Most landlords assume that gas safety checks are like MoT's and if yours is due on say, September 1st then getting the checks done in August will be fine - whilst this is true, what most people don't realise is that gas safety checks are due 12 months after the previous one, so getting it done early does not preserve the current renewal date but brings it forward!

If your certificate expires on September 1st and you get the installation checked over and re-certified on August 1st, your next one will be due on August 1st next year unlike an MoT which would preserve the original September 1st date - so in this example, if you always get it checked 1 month before the due date, you would pay for 12 checks every 11 years. The alternative is leaving it to the last minute and hoping your gas engineer is not called away to an urgent job and that you don't need any remedial action.

However, this situation may be about to change. The PDPLA have responded to an HSE consultation that, if taken forward, would allow us to preserve the renewal date of gas safety checks even if you have the checks done up to 2 months earlier than the due date instead of having to have a gas safety check within 12 months of the last one. This would give landlords greater flexibility so we support the change.

If you want to see the specific details and/or respond yourself, you cansee it here.