How Much Does a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate Cost?

As a landlord, you have a legal responsibility to keep your rental properties safe and arranging an annual gas safety inspection is an important part of this. However, one of the first questions you may have is: how much does a landlord gas safety certificate cost? 

At Swan Heating Services, a landlord gas safety inspection with the certificate supplied usually costs £75 + VAT. The inspection covers the relevant gas appliances and flues at the rental property, and we supply the certificate after a satisfactory inspection. If you also need your boiler serviced, we can complete both during the same visit for £120 + VAT, rather than the usual combined price of £150 + VAT. 

The price is only one part of the picture though. It’s also worth understanding what the inspection includes, what happens if we find a fault and how a gas safety check differs from a boiler service, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.

How Much is a Landlord Gas Safety Certificate?

At Swan Heating Services, a gas safety inspection for landlords usually costs £75 + VAT. This inspection checks all of the relevant gas appliances and flues at your rental property, and once completed, we provide a valid gas safety certificate. 

If we identify a fault or safety concern during the inspection, we will explain what we’ve found and discuss any recommended remedial work separately before proceeding. This gives you a clear understanding of what needs attention and whether any further work is recommended.

It's useful to distinguish between the cost of the gas safety inspection and certificate, and the cost of any repairs that might be needed afterwards. The £75 + VAT covers the inspection and certificate, while remedial work would depend on what we find.

Can You Combine a Gas Safety Inspection With a Boiler Service?

If your rental property has a gas boiler, you might assume that annual boiler servicing is essentially the same thing as a gas safety inspection. After all, both involve checking your gas heating system, so it's easy to think one appointment should cover everything. However, they are actually two different checks, with different purposes.

A landlord gas safety inspection looks at the relevant gas appliances and flues at the property to make sure they are safe. Whereas a boiler service focuses specifically on maintaining the boiler and checking that it’s operating correctly. That doesn’t mean you need to arrange two separate appointments though. If your boiler service is due at the same time as your annual gas safety inspection, we can do both in one visit. This means less disruption for you and your tenants.

What Does a Landlord Gas Safety Inspection Include?

A landlord gas safety inspection ensures the gas appliances and flues at your rental property are safe to use. At Swan Heating Services, we can check relevant appliances including boilers, cookers and gas fires, depending on what’s installed at the property. 

We don't just check whether an appliance switches on. We carry out the relevant safety checks and look for anything that could affect the safe operation of the appliance or its flue. If everything is satisfactory, we will provide the landlord with a valid gas safety certificate following the inspection. This gives you a record of the check and makes it easier to keep your property management records up to date.

How Often Does a Landlord Need a Gas Safety Certificate?

Gas safety is an important part of a landlord's legal safety responsibilities, and you need to arrange a gas safety check every 12 months for each relevant gas appliance and flue. 

You have some flexibility in when you arrange the inspection. You can have the check carried out during the two months before your current gas safety record is due and keep the same renewal date. This can make it easier to organise appointments without gradually bringing your annual inspection date forward. However, we would still recommend planning your inspection in advance rather than leaving it until the last minute. This is particularly useful if you manage several rental properties or need to arrange access with tenants.

What Happens if a Gas Appliance Fails the Inspection?

One concern landlords sometimes have is what happens if we identify a problem during the inspection. If we find a fault or safety concern during the inspection, we will explain what we have found and talk you through the next steps.

We treat the inspection and any remedial work separately. This means we can explain what needs attention and discuss your options with you before any additional work is carried out. Depending on the problem, the solution could be a targeted repair, replacing an appliance, or work elsewhere on the gas installation. It will depend on what we find during the inspection.

We don't recommend ignoring a problem just because an appliance is still working. The purpose of the inspection is to identify potential safety issues before they become a bigger concern.

What Should Landlords Check When Comparing Prices?

If you’re booking your annual gas safety check, look beyond the headline price. Start by checking exactly what’s included. Does the price cover the inspection and certificate? How many appliances are included? And what happens if the engineer identifies a problem?

It’s also important to make sure the person carrying out the inspection is appropriately qualified. Your gas safety check must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and you can check the engineer or business on the Gas Safe Register before making an appointment.

Finally, remember that the inspection cost and any remedial work are separate. A lower initial price doesn’t necessarily mean a lower overall cost if additional work is needed afterwards. At Swan Heating Services, we will explain any issues we identify and discuss recommended remedial work separately, so you know what needs to be done and how much it’s likely to cost before deciding how to proceed.

When Should You Arrange Your Landlord Gas Safety Inspection?

We recommend booking your annual gas safety inspection well before your current certificate is due to expire. This gives you more flexibility when arranging an appointment and, importantly, leaves time to deal with any repairs if we identify a problem during the inspection.

You also need to think about access to the property. If your tenants are living there, you will need to arrange a suitable time for the inspection and give them the appropriate notice. In England, landlords generally need to give at least 24 hours' notice before entering a rented property for an inspection or repairs, unless there is an emergency. 

Therefore, avoid leaving your inspection until the last few days before the certificate expires. If an appliance has a problem, you may need to arrange further work, and having some breathing room makes the process much easier.

Book Your Landlord Gas Safety Inspection

Keeping on top of your annual gas safety inspection doesn’t need to be complicated. Once you know when your next check is due, you can arrange the inspection, address any issues that are identified, and keep your records up to date.

At Swan Heating Services, a landlord gas safety inspection with the certificate supplied usually costs £75 + VAT. If your boiler also needs servicing, we can complete both during the same appointment for £120 + VAT, saving you £30 before VAT.

If you’re a landlord in the Bournemouth area and your gas safety inspection is due, get in touch with us to arrange a suitable appointment.