Landlord responsibilities around plumbing and heating are more extensive than many property owners realise — and the consequences of getting it wrong range from council enforcement action to legal claims from tenants. This guide sets out exactly what's required, what best practice looks like, and how to manage it cost-effectively.
What you're legally required to maintain
Gas safety: the CP12 certificate
This is non-negotiable. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords must:
- Have all gas appliances, pipework and flues inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months
- Provide the tenant with a copy of the Gas Safety Record (CP12 certificate) within 28 days of the inspection, or before they move in for new tenancies
- Retain records for at least 2 years
The fine for non-compliance is up to £6,000 per breach. We've seen landlords end up with enforcement notices for simply losing track of renewal dates — set a calendar reminder and keep copies of every certificate.
Our CP12 inspection covers up to 2 appliances and costs £85 + VAT. Additional appliances are £20 + VAT each.
Heating and hot water
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you must keep in repair and proper working order the installations for space heating (central heating, storage heaters) and hot water supply. This means:
- If the boiler breaks down, you must arrange repair within a reasonable timeframe — what's reasonable depends on the season. A heating failure in December is more urgent than one in August.
- Tenants must have access to hot water at all times. A boiler that's repeatedly breaking down and leaving tenants without hot water is a Section 11 breach.
- Radiators, pipework and controls are your responsibility.
Tenants cannot be held responsible for damage caused by fair wear and tear or failure of components due to age.
Water supply and drainage
You must maintain the supply of water into the property and ensure that drains, gutters and external pipes are clear and functional. This includes:
- Supply pipes and internal pipework
- Cold water storage tanks (if present)
- Drainage and soil stacks
- External pipework subject to freezing
Blocked drains caused by misuse (wet wipes, cooking fat) can reasonably be recharged to the tenant. Blockages caused by tree root ingress, structural defects or collapse are your liability.
What best practice looks like
Annual boiler service
While not legally required in the same way as the CP12, annual boiler servicing is best practice and protects you in two important ways:
- Warranty validity — most modern boilers require annual servicing to keep the manufacturer warranty in force. If a tenant reports a heating failure and the boiler has never been serviced, you may find yourself paying for a repair that would otherwise be warranted.
- Evidence of due diligence — a consistent service history demonstrates you've been proactive in maintaining the installation. This matters if a dispute reaches the courts or environmental health.
Our annual boiler service costs £120 + VAT, or £170 + VAT combined with the CP12 as a bundle — saving you time and a separate call-out.
Legionella risk assessment
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), landlords are required to carry out a Legionella risk assessment for all rental properties. For most residential properties, this is a relatively straightforward document that shows you've assessed and managed the risk from hot and cold water systems.
We offer a combined Gas Safety and Legionella certificate package at £150 + VAT.
Unvented cylinder servicing (G3)
If the property has an unvented hot water cylinder (Megaflo, Heatrae Sadia, or similar), annual servicing by a G3 qualified engineer is a legal requirement under Building Regulations Part G. This is separate from the boiler service and covers the pressure relief valve, expansion vessel and temperature devices.
Unvented cylinder service: £100 + VAT.
Managing reactive maintenance efficiently
The single most expensive aspect of landlord plumbing and heating isn't planned maintenance — it's reactive callouts to the same recurring problems. Common patterns we see:
- Boilers that haven't been serviced failing repeatedly on the same component
- Showers and taps with poor pressure in hard water areas building up limescale until they fail
- Heating systems full of sludge (particularly in older properties) causing pump and valve failures
Getting on top of these proactively almost always costs less than the reactive alternative.
What tenants are responsible for
Tenants are responsible for:
- Keeping the property ventilated to prevent condensation mould (though structural damp is always the landlord's responsibility)
- Reporting defects promptly — failure to report can limit what they can later claim
- Not causing deliberate damage to installations
- Unblocking toilets and sinks where the blockage is caused by misuse
They are not responsible for bleeding radiators, topping up boiler pressure, or any maintenance requiring a qualified engineer.
Our landlord packages
We work with a number of Hertfordshire landlords and letting agents on both planned and reactive maintenance. Standard packages:
| Service | Price + VAT | |---|---| | CP12 Gas Safety Certificate (up to 2 appliances) | £85 | | Annual Boiler Service | £120 | | Boiler Service + CP12 Bundle | £170 | | Gas Safety + Legionella Package | £150 | | Unvented Cylinder Service | £100 | | Boiler Service + Cylinder Service + CP12 | £240 |
For portfolio landlords managing multiple properties, call us to discuss scheduling and pricing. We cover Hertfordshire and North London from our Watford base — Gas Safe No. 936121.
Call 0208 092 1359 or visit our landlord gas safety page for more information.