Boiler service vs gas safety check
Landlords and homeowners often use these names as if they were the same visit. They are not. One keeps the appliance maintained and the warranty valid. The other is a legal safety record for rented homes.
What an annual boiler service covers
A boiler service is preventative maintenance. We check the appliance against the manufacturer's specification, run a flue gas analysis, check gas rate and operating pressure, inspect the flue and ventilation, look at system pressure and the expansion vessel, and purge the system filter.
BS 7593 expects inhibitor to be tested annually. Manufacturers generally require the service to be recorded in the Benchmark checklist for the guarantee to stay valid. Miss a year on a long warranty and you can lose cover you have already paid for.
What a landlord gas safety check covers
A gas safety check confirms every gas appliance and flue in the property is safe on the day. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 it is required every 12 months for rented homes, with no grace period.
The tenant must have a copy within 28 days, or before a new tenant moves in, and you need to keep records for two years. The certificate is often called a CP12. It is not a substitute for a service, and a service is not a substitute for the certificate.
When to book both
Many landlords book both on the same visit because access is the hard part, not the paperwork. Homeowners who do not let the property still need the annual service. They do not need a landlord certificate unless a lender or buyer asks for a gas safety inspection as part of a purchase.
For certificate pricing factors, see gas safety certificate cost.
Related services
FAQs
No. One does not include the other. Plenty of landlords book both together because that is practical, but they are different records.
Every 12 months for rented properties. You can book up to two months early and keep your original renewal date.
Not as a legal duty. You still want an annual service for safety, efficiency and warranty conditions.
Yes. Block bookings and renewal tracking are welcome. We can arrange access with tenants where that helps.