pipework and find the emergency control valve. If the engineer cannot get to an appliance, they cannot certify it, so clear access to the boiler, the meter and any gas fire before they arrive.
What gets checked
The appliance is burning gas correctly, with the flue gases analysed
Gas pressure and flow are within the manufacturer's figures
The flue is clear and taking fumes safely outside
Ventilation to the appliance is adequate and unobstructed
Safety devices operate as they should
No signs of carbon monoxide spillage
The gas pipework and emergency control valve are sound
What it does not include
Cleaning. A certificate says the appliance is safe today, not that it has been maintained. Nothing is stripped down, the burner is not cleaned, and the parts that wear are not replaced. That is a service, and it is a different job.
What a boiler service includes and costs →Who legally needs one
Landlords
Yes, every 12 monthsA legal duty under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations. Every gas appliance and flue in the property must be checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and you must give the tenant a copy of the record within 28 days, or at the start of a new tenancy.
Owner-occupiers
No legal requirementYou are not required to hold a certificate for your own home. An annual service is still worth having, both for safety and because most manufacturer warranties depend on it.
Selling a property
Not required, often requestedThere is no legal obligation to provide one when selling, but buyers and their solicitors frequently ask, and having recent paperwork removes a negotiating point.
If something fails
An unsafe appliance is classified and, with your permission, usually disconnected or capped. The two classifications you are most likely to hear are At Risk, meaning there is a fault that could become dangerous, and Immediately Dangerous, meaning it is a danger now and must not be used.
You will be given a warning notice either way. Get the fault fixed and the appliance retested rather than turning it back on, and note that a landlord cannot let a property with an uncertified or unsafe gas appliance.
Check the engineer before they start
Only a Gas Safe registered engineer can issue a certificate. Every one carries an ID card with a photo, a licence number and, on the back, the specific work they are qualified for. You can check the number on the Gas Safe Register website. A certificate from someone not on the register is worthless, and for a landlord it is no defence at all.
If you smell gas
Do not wait for an appointment. Open the windows, turn the gas off at the meter if you can reach it safely, leave the property, and ring the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999. Do not use light switches or anything that could spark.
Avoid the next call-out bill
Monthly cover means no unexpected bills when your boiler breaks down.
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