Gas Safety Certificate (CP12 / LGSR) in Northern Ireland

A legal requirement for landlords in Northern Ireland. Every 12 months, and here is who can do it, which properties it covers and what the law says.

At a glance

How often
Every 12 months
Who does it
A Gas Safe registered engineer
Tenant copy
Give tenants a copy within 28 days
Applies to
Rented properties with a gas supply (natural gas or LPG)
Legal status
Legal requirement

If a rented home in Northern Ireland has a gas supply, the landlord must have every gas appliance and flue they provide checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least once every 12 months. The engineer records the check on a landlord gas safety record, usually called a CP12 or LGSR. It is one of the few compliance duties where a missed date is a criminal matter rather than a paperwork problem, because the risk it guards against is carbon monoxide poisoning and gas explosions.

What the check covers

The engineer checks each gas appliance and flue that you, as landlord, provide: typically the boiler, a gas fire and a gas hob or cooker. It applies to natural gas and to LPG alike. Appliances the tenant owns and brought with them are theirs to maintain, but the pipework and any flue serving the property are still worth having looked at on the same visit.

On a typical visit the engineer will:

  • check that each appliance is burning correctly and safely
  • test the flue so combustion gases are carried away properly
  • check the ventilation the appliance needs
  • test the installation for gas tightness
  • confirm the safety devices work
  • record anything unsafe and, where needed, disconnect it until it is repaired

The deadlines that matter

Four dates are worth keeping straight. The check itself is due at least every 12 months. Existing tenants must be given a copy of the record within 28 days of the check. A new tenant must be given a copy before they move in. And you must keep each record for at least 2 years, because it is your evidence if the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), which enforces the rules, ever asks.

The simplest way to stay inside the 12 months is to book the next check as soon as the current one is done, a few weeks before its anniversary, rather than waiting for a reminder from the engineer.

Choosing an engineer

Only a Gas Safe registered engineer may carry out the check, and their registration must cover the type of appliance they are checking (for example, a boiler versus a gas fire). Ask to see their Gas Safe ID card and check the number on the Gas Safe Register before they start. A record signed by someone who is not registered is not a valid gas safety record.

Prices vary by engineer and by how many appliances there are, so it is worth getting a quote. Many engineers will service the boiler on the same visit, which is not legally required but is sensible, and doing both together is usually cheaper than two call-outs.

Mistakes landlords commonly make

  • Letting the certificate lapse between tenancies, then re-letting before a new check is done.
  • Keeping the record but forgetting to give tenants their copy within 28 days.
  • Assuming an LPG or bottled-gas property is exempt. It is not.
  • Treating an annual boiler service as the same thing as a gas safety check. A service keeps the boiler running well; the safety check is the legal record.
  • Not fitting carbon monoxide alarms, which Northern Ireland now requires separately wherever there is a fixed combustion appliance.

How Beamwise handles it

Tick that a property has gas and Beamwise adds the gas safety record to its register, works out the next due date from the last check, and reminds you before it runs out. You can send the job to your gas engineer inside Beamwise; they upload the new record themselves, the due date rolls forward 12 months, and your tenants are emailed their copy automatically.

Common questions

How often is the Gas Safety Certificate (CP12 / LGSR) needed in Northern Ireland?

Every 12 months in Northern Ireland. The next one is due 12 months after the last.

Who is responsible for the Gas Safety Certificate (CP12 / LGSR)?

A Gas Safe registered engineer.

Does it apply to every rented property in Northern Ireland?

No. It applies to rented properties with a gas supply (natural gas or LPG).

Do I have to give my tenant a copy?

Yes. Tenants must be given a copy within 28 days. Beamwise sends it to them automatically when the new record is filed.

What does the law say?

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (NI) 2004, reg 36: every landlord-provided gas appliance and flue (natural gas or LPG) checked at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Copy to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in. Keep records for 2 years. Enforced by HSENI.

Is a boiler service the same as a gas safety certificate?

No. A boiler service keeps the boiler working efficiently; the gas safety check is the legal inspection of every landlord-provided gas appliance and flue, recorded on the CP12 / landlord gas safety record. Many engineers do both on one visit.

Does the rule apply to LPG?

Yes. The duty covers landlord-provided gas appliances and flues whether they run on natural gas or LPG.

How long do I need to keep old gas safety records?

At least 2 years.

Written from the same rule Beamwise uses to track this for properties in Northern Ireland, last updated 25 Sept 2026. Rules change, so check the legislation named above or take professional advice before relying on it.

All Northern Ireland landlord requirements

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Beamwise provides compliance-tracking tools and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements differ between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and must be verified by a qualified professional. Privacy · Terms