What a gas safety certificate is
There are two types of gas safety documentation you may encounter as an Irish homeowner. The first is a Certificate of Completion, issued by an RGI registered installer after any notifiable gas work such as boiler installation or a new gas connection. The second is a gas safety inspection report, issued after a periodic safety check of your existing gas installation.
Both serve a similar purpose: providing formal written evidence that a registered professional has assessed the gas installation and confirmed it meets the required safety standards.
Keep every gas safety certificate and completion certificate with your property documents. They are your evidence of compliance and may be required by insurers, solicitors or tenants.
When you need a certificate
You will need gas safety documentation in several common situations:
- After any notifiable gas work. A completion certificate must be issued by the RGI installer after any new boiler, gas connection, or significant appliance work.
- When selling a property. Solicitors and buyers routinely request evidence that gas work was carried out by a registered installer. A missing certificate can delay a sale.
- For landlord compliance. Landlords are legally required to carry out annual gas safety checks and keep records for at least two years.
- For insurance purposes. If you need to make a claim involving gas, your insurer may require evidence that the system was properly certified.
- As a new homeowner. If you bought a property without receiving gas certificates from the previous owner, commissioning a fresh safety inspection gives you a baseline record.
What a certificate covers
A completion certificate issued after notifiable gas work will typically record the work carried out, the results of pressure testing, confirmation that the installation meets the relevant technical standards, the installer's name and RGI registration number, and the date the work was completed.
A gas safety inspection report covers the current condition of your gas appliances and pipework, including combustion analysis on boilers, flue integrity, ventilation, operating pressures, and an assessment of any safety concerns found.
How to get a certificate
The process is straightforward: hire an RGI registered installer to carry out the work or inspection, and they are required to issue the appropriate certificate on completion.
If you are having a new boiler fitted or other notifiable gas work carried out, ask for the completion certificate before paying the final invoice. A reputable installer will have it ready. If they hesitate or claim it is not their responsibility, that is a red flag.
If you need a safety inspection and report — for example, when buying a property or as an annual landlord check — book an RGI registered installer for a safety inspection. Costs are typically €80 to €150 depending on location. Find an RGI registered installer in your county.
What to do if you lost your certificate
If you have lost a completion certificate for work carried out in the past, you cannot get a retrospective one. However, you can commission a current safety inspection and receive a report on the present condition of your gas installation. This confirms current safety, which is often what a solicitor, insurer or tenant actually needs.
For future work, keep a digital scan of every certificate alongside the physical copy.
Landlord obligations
Landlords are legally required to have all gas appliances in rental properties inspected annually by an RGI registered installer. Records must be kept for at least two years and provided to tenants on request.
Failure to maintain gas safety records as a landlord can result in significant financial penalties under the Residential Tenancies Act and could expose you to serious liability if a gas incident occurs.