Short answer: Yes. Since the 2018 amendment to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations, landlords can have the yearly gas safety check done up to two months before the deadline and keep the original expiry date. A check done 10 to 12 months after the last one runs to the same date next year. Done earlier, the cycle resets.
Before 2018, landlords who booked a gas safety check early lost the time. A check done in October for a record due in December started a new 12 months from October. Many landlords ended up with dates drifting earlier each year. The 2018 change fixed that.
The rule
The HSE guidance says that under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, you can have the annual check on each gas appliance or flue carried out up to two months before the date it is due, and still keep the original deadline date. It is treated as if the check had been done exactly 12 months after the previous one.
In practice, this gives you a window of 10 to 12 months after the last check.
Examples
| Previous record expires | Check done | New record runs to |
|---|---|---|
| 30 November | 1 October | 30 November next year |
| 30 November | 15 November | 30 November next year |
| 30 November | 15 September | 15 September next year |
| 31 May | 1 April | 31 May next year |
The third row shows what happens if you go outside the window. Doing the check more than two months early resets the date.
Keep the paper trail
Because you are claiming the old expiry date, you need to be able to show it. HSE advises keeping the previous record so the dates can be proved. Keep each record for at least two years, and in practice keep the last two at least. Digital records are fine.
The engineer should write the check date on the record. Some also note the original deadline. If yours does not, keep the older record with it.
Why this matters in London
Lining up with tenancy changes
In areas with lots of lets, such as Wimbledon, Fulham and Clapham, tenancies often end in summer. If a record expires in September, a check in July can happen while the flat is empty between tenants, with no change to the expiry date. Our Wimbledon area page covers the lettings there.
Avoiding the autumn rush
Google search data for London shows boiler service demand in October running at about four times May and June. The two month window lets landlords with November or December deadlines book in September or October, a little ahead of the peak. To move the date further into summer, you have to accept one shorter year, resetting the cycle once.
Several properties
If you have several flats, you can use the window to gather checks onto the same day. Flats in one converted house can all be done together if each is within its window.
How to move a date permanently
If your record falls in January and you want it in June, the two month window alone will not get you there. You have two choices:
- One reset. Do the check in June, more than two months early. The new record runs from June. You lose a few months on that one cycle.
- Gradual move. Each year, book near the start of the two month window. The date stays the same, so this does not move it. Only a reset changes the cycle.
Most landlords take the one reset if the new date suits them better long term.
Combining with a service
Many landlords book a full boiler service at the same visit as the gas safety check. Makers usually want a yearly service for the warranty. Keeping both on one date means one visit and one date to remember. If you reset the gas safety date, think about the warranty too. A service done a little early is generally safer than one done late. See our post on missed services and warranties.
Tenants and the 28 day rule
Whatever the date, existing tenants must get a copy within 28 days of the check, and new tenants before they move in. If you renew early during a tenancy, send the copy as usual.
Checklist
- Find the expiry date on your current record
- Book between two months before and the expiry date
- Keep the old record with the new one
- Send the new record to tenants within 28 days
- Note the next due date
A worked example for a London portfolio
Say you own three flats. Flat A expires in March, flat B in June, flat C in November. To bring them together, renew flat A on time in March, and renew flats B and C in that same March visit. Both are more than two months early, so their cycles reset to March and you lose a few months on each, once. From then on all three fall in March, and each year you can book them in January or February inside the window and keep March expiry dates.
Booking
Our landlord service and CP12 page explains what the visit covers. Give us the current expiry date when booking and we can suggest a date within the window.
Gas work in the UK must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Ask for the ID card and check the number on the Gas Safe Register.
Quick questions
What if I renew three months early?
The two month rule does not apply. The new record runs 12 months from the new check date, so you lose some time.
Do I need to keep the old record?
Yes. HSE says to keep the previous record until two further checks have been done, to show the early check followed on correctly.
Can I let a gas safety record lapse between tenants?
If you provide gas appliances in a let property, keep it in date. New tenants must get a copy before moving in.
Last updated 23 October 2026. Written for homes in London. Rules can change, so check the linked sources for the latest position.