Landlord Access Guide
Tenant Will Not Allow Access for a Gas Safety Check: What Landlords Can Do
If your tenant refuses access for a gas safety check at your London rental, keep seeking an agreed appointment, document your attempts and obtain advice if refusal continues; three failed visits or an approaching deadline do not permit forced entry. Under England’s rules, the annual landlord gas safety duty continues. This guide explains practical access requests, an evidence log and why there is no three-attempts exemption.
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The Annual Gas Safety Duty Still Applies When Access Is Refused
A tenant’s refusal does not cancel the landlord’s annual gas safety duty. Regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 requires a Gas Safe registered engineer to check every landlord-provided gas appliance and relevant flue annually. That includes boilers, cookers, hobs, range cookers, gas fires and water heaters where provided. Our guide explains the wider landlord gas safety duties under regulation 36.
Tenant-owned appliances are generally outside the landlord’s appliance-check duty; identify ownership when arranging the visit. Checking only the boiler does not cover other landlord appliances. A booking or unsuccessful attendance records an attempt, not a completed inspection. Where access prevents completion, the circumstances and the steps taken matter.
Regulation 36(10) Does Not Create a Three-Attempts Exemption
Regulation 36(10) contains no rule releasing landlords after three attempts. It generally prevents a tenant’s arrangements from discharging the landlord’s obligations, while expressly recognising access as relevant. Regulation 39 separately provides a defence concerning reasonable steps to prevent a contravention; it does not automatically excuse an overdue check.
HSE guidance recommends repeated attempts and retained correspondence. One landlord FAQ mentions at least three attempts, but also says the approach depends on the circumstances and a court ultimately decides whether the action was reasonable.
Three attempts do not establish: a completed check, an extended deadline or permission to force entry.
Once access is agreed, arrange the required inspection through our landlord gas safety checks in London. For several tenancies, see our.
Gas safety checks for letting agents and portfolio landlords
Build an Access Log That Shows What Happened and What You Did Next
An access log should show each attempt’s circumstances and follow-up, including what the tenant actually said. Use the six stages below as a blank working record, repeating entries whenever necessary.
Initial invitation
Record [date and time], [contact method] and [proposed appointment]. Supporting item: [copy of request]. Next action: [follow-up], owned by [name], with review on [date].
Tenant reply or lack of reply
Record [response date], [actual reply or no reply as of date] and [stated obstacle]. Supporting item: [message or dated call note]. Next action: [address obstacle or contact again], owned by [name], by [date].
Agreed appointment
Record [agreed date and time], [entry arrangement] and [who confirmed]. Supporting item: [confirmation]. Next action: [confirm attendance arrangements], owned by [name], by [date].
Unsuccessful attendance
Record [attendance date and time], [factual outcome] and [contact attempted]. Supporting item: [attendance note, if available]. Next action: [send follow-up request], owned by [name], by [date].
Revised arrangement
Record [new proposal], [tenant’s response] and [changed access arrangements]. Supporting item: [correspondence]. Next action: [confirm or review], owned by [name], by [date].
Continuing refusal or completion
Record [current position and date]. Supporting item: [latest correspondence or completed check record]. Next action: [seek advice, continue arrangements or deliver record], owned by [name], by [date].
Property: [address]. Existing check deadline: [date]. Person maintaining the log: [name].
This is an editorial aid based on HSE guidance, not an official form or proof that sufficient steps have been taken. Record “no answer”, “cancelled” and “expressly refused” accurately without inferring motive.
Write an Access Request the Tenant Can Act On
Explain the safety purpose, propose a workable appointment and invite the tenant to suggest an alternative. For ordinary inspection visits, give at least 24 hours’ notice and propose a reasonable time of day. Notice alone does not resolve a refusal.
Adaptable appointment request
Hello [tenant name]. We need to arrange the annual gas safety check at [property address], due by [existing deadline]. This legally required check covers the landlord’s gas appliances and flues for your safety.
We propose [date and time], with [engineer or business, subject to confirmation] attending. Please reply by [reply method] to [landlord or agent contact] to confirm, or suggest another suitable appointment. Please tell us if timing, communication or access arrangements are causing difficulty so we can discuss them.
Before sending:
- Replace the placeholders and check the proposed appointment with the engineer.
- Keep the request and reply; silence is not consent.
- After an unsuccessful visit, leave a factual note with contact details and record the follow-up.
This is an appointment request, not a statutory notice or solicitor’s letter.
If Refusal Continues, Review the Evidence and Obtain Advice
Persistent refusal calls for individual advice alongside continued efforts to arrange access. Ask a suitably qualified housing adviser or solicitor about lawful next steps for the particular tenancy. Identify any unresolved practical obstacle and agree who will make the next contact.
Current gas safety record
include the existing inspection deadline and appliances covered.
Access chronology
dates, proposed appointments, replies and factual attendance outcomes.
Supporting correspondence
requests, confirmations, cancellations and any stated reasons for refusal.
Tenancy access provisions
supply the relevant agreement for review.
Management arrangements
include any agent agreement and identify who handles contact, booking and follow-up.
Prepare these five items for the adviser:
Keep the deadline visible while advice is sought. An unsuccessful appointment or pending advice does not extend it. If an agent is involved, confirm responsibilities in writing so each next action has a named owner. Do not force entry, change locks or disconnect gas to pressure the tenant into agreeing.
Once Access Is Agreed, Prepare for the Check and Keep the Record
Once access is agreed, confirm the entry arrangements and appliance scope so the engineer can complete the check. Agreement alone is not completion.
Before the visit:
- Confirm the appointment, who will provide access and how entry has been agreed.
- Identify every landlord-provided gas appliance, including cookers, hobs and fires where present.
- Explain appliance locations and access to relevant flues; ask the engineer what needs preparing.
- Check the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card, current registration and suitable appliance categories.
After the visit:
- Keep the Landlord Gas Safety Record, often called a CP12, which documents the inspection findings.
- Give existing tenants a copy within 28 days and new tenants a copy before they move in.
- Retain the record until two further checks of the appliance or flue. For removed equipment, retain it for two years from its last check.
- Record completion and delivery of the tenant’s copy in your chronology.
The statutory gas safety record and access correspondence serve different purposes. Do not automatically apply the check-record retention period to the access log.
Landlord gas safety certificates
Arrange a London Gas Safety Check Once Access Is Agreed
Arrange your London landlord gas safety check once you have a workable access agreement with the tenant. All Service 4 U uses Gas Safe registered engineers; our business registration is 648977.
Our phone line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Same-day gas safety check appointments are available; check availability when booking.
Have your postcode, existing deadline, landlord-provided appliance details and agreed access arrangements ready.
Arrange a Gas Safety Check: 020 3740 6785
020 3740 6785
Frequently Asked Questions
What If the Tenant Wants a Different Appointment Time?
A request for another time should be recorded as a scheduling request, not automatically as refusal. Ask the tenant for workable alternatives and confirm the revised appointment with everyone involved. Update the access log with the actual response and keep the existing deadline in view; rearranging does not extend it.
Is a Boiler Service the Same as a Gas Safety Certificate?
No. A boiler service is maintenance, usually following the manufacturer’s schedule, while the landlord gas safety check inspects the relevant gas appliances and flues and records its findings in the CP12. Establish what was actually completed and documented. A previous service does not by itself show that the statutory landlord check was carried out.
Can the CP12 and Boiler Service Be Done in One Visit?
Yes, the landlord gas safety check and boiler service can be arranged in one visit, while remaining distinct jobs. Specify both when booking and confirm the appliance scope beforehand. This may help you organise access, but the optional combined visit does not justify delaying the statutory check beyond its existing deadline.
How Often Is the Check Due, and Can It Be Booked Early?
The check is due annually, and regulation 36A allows a qualifying check completed in the two months ending with the existing deadline to preserve that deadline. Plan access early enough to use this scheduling flexibility. It depends on when the check is completed, not when it is booked, and creates no general grace period or extension for tenant refusal.
What Happens If the Gas Safety Deadline Passes During the Dispute?
Tenant refusal creates no automatic extension of the annual deadline. Continue seeking access, preserve the chronology and obtain individual advice about the circumstances. Complete the check promptly once lawful access is available. Evidence of reasonable steps may be relevant to assessing what happened, but neither an access log nor a future booking establishes that the overdue check has been completed.
Still have a question or need urgent assistance? Call 020 3740 6785, tell us what has happened and we will tell you what happens next.