Gas, F-gas and job sheet questions, answered straight

Is a CP12 the same as a landlord gas safety record?

Yes, in practice. "CP12" is the name of an older paper form that stuck in the trade, but the law and HSE simply call it a gas safety record. What matters is not the form number but that the record contains everything regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 asks for. Any layout that includes those items, on paper or digital, does the job.

What is a CP12? The full explainer

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, HSE

Who is allowed to carry out a landlord gas safety check?

Only a Gas Safe registered engineer. The categories of gas work an engineer is competent in are listed on the back of their Gas Safe Register ID card, and the engineer or business can also be checked on the Gas Safe Register website. A landlord cannot do the check themselves, and neither can an unregistered handyman.

In Maintivo: Your company details and registration numbers print at the top of every record, with the engineer’s name beside their signature.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: HSE

How often is a landlord gas safety check needed, and how long does the record last?

Every gas appliance and flue the landlord provides must be checked at intervals of not more than 12 months, and a new appliance must be checked within 12 months of being installed. So in effect each record is good for 12 months. If a new tenancy starts, the check must have been done within the 12 months before the lease begins.

In Maintivo: The equipment register shows each appliance’s next-due date, so renewals are visible before they lapse.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk

Can the gas safety check be done early without losing the renewal date?

Yes. Since April 2018 a check done in the two months before the deadline is treated as if it had been done on the deadline date, so the landlord keeps the same annual renewal date. If a landlord uses this, HSE says they must keep the record until two further checks have been carried out, so they can prove the timescales were met.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, HSE

What has to be on a landlord gas safety record?

The record must show a description and location of each appliance or flue checked, the date of the check, the property address, the landlord’s (or agent’s) name and address, any safety defect found and what was done about it, and the engineer’s name, registration number and signature. HSE also expects it to confirm that the checks in regulation 26(9) were carried out (such as the effectiveness of the flue, ventilation, operating pressure or heat input, and safe functioning). If any of these is missing the record is incomplete, however neat it looks.

In Maintivo: The gas safety record template has a field for each of these items, and the engineer still decides and signs what goes in them.

The CP12 form, field by field

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, HSE

How long does a landlord have to keep a gas safety record?

The regulation says the record must be kept until there have been two further checks of that appliance or flue, which in practice means about two years. HSE’s landlord page puts it more simply as "at least two years". If an appliance is removed, the last record must be kept for two years after that. Engineers often keep their own copies longer as evidence of their work.

In Maintivo: Past reports stay on the account, searchable by property, so an old record can be re-sent in a minute.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, HSE

When does the tenant have to get a copy?

Existing tenants must be given a copy within 28 days of the check. A new tenant must be given a copy of the latest record before they move in. For short stays of 28 days or less, such as holiday lets, the record can instead be displayed prominently in the property.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, HSE

Can a gas safety record be digital, and can it be emailed to the tenant?

Yes. HSE accepts an electronic record if it can be printed when needed, is secure from loss and interference, and identifies the engineer, for example by an electronic or scanned signature, Gas Safe number or name. It can be emailed to a tenant who agrees to receive it that way and can open it, but the tenant can still ask for a paper copy and must be given one. With the landlord’s agreement, the engineer can send it straight to the tenant.

In Maintivo: The record becomes a PDF with the engineer’s signature on it, ready to email, and it can be printed for anyone who wants paper.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: HSE, HSE

Is a landlord gas safety check the same as a boiler service?

No. The safety check confirms appliances and flues are safe to use and produces the gas safety record. Servicing is maintenance: HSE says appliances should be serviced in line with the manufacturer’s instructions, or annually if there are none, unless a Gas Safe engineer advises otherwise. Many engineers do both on one visit, but they are two jobs and should be recorded as two, so the customer can see both were done.

In Maintivo: You can complete the gas safety record and the boiler service record on the same visit, each as its own PDF.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: HSE

What if the tenant will not let the engineer in?

The landlord must not force entry. What the law expects is that the landlord took all reasonable steps, so HSE suggests leaving a notice that a visit was attempted, writing to explain the check is a legal requirement for the tenant’s own safety, offering to rebook, and keeping a record of every attempt and letter. For the engineer, a dated note of the no-access visit is useful evidence for the landlord.

In Maintivo: A quick job sheet with the time, a photo of the door or calling card, and notes gives the landlord a dated record of the attempt.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: HSE

Does the landlord’s check cover appliances the tenant owns?

No. Tenants are responsible for their own appliances, and for a flue that only serves their appliance. The landlord is still responsible for the pipework they provide, and HSE recommends including all flues connected to gas appliances in the check. If an appliance was left behind by a previous tenant, the landlord should remove it or have it checked before re-letting.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: HSE

Does a holiday let or short-stay rental need a gas safety record?

Yes. Holiday accommodation and other short lets fall under the landlord duties. For stays of 28 days or less, instead of handing every guest a copy, the landlord can display a legible copy of the record in a prominent place in the property.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, HSE

How often does air conditioning or a heat pump need an F-gas leak check?

In Great Britain it depends on the refrigerant charge in tonnes of CO2 equivalent, not kilograms. From 5 to under 50 tonnes, at least every 12 months; from 50 to under 500 tonnes, every 6 months; 500 tonnes or more, every 3 months. Where a leak detection system is fitted, each interval can be doubled. Hermetically sealed equipment under 10 tonnes CO2e, labelled as such, has no set leak check interval.

In Maintivo: The equipment register works out the next leak check date from the refrigerant and charge you enter, so you can see what is coming up.

Worked examples of the leak check interval

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK

How do I work out tonnes of CO2 equivalent?

Multiply the charge in kilograms by the refrigerant’s global warming potential (GWP), then divide by 1,000. The GWP figures for GB are in Annex I of the retained F-gas regulation: R32 is 675, so a 1.5 kg charge is about 1 tonne CO2e. R410A is a 50/50 blend of R32 and R125 (GWP 3,500), which works out at about 2,088, so 4 kg is about 8.4 tonnes. Always use the charge on the rating plate plus any additional charge added on site.

More worked examples for R32, R410A and R134a

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk

Does a domestic split air conditioner or heat pump need an annual leak check?

Often not by law. Most small domestic R32 systems are well under 5 tonnes CO2e, and below that there is no mandatory leak check interval. Some larger or R410A systems do cross 5 tonnes, and hermetically sealed units are exempt only up to 10 tonnes. Work it out for each unit from the charge and refrigerant, and remember an annual service may still be wise or needed for the manufacturer’s warranty.

In Maintivo: Enter the refrigerant and charge on the asset and the app shows whether a leak check date applies.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk

What F-gas records must be kept, and for how long?

For equipment that needs leak checks, the operator must keep a record showing the type and amount of refrigerant, any added and why, any recovered, the servicing company’s identity and certificate number, the dates and results of leak checks, and how the gas was recovered and disposed of when the unit is decommissioned. The company that services it must keep copies too. Both must keep the records for at least five years.

In Maintivo: Each F-gas leak check is stored against the asset with photos and signatures, so the history is there when an auditor or customer asks.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk

Do the 2024 EU F-gas rules apply in Great Britain?

No. Great Britain still follows the retained version of the 2014 EU F-gas regulation, as amended for GB, while Northern Ireland follows the EU system, including the 2024 regulation. Defra consulted in late 2025 on a steeper GB phase-down of HFC supply, but as of 18 October 2026 we could not find a published government response, and the leak check and record rules above have not changed. Check the legislation page for updates before relying on this.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, Defra consultation, Refindustry (trade press)

What F-gas qualification do I need to work on air conditioning or heat pumps?

Individuals need an F-gas certificate in the right category. Category 1 covers all work; Category 2 covers installing, servicing and recovering from systems under 3 kg (or under 6 kg if hermetically sealed); Category 4 covers leak checks only, without breaking into the circuit. A business that works on other people’s equipment, including a sole trader, also needs company certification from an approved body.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: GOV.UK, GOV.UK

What has to happen after a refrigerant leak is repaired?

The operator must get the leak repaired without undue delay, and for equipment that needs leak checks, a certified person must check the repair has worked within one month. Record the leak, the repair, any refrigerant added and the follow-up check in the F-gas record.

In Maintivo: Logging the repair on the asset keeps the leak, the top-up and the follow-up check in one history.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK

Is an electronic signature valid on a gas safety record or job sheet?

Yes. For gas safety records, HSE accepts an electronic or scanned signature as a way of identifying the engineer. More generally, UK law allows electronic signatures to be used in evidence about whether a document is genuine. What makes a signature trustworthy in practice is that it is tied to the right record, with the date and time, and the record cannot be quietly edited afterwards.

In Maintivo: The engineer and the customer each sign on screen and both signatures are printed on the PDF.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: HSE, legislation.gov.uk

Does the customer have to sign the job sheet?

For most job sheets there is no legal requirement for a customer signature, but it is the simplest proof that the work was done and accepted. On a landlord gas safety record, the signature the law requires is the engineer’s; the regulation does not list a landlord or tenant signature. Getting the customer to sign on the day saves a lot of arguing later about what was agreed.

In Maintivo: There is a place for both the engineer’s and the customer’s signature on every report.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk

Should I take photos on every job, and is that allowed under GDPR?

Photos are some of the best evidence you can have: before and after, the flue terminal, the data plate, readings on the analyser. Photos taken inside someone’s home can be personal data, so only take what you need for the job, tell the customer you are taking them, keep them secure, and do not post them online without permission. Your lawful basis will usually be that the photos are needed to carry out the contract with the customer.

In Maintivo: Photos go straight onto the report rather than sitting in the engineer’s personal camera roll.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: ICO, ICO

What must a VAT invoice show?

A full VAT invoice needs a unique sequential invoice number, the date, the tax point if different, your name, address and VAT registration number, the customer’s name and address, a description of the work, and for each item the price excluding VAT and the VAT rate, plus the total VAT. If the total is £250 or less and the customer agrees, a simplified invoice with fewer details is allowed. If you are not VAT registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.

In Maintivo: With the invoicing add-on, a finished report becomes an invoice with VAT worked out, so the job details are not typed twice.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: GOV.UK, GOV.UK

How soon after a job should I send the invoice?

If you are VAT registered, HMRC expects you to normally issue a VAT invoice within 30 days of the tax point, which for most jobs is when the work is finished. Beyond that, the practical answer is the same day: the customer remembers the job and has just signed for it, so there is less to dispute. Invoices sent weeks later get queried and paid later.

In Maintivo: The invoice can be raised from the signed report straight away, on site or back at the van.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: GOV.UK

Does Making Tax Digital affect me as a sole trader?

If your self-employed and property income together is over £50,000, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has applied since 6 April 2026, which means keeping digital records and sending quarterly updates through compatible software. The threshold drops to over £30,000 from 6 April 2027, and the government has announced a further drop to £20,000 from April 2028. It is based on income before expenses, using an earlier tax return to decide.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: GOV.UK, GOV.UK, GOV.UK

How can I see what my engineers did today without ringing round?

Have every engineer finish and submit their report on site, into one shared system, rather than handing in paper at the end of the week. Then you can check the day’s work, spot missing photos or readings while the job is fresh, and answer a customer’s call without waiting for the engineer to ring back. Keep each engineer’s view to their own jobs so customer details are not shared more widely than needed.

In Maintivo: The owner sees every report as it comes in, and each engineer only sees their own.

How do I keep track of when each customer’s service or check is due?

Keep a list of every appliance or unit you look after, with the date of the last visit and when the next one is due, and look at it weekly. For gas safety checks the next date is 12 months from the last check; for F-gas leak checks it depends on the tonnes CO2e (see 4.1). A list that works out the dates for you is far less likely to miss one than a diary or a wall planner.

In Maintivo: The equipment register holds each asset with its next-due date, including the F-gas next leak check worked out from the refrigerant and charge.

Source, checked 18 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk