Gas, EICR and EPC: every landlord safety deadline in one place

Every let property in England carries a handful of recurring safety obligations, and the three that catch agents out most are the Gas Safety Record (CP12), renewed every 12 months; the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), renewed at least every 5 years; and a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which must meet the minimum energy efficiency standard before a property is let. Miss any of them and the landlord — and often the agent acting on their behalf — is exposed to fines, invalid possession notices and, in the worst cases, criminal liability. This is the reference for what each certificate covers, how often it falls due, and who is responsible for it.

What safety certificates does a let property legally need?

For a standard assured shorthold tenancy in England, the recurring compliance items are:

• Gas Safety Record (CP12) — annual, where there is any gas appliance, pipework or flue.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — at least every 5 years.
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — valid for 10 years, must meet the minimum standard to let.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms — checked at the start of every tenancy, with ongoing repair duties.
• Legionella risk assessment — a reasonable assessment of water-system risk, reviewed periodically.
• HMO licence — where the property meets the House in Multiple Occupation threshold.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regimes with different intervals and paperwork, so treat the below as the England position and check the devolved rules where relevant.

Who is legally responsible?

The landlord holds the statutory duty. But where an agent manages the property, the management agreement almost always passes the practical responsibility — arranging, tracking and evidencing each certificate — to the agent. If you are the managing agent, you are the one who has to prove the work was done and the record served. That is why a single, reliable lettings compliance calendar matters more than any individual certificate.

How often is a Gas Safety Record (CP12) required?

Every 12 months. A Gas Safe registered engineer must inspect every gas appliance, flue and associated pipework, and issue a Gas Safety Record (still widely called a CP12).

Key points agents get wrong:

• You can carry out the annual check up to two months before the current record expires without losing the original anniversary date — useful for scheduling ahead of a busy period.
• A copy of the record must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in.
• Keep records for at least 2 years.
• The duty covers appliances the landlord owns and is responsible for — a tenant's own cooker, for example, sits outside it, but the installation and flue serving it may not.

Gas is the item with the shortest cycle and the highest safety stakes, so it is the one most worth automating reminders for.

How often is an EICR required, and what does it cover?

An EICR is required at least every 5 years, or sooner if the report specifies an earlier re-test date. It is a formal inspection of the property's fixed electrical installation — the wiring, consumer unit, sockets and fixed fittings — by a qualified electrician.

What you need to know:

• The report must be given to tenants within 28 days of the inspection, and to a new tenant before they occupy.
• If the report flags remedial work as C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous), that work must be completed — generally within 28 days, or sooner if the report demands it — and written confirmation obtained.
• A code FI (further investigation) also requires action. Only a report with no C1, C2 or FI codes is a clean pass.
• Provide the report to the local authority within 7 days if they request it.

Because EICR remedial works can be significant, it pays to have a reliable route to a vetted, quality-checked contractor rather than scrambling when a C2 lands with a 28-day clock on it.

What EPC rating do you need to let a property?

A property must have a valid EPC — valid for 10 years — and currently must meet the minimum energy efficiency standard of band E to be let lawfully in England and Wales. Letting a sub-standard property without a valid exemption registered on the PEP/Exemptions Register risks a financial penalty.

The direction of travel

Government policy has signalled an intention to raise minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector over the coming years, with proposals pointing towards a higher band. The exact target band and timetable have moved more than once, so do not quote a fixed year to landlords — instead, flag to your landlords now that the trajectory is upward, and that properties sitting at D or E may need investment. Treating EPC as a planning conversation rather than a last-minute scramble is one of the clearest ways an agent adds value.

What about alarms, Legionella and HMOs?

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

• A smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation.
• A carbon monoxide alarm in every room containing a fixed combustion appliance (for example a gas boiler or a solid-fuel fire).
• Alarms must be checked and working on the first day of every new tenancy, and repaired or replaced when a tenant reports a fault.

Legionella

Landlords must carry out a reasonable assessment of the risk from Legionella in the property's water system. For most typical domestic lets this is a straightforward assessment rather than a costly test, but it must be documented and reviewed periodically.

HMO licensing

Where a property meets the House in Multiple Occupation definition, it may require a mandatory or additional licence from the local authority, with its own conditions covering amenities, fire safety and occupancy. Licence terms and renewal dates vary by council, so each HMO needs tracking on its own cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord be prosecuted if the agent forgot a certificate?

Yes — the statutory duty stays with the landlord, so they remain exposed even where an agent was managing. But the agent will usually face a breach-of-contract claim and serious reputational damage. In practice, both parties lose, which is why tight tracking protects everyone.

Do missing certificates affect eviction?

They can. Failing to serve the EPC, Gas Safety Record and the current How to Rent guide at the right time can invalidate certain possession notices, meaning a landlord cannot rely on them until the paperwork is put right. Compliance and possession are directly linked.

How far in advance should we renew?

Renew gas up to two months early to hold the anniversary date, and diarise EICR and EPC well ahead of expiry so remedial works have room to complete. A rolling calendar with automated reminders removes the guesswork entirely.

Compliance is not one deadline — it is dozens of overlapping cycles across a portfolio, each with its own service and evidence requirements. That is exactly the work Solace's managed compliance service takes off your desk: we track every certificate, arrange the inspections and remedial works through vetted contractors, and keep the audit trail — all white-labelled under your brand, with you approving rather than chasing. If you would like to see how it fits your portfolio, book a demo.