What We Cover
- Landlord duties for gas appliances and pipework
- Tenant duties for appliances they install
- Managing agent and duty holder obligations
- Annual inspection and record-keeping requirements
- Action required for At Risk and Immediately Dangerous findings
- Evidence expected by environmental health and insurers
Who Is the Duty Holder?
The duty holder is whoever has control of the premises or the gas installation. In a leased commercial unit that is usually the landlord for the incoming supply, meter, pipework and any appliance supplied with the building, and the tenant for appliances they installed themselves — a fryer, range or water heater brought into a kitchen fit-out. Where a managing agent runs the building, the lease and the management agreement decide which of those duties transfer to them, so both documents need reading before responsibility is assumed.
Landlord Responsibilities
A commercial landlord must ensure gas fittings and flues they own are maintained in a safe condition, that an annual safety check is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer on the appliances in their control, and that a record of that check is kept and made available to the tenant. Failure to do this is a criminal offence, not a contractual matter, and prosecutions follow incidents rather than paperwork audits.
Tenant and Occupier Responsibilities
Occupiers must not use an appliance they know or suspect is unsafe, must allow access for safety checks, and must have their own catering or process appliances inspected annually. In a commercial kitchen the occupier is also responsible for the gas interlock being live and functional, ventilation not being blocked, and staff knowing where the emergency control valve is.
Records, Frequency and Evidence
Commercial gas safety checks are annual. Records should be kept for at least two years and produced on request to environmental health officers, insurers and, in the case of catering, to the food authority during an inspection. Insurers frequently decline claims where a current gas safety record cannot be produced for the appliance involved.
Book Gas Safety Responsibilities in Commercial Buildings
Get a fixed written quote or speak to an engineer today. We cover London and the South East seven days a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for gas safety in a commercial building?
The duty holder — usually the landlord for the supply, pipework and building appliances, and the tenant for appliances they installed. The lease determines any transfer of duties to a managing agent.
How often must commercial gas appliances be checked?
Every twelve months by a Gas Safe registered engineer qualified for the appliance type, with the record kept and available on request.
What happens if an appliance is found Immediately Dangerous?
The engineer will seek permission to disconnect and label it. It must not be used again until repaired and retested, and the gas supplier is notified where the fault is on the supply.