Can I sell my house without a boiler certificate?

So, you've decided to sell up. Congratulations on your decision! But is your boiler about to throw a spanner in the works?

You may have heard that a boiler needs the correct documentation before a house can be sold. But what exactly is required?

Let's take a look.

What is a boiler certificate?

If you've found yourself online frantically searching for 'selling house no boiler certificate' – you're in the right place. 

First things first – what is a boiler certificate? 

A boiler certificate could refer to a few things:

• Gas safety certificate
• Boiler installation certificate 
• Gas safety record
• CP12 certificate
• Building Regulations Compliance Certificate 
• Landlord's gas safety check

Now, most of these terms are actually referring to the same thing. Confused? Don't be. Let's break it down.

A gas safety certificate – which is now usually referred to as a gas safety record – is a document to show that a registered gas safety engineer has checked a gas boiler. This check will assess the boiler for hazards like gas leaks and carbon monoxide emissions. 

Every homeowner should get an annual gas safety inspection and resulting certificate for their own safety, although it's not required by law. 

Landlords, however, are required by law to get an annual gas safety inspection – or a 'landlord's gas safety check'. The resulting certificate has been historically known as the CP12 certificate – although this term is becoming less commonly used in favour of simply a 'gas safety record'.

You can move house without a gas safety certificate (aka gas safety record) in place, as a gas boiler service is something the new owners can arrange if yours is out of date. However, don't be surprised if it puts potential buyers off as they will want to know the boiler's status to ensure it's safe.

So, I DON'T need a boiler certificate to move house?

Hang on – we never said that! Meet the Building Regulations Compliance Certificate, often referred to as a boiler installation certificate or, simply, a boiler certificate. 

This is an extremely important document that certifies that your heating system was originally installed in accordance with the building regulations and structural requirements of the property – essentially assuring that it was installed safely in the first place. Think of it as your boiler's birth certificate, which it must keep throughout its entire life.

Whether this certificate was issued two years ago or twenty years ago – you need it, and technically speaking, you cannot sell a house without it. 

Most of the time, it will be a case of digging it out, as you or your solicitor probably insisted on seeing one when you bought the property. 

If you are confident that you've never had one, the good news is you may be able to order a replacement certificate from the Gas Safe Register's website. If your details are on their system, they can send out a duplicate certificate for a £6 charge.

Bear in mind that If the Building Regulations Compliance Certificate was issued before 1st April 2009, you'll need to contact CORGI instead. This is because CORGI was replaced by the Gas Safe Register as the gas safety registration body in 2009 in England, so older boilers will have originally been registered with them. 

What if I can't get a replacement Buildings Regulations Compliance Certificate?

If you've tried the Gas Safe Register and CORGI with no luck, you're in a slightly awkward position. It shouldn't stop you from being able to sell your house altogether – but it'll make it more difficult. 

There might be an option to offer buildings indemnity insurance, plus an up-to-date gas safety record, in place of the Buildings Regulations Compliance Certificate. However, you should be aware that this may mean you need to drop your asking price to reflect this. 

It may also put off some buyers altogether, as being unable to prove the compliance of your boiler hints at other issues lurking behind the scenes. 

Moving house can be a stressful business, so this might be a good time to remind you that Home Seller's Protection Insurance can offer a safety net should your sale be one of the 1 in 4 UK property transactions that fall through. 

With Rhino Home Protect, you can claim back up to £1,650 for things like solicitor's and conveyancer's fees that you've already paid should your sale falls through for reasons beyond your control.

Rhino Home Protect offer cover from as little as £69. Get in touch today to speak to one of our friendly agents to find out more about how it could protect you.