How Long London Landlords Must Keep Gas Safety Records and How to Store Them
Gas Safety Records are legal documents that London landlords are required to retain for defined periods and to provide to tenants within specific timeframes. Understanding the storage obligations, the format requirements, and the consequences of failing to retain records correctly helps landlords avoid regulatory risk.
The Legal Requirement to Retain Gas Safety Records in London
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require landlords of residential properties to retain a copy of each Gas Safety Record issued for their property for a minimum of two years from the date of the check. This two-year retention period applies to the landlord copy of the record. The requirement exists so that records of consecutive annual checks can be compared if a query arises about the condition of the installation at a particular point in time, and so that records can be produced to enforcement authorities if a compliance inspection is carried out.
In addition to retaining records, London landlords are required to provide a copy of the most recent Gas Safety Record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being carried out, and to provide a copy to new tenants before they occupy the property. Failure to comply with either the retention or the provision obligation is a criminal offence under the Regulations and can result in prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive.
What Information a Gas Safety Record Must Contain
A Gas Safety Record for a London rental property must include the address of the property, the date on which the gas safety check was carried out, the name and Gas Safe registration number of the engineer who carried out the check, a description of each gas appliance or flue that was checked, the results of each check including whether each appliance was found to be safe or unsafe, any action taken where an appliance was found to be unsafe, and the signature of the Gas Safe registered engineer. A record that is missing any of these elements may not be considered a valid Gas Safety Record for the purposes of the Regulations.
Gas Safe registered engineers are required to complete Gas Safety Records using the standard format prescribed by the Gas Safe Register, which ensures that all required information is captured. London landlords who receive a Gas Safety Record that appears to be missing information or that has been prepared on a non-standard format should query this with the engineer before accepting it as a valid compliance document.
Best Practice for Storing Gas Safety Records in London
While the Regulations require a minimum two-year retention period, best practice for London landlords is to retain Gas Safety Records for the entire duration of ownership of the property plus a further six years. This extended retention period aligns with the standard limitation period for civil claims in England and Wales and ensures that records are available if a claim arises from a gas-related incident many years after the event. For landlords with large portfolios of London properties, this means that the total volume of Gas Safety Records to be retained can be substantial.
Digital storage is the most practical solution for London landlords managing multiple properties. Gas Safety Records should be scanned or photographed and stored in a named folder structure that allows records for each property to be located quickly. Cloud-based document management systems with access controls are preferable to local storage on a single device, as they provide protection against loss of records due to device failure. Prestige Engineers provide Gas Safety Records in both paper and PDF format following each annual gas safety check, enabling landlords to maintain their digital records without the need for additional scanning or copying.
Providing Records to New Tenants and Retaining Evidence of Provision
London landlords should retain evidence that each Gas Safety Record has been provided to each tenant, as this may be required if a compliance question arises later. Where a record is provided at the start of a tenancy, a signature on the tenancy check-in documentation is the most reliable evidence. Where a record is provided by post or email during an existing tenancy, the landlord should retain a copy of the covering letter or email and a record of the date on which it was sent. Property management software that includes a compliance tracking module can automate the recording of provision dates and store copies of the evidence.