Gas and electrical safety for holiday lets: what owners need to arrange
Holiday let owners are responsible for arranging gas safety checks (annual), electrical inspections (every 5 years) and PAT testing for portable appliances. These are legal requirements, not optional extras, and your guests’ safety depends on them.
When it comes to safety compliance, gas and electrical checks are two of the most important responsibilities for any holiday let owner. They protect your guests, protect you legally, and are a requirement if you want to operate a short-term let in the UK.
This guide covers what you need to arrange, how often, and what to expect. For the full picture of all compliance requirements, see our holiday let compliance checklist.
Gas safety
If your property has any gas appliances (boiler, hob, fire, water heater), you are legally required to have them inspected every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
The engineer will check all gas appliances, flues and pipework, and issue a Gas Safety Record (previously known as a CP12 certificate). You must:
- Keep a copy of the current certificate
- Make it available to guests on request
- Arrange the inspection before it expires each year
Cost: Typically £60 to £120 depending on the number of appliances.
If an engineer identifies a fault, the appliance must be repaired or replaced before it can be used. Never allow guests to use a property with an outstanding gas safety issue.
Electrical safety
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) checks the fixed wiring in your property: sockets, switches, consumer units and circuits. This should be carried out by a qualified electrician every five years.
The EICR will grade any issues found:
- C1 (Danger present): Must be fixed immediately
- C2 (Potentially dangerous): Must be fixed urgently
- C3 (Improvement recommended): Advisory, not mandatory
Cost: Typically £150 to £300 depending on the size of the property.
PAT testing
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) covers any electrical items that plug into a socket: kettles, toasters, lamps, hair dryers, televisions and so on. While there is no specific legal requirement for PAT testing frequency in holiday lets, it is considered best practice and most insurers expect it.
A reasonable approach is to have portable appliances tested every 12 to 24 months, or whenever a new appliance is introduced.
Cost: Typically £1 to £3 per item, with a minimum call-out fee of £40 to £80.
Carbon monoxide detectors
Since 2015, it has been a legal requirement to have a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (wood burner, open fire). Best practice is to fit them in any room with a gas appliance as well.
Test alarms monthly and replace batteries or units as recommended by the manufacturer.
Keeping on top of it all
The simplest approach is to keep a compliance calendar with renewal dates for each certificate. Set reminders well in advance so you are never caught out.
At HolidayHost, we support owners with compliance questions as part of our co-hosting service. Our Local Hosts help ensure your property stays safe and compliant, and can flag when certificates are approaching their renewal dates. We also cover fire safety requirements in a separate guide.
Getting these checks done is straightforward, and the peace of mind they provide is invaluable. Your guests are trusting you with their safety, and these inspections are how you honour that trust.
