Gas safety records and what a new tenant must be given

Understanding gas safety records at the start of a tenancy before you spend money

A copy of the current landlord gas safety record must be given to a new tenant before they move in, or for an existing tenant, within 28 days of a new check being carried out. Records need to be kept for at least two years from the date of the check, which in practice means retaining the previous record even once a newer one has been issued, so there is a continuous history covering the whole tenancy period. Where a property changes tenants but the existing record remains within its valid period, that same record can usually be passed to the new tenant rather than requiring an immediate fresh check.

Gas safety records at the start of a tenancy — the facts that change the job

• A copy of the current gas safety record must reach the tenant before they move in
• For an existing tenancy, a new record must be given within 28 days of the check
• Records must be retained for at least two years from the date of the check
• A record still within its valid period can normally be passed to an incoming tenant
• Keeping the previous record on file alongside the current one avoids any gap in history

Where we deal with this

• Westfield (BA3) · 1 mi
• Bruton (BA10) · 13 mi
• Glastonbury (BA6) · 13 mi

Questions we get asked

What if I forget to give the tenant a copy within 28 days?

It should be provided as soon as the oversight is noticed. Keeping a checklist against each new check helps this not be missed in the first place.

Can the record be sent by email instead of on paper?

Yes, an emailed copy is generally accepted as satisfying the duty to provide the tenant with a copy, provided it is actually received.

Do I need to keep records from tenancies that have already ended?

The two year retention period applies from the date of each check regardless of whether the tenancy has since ended, so older records should not be discarded too early.