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Customers regularly ask us about the paperwork they receive after gas work, particularly after having a new boiler installed.

One of the most common areas of confusion is the difference between a CP12 and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

They are not the same document, and one does not replace the other.

A Building Regulations Compliance Certificate is associated with certain notifiable installation work, such as a new boiler installation. A Landlord Gas Safety Record, commonly referred to as a CP12, records an annual gas safety check carried out for a rented property.

If you are a homeowner or landlord in Surrey, understanding the difference can save a lot of confusion later, particularly when renting or selling a property.

What Is a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate?

When certain gas appliances are installed in England or Wales, the work is subject to Building Regulations notification requirements.

For example, when a Gas Safe registered business carries out notifiable boiler installation work, the work must be notified to the relevant local authority.

Gas Safe Register operates a notification system that allows registered businesses to notify qualifying gas work.

Following the appropriate notification, the property owner receives a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

This document is essentially evidence that the relevant installation work has been notified for Building Regulations purposes.

Who Is Responsible for Notifying a New Boiler Installation?

This is something homeowners sometimes misunderstand.

If the work is notifiable, Gas Safe Register’s guidance says the registered engineer or business contracted to carry out the work has a legal duty to ensure the local authority is notified and that the customer receives the appropriate certificate.

As a customer, you should therefore keep the certificate safely with your other property documents once you receive it.

It can become particularly useful when you later sell the property.

What If I Haven’t Received My Building Regulations Certificate?

If you’ve recently had a boiler installed but haven’t received the certificate, start by contacting the company that installed the appliance.

Ask whether the installation has been notified.

Gas Safe Register’s published guidance states that where notifiable work hasn’t been notified, the customer should initially contact the responsible engineer or business and ask them to notify it.

If you’re having difficulty resolving the matter with the installer, you can contact Gas Safe Register for further guidance.

I would remove the old £8.10 replacement price and fixed delivery times from your article. Those details can change, and they aren’t necessary for the blog to rank or help the customer.

Instead, link directly to Gas Safe Register so customers can obtain the latest information.

What Is a Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12)?

A Landlord Gas Safety Record is completely different.

You will frequently hear it called a CP12 or Gas Safety Certificate.

For landlords, the annual gas safety check is a legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations.

Relevant gas appliances and flues must be checked for safety by a Gas Safe registered engineer within the required annual cycle. HSE guidance also allows landlords to arrange the check during the two months before the existing deadline while retaining the original renewal date.

This is why we tell our landlord customers not to confuse their annual CP12 with the paperwork they received when the boiler was originally installed.

What Does a Landlord Gas Safety Record Include?

Following the landlord gas safety check, a record is produced containing the relevant information about the appliances and safety checks carried out.

The inspection relates to the gas appliances and flues for which the landlord has responsibility.

It is also important to understand that an annual gas safety check and a boiler service are not automatically the same thing. HSE specifically warns landlords not to assume that an annual service satisfies the safety-check requirement, or that a safety check by itself provides all the maintenance a boiler may require.

This distinction is important when arranging your annual property maintenance.

When Does a Tenant Need Their CP12?

For an existing tenant, the landlord must provide a copy of the latest gas safety record within 28 days of the check.

A new tenant should receive the relevant record before they move into the property.

Landlords also need to retain the required gas safety records.

HSE guidance states that records should be retained for at least two years.

CP12 vs Building Regulations Certificate

This is the easiest way we explain the difference to customers:

So if you are a landlord who has recently had a new boiler installed, you may ultimately have both documents.

They serve different purposes.

Do Homeowners Need a CP12?

An owner-occupier generally doesn’t have the same annual Landlord Gas Safety Record requirement that applies to landlords.

However, that doesn’t mean gas safety and boiler maintenance should be ignored.

We recommend homeowners have gas appliances maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements and use appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineers for gas work.

Before allowing somebody to carry out gas work, you can check their registration through the Gas Safe Register.

HSE has continued to warn homeowners about illegal gas work. During Gas Safety Week 2026, it reported 17 convictions for illegal gas work since the beginning of 2025 and advised customers to verify engineers through Gas Safe Register before allowing them to work on gas appliances.

Does a New Boiler Need a CP12?

This depends on the property.

For an owner-occupied home, installing a boiler does not create an annual landlord CP12 requirement.

For a rented property subject to the landlord gas safety duties, however, the landlord still has ongoing gas safety responsibilities.

The important point is that registering/notifying a new boiler installation does not replace the landlord’s annual gas safety obligations.

The Building Regulations Compliance Certificate and Landlord Gas Safety Record have different purposes.

What Paperwork Should I Keep After a Boiler Installation?

We recommend keeping all relevant boiler paperwork together.

Depending on the installation, this can include:

• Building Regulations Compliance Certificate
• Manufacturer warranty or guarantee information
• Boiler commissioning documentation
• Installation and user instructions
• Service records
• Landlord Gas Safety Records where applicable

Don’t throw the Building Regulations certificate away simply because the boiler has subsequently been serviced.

You may need that documentation years later.

Why This Paperwork Matters When Selling a Property

This is often when customers suddenly start looking for old boiler documents.

During a property sale, your solicitor or conveyance r may ask questions about when a boiler was installed and whether the appropriate Building Regulations requirements were met.

Having your original documentation organised can make answering those enquiries considerably easier.

If you’ve lost a certificate, check with Gas Safe Register for the current process for obtaining a replacement rather than relying on old prices or instructions found online.

Gas Safety Certificates Across Surrey

At Certificates4UK Ltd, we regularly work with homeowners, landlords and property professionals who aren’t sure which gas documentation they actually require.

We provide Gas Safety Certificate Surrey services across areas including West Molesey, Walton-on-Thames, Esher, Weybridge, Hersham, Thames Ditton, Cobham and surrounding Surrey locations.

Certificates4UK Ltd has been established since 2011, and our gas work is carried out by appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a CP12 the same as a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate?

No. A CP12 commonly refers to a Landlord Gas Safety Record following the landlord’s gas safety check. A Building Regulations Compliance Certificate relates to notification of relevant installation work. They serve different purposes.

Do I get a Building Regulations certificate when my boiler is serviced?

No. Routine annual servicing isn’t the same as notifying a new boiler installation under Building Regulations.

Do landlords need a CP12 every year?

Landlords subject to the gas safety duties must ensure the relevant gas appliances and flues are checked within the required annual cycle. HSE also permits the check to be completed up to two months before the deadline while retaining the existing renewal date.

When must I give my tenant the Gas Safety Record?

Existing tenants should receive a copy within 28 days of the check. New tenants should receive the relevant record before moving in.

I’ve lost my boiler Building Regulations certificate. What should I do?

Check with Gas Safe Register for the current replacement-certificate procedure. This is better than relying on an old replacement price or timescale because these can change.

Does a boiler service count as my landlord gas safety check?

Don’t assume it does. HSE specifically distinguishes maintenance/service requirements from the landlord’s statutory gas safety check. Make sure the work you’ve booked covers what you legally require.

Can any plumber issue a CP12?

Gas safety work must be carried out by a suitably qualified engineer who is registered with Gas Safe Register for the relevant work. HSE continues to enforce against illegal unregistered gas work.

Related C4UK Guides

What Does a Gas Safe Certificate Cover? A Guide for Homeowners & Landlords

How Often Should I Get a Gas Safe Check?

Gas Safety Tips for Landlords

Boiler Installation Surrey: Quality You Can Trust

You may Also check Gas Safety Certificate Surrey and CP12 service page and boiler installation, for more information.