How the rules work
| Certificate | How long it lasts | Copy to the tenant |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Safety record | 12 months from the check | Existing tenants within 28 days of the check; new tenants before they move in |
| EICR | 5 years, or sooner if the report says so | Existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection; new tenants before they occupy |
| EPC | 10 years, rated E or above to let | Free copy to a prospective tenant before the tenancy is agreed |
Gas. Every gas appliance, fitting and flue the landlord provides must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least every 12 months. A check done in the two months before the deadline can keep the original anniversary date, so booking early does not shorten the cycle. Keep each record for at least two years.
Electrical. A qualified person must inspect and test the fixed installation at least every 5 years, or at the shorter interval the report recommends. If the report needs remedial work, it must be done within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
Energy. An EPC lasts 10 years. A property rated F or G cannot be let unless a valid exemption is registered.
A worked example
A gas check is done on Tue 10 March 2026. The record expires on Wed 10 March 2027. The existing tenant must have a copy by Tue 7 April 2026. A reminder 60 days ahead falls on Sat 9 January 2027. Book the engineer then for a visit on or after Sun 10 January 2027, two months before the deadline, and the record keeps its anniversary.
An EICR on Tue 20 June 2023 would normally run 5 years. But the electrician recommended re-inspection within three and a half years, on Sun 20 December 2026. The earlier date applies: the reminder is Wed 21 October 2026, and on Mon 12 October 2026 there were 69 days left.
Common mistakes
- Counting 5 years on an EICR that asked for less. The report’s own date wins if it is earlier.
- Forgetting the tenant’s copy. A record in the drawer is not compliance. Record when and how the tenant got it.
- Booking too late. Engineers get busy. A reminder 60 days out leaves room to rebook.
- Assuming the agent’s diary covers it. The EICR and EPC duties stay with the landlord. Check with the responsibility checker.
- Letting on an F or G EPC. Without a registered exemption, it cannot be let.
What changed under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025
The Act does not change the 12-month, 5-year or 10-year cycles. It changes the setting. From 1 May 2026 Section 21 has gone, so landlords who need possession must rely on a ground and evidence — and a clean record of checks, copies and dates is part of that evidence. The PRS Database, opening region by region from 15 December 2026, is expected to ask for safety and energy certificate details for each property.
Records to keep
- Every Gas Safety record for at least two years, and the date each tenant was given a copy.
- Every EICR until the next one, any remedial work certificate, and the date each tenant was given a copy.
- The EPC reference, and when it was given to the tenant before the tenancy.
- Engineer and electrician details, including Gas Safe registration numbers.
Keep them where anyone who needs them can find them: the landlord, the agent and, for their own copies, the tenant. A certificate nobody can produce on the day does not help.
What Abide.Rent does automatically
Abide.Rent stores every certificate against the property, works out each expiry and tenant-copy deadline, and reminds whoever does the task before the date. Each certificate feeds the property’s compliance score — try the compliance checker for one property.