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Quick answer
Landlords are responsible for the safety of gas appliances, fittings and flues they provide. They are not responsible for gas appliances the tenant owns and brings into the property, such as a tenant’s own gas cooker. However, the landlord remains responsible for the installation pipework serving it and for any flue or chimney the landlord provides. Tenants should have their own appliances installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It is good practice for the landlord to note tenant-owned appliances on records so there is no confusion at the next safety check.
Key takeaways
- Landlords’ annual safety duty covers appliances, fittings and flues they supply.
- Appliances owned by the tenant are the tenant’s responsibility to have installed and maintained safely.
- Landlords remain responsible for gas pipework and any flue they provide that serves a tenant appliance.
- Installation of any gas appliance, including a tenant’s cooker, must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Record tenant-owned appliances and share safety information with tenants.
What landlords must cover
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords must ensure gas appliances, fittings and flues they provide are maintained in a safe condition and checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe engineer. That includes boilers, gas fires and cookers supplied with the property, plus the pipework and flues. See our landlord gas safety certificate checklist.
What changes when a tenant brings their own appliance
The regulations do not make landlords responsible for appliances owned by the tenant. If a tenant brings a gas cooker, the tenant is responsible for having it fitted and maintained. The landlord’s engineer may still look at it visually during the annual check and should flag any obvious danger, but the landlord is not required to certify it.
What the landlord still owns
Pipework. The installation pipework from the meter to the appliance connection is part of the landlord’s gas installation.
Flues and chimneys. If a tenant’s appliance uses a flue or chimney the landlord provides, the landlord is responsible for that flue’s safety.
Ventilation. Permanent ventilation that is part of the building remains the landlord’s responsibility.
Practical steps for landlords
- Write into your tenancy paperwork that any gas appliance the tenant installs must be fitted by a Gas Safe engineer.
- Ask the tenant to share the installer’s details and any documentation.
- Note tenant-owned appliances on your records so your engineer knows what is and is not yours.
- If your engineer finds a tenant appliance to be unsafe, they will follow the unsafe situations procedure. See gas warning notices explained.
Why this matters
Confusion over ownership is common when tenants leave appliances behind. If a previous tenant leaves a gas cooker and you allow the next tenant to use it, it may effectively become an appliance you provide, and fall within your annual check. Either remove it or treat it as yours.
Book with Gasmaster
Need clear gas safety records for your rental? Gasmaster Plumbing & Heating, Gas Safe registered (220932), provides landlord gas safety certificates across Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Biddulph.
Frequently asked questions
Does a landlord need to include a tenant’s cooker on the gas safety record?
Not as an appliance they are responsible for, though engineers commonly note it.
What if a tenant fits their own gas cooker without an engineer?
Only competent, and where done for payment, Gas Safe registered, people should do gas work. Ask the tenant to have it checked by a Gas Safe engineer.
Who pays if a tenant appliance is condemned?
The tenant owns it, so repair or replacement is their responsibility.
Sources
- Health and Safety Executive, gas safety landlords guidance (hse.gov.uk)
- Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Gas Safe Register (gassaferegister.co.uk)
Related services
Abdul runs Gasmaster Plumbing & Heating and has worked on boilers, heating and gas appliances across Stoke-on-Trent since 2005. He is Gas Safe registered (reg. 220932), and these articles come from his day to day work in homes and businesses across Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire.
