For most commercial boilers and gas appliances the law sets no fixed service interval: it requires them to be kept safe. HSE guidance says the frequency should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and, as a general rule, treats an annual inspection as a reasonable minimum, so once a year is the baseline and some equipment needs more.
This guide explains where the once-a-year baseline comes from, when it is not enough, and how to plan servicing around your building.
What the law requires
If you are an employer or self-employed, regulation 35 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 requires the gas appliances, installation pipework and flues at a workplace under your control to be maintained in a safe condition. HSE’s guidance for employers adds: have them regularly maintained, keep rooms with gas appliances ventilated, and do not use an appliance you suspect is unsafe.
Who may do the work matters too. In workplaces such as shops, restaurants, schools and hospitals, work on gas fittings must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer who is qualified for that work. You can check an engineer’s registration and qualifications on the Gas Safe Register website.
Regulation 35 does not set an interval. HSE’s guidance on gas safety in catering says the frequency of inspection and servicing may vary with the equipment and its use, should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and, as a general rule, treats annual inspections as a reasonable minimum.
Residential lettings are different. Under regulation 36, a landlord must have the gas appliances and flues in let accommodation safety-checked every 12 months and give tenants a copy of the record. HSE says this covers residential accommodation such as hotels, guest houses and staff accommodation, so a building with rooms or flats as well as commercial space may fall under both sets of rules.
When once a year is not enough
An annual visit suits a boiler that runs through the heating season in an ordinary office. Plenty of commercial equipment works harder than that. Consider more frequent visits when:
- The plant runs most of the year. Care homes, hotels and leisure buildings need heating and hot water every day. More running hours mean more wear between services.
- A breakdown would be serious. In a care home, a school in January or a kitchen at lunchtime, losing gas or heat is more than an inconvenience. An interim visit between annual services helps find problems early.
- The manufacturer says so. The manufacturer’s instructions set the service requirements for each appliance. Follow them.
- Your insurer or lease says so. Check the policy conditions and the repairing obligations in the lease. They may set the interval for you.
- The plant is old. Older boilers, burners and controls need closer attention, and the service history helps you plan their replacement before they fail.
Commercial kitchens
Gas cooking equipment often works long hours. HSE’s catering guidance applies the same rule: follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, with annual inspection as a reasonable minimum and repairs carried out as necessary.
Kitchens have one extra check that matters. HSE expects an interlock between the mechanical ventilation and the gas supply, so that if the ventilation fails, the gas to the appliances shuts off. Manual bypasses of the interlock are not permitted. When a Gas Safe engineer inspects catering equipment, HSE says they apply the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure to anything they find. Our commercial kitchens and catering page covers interlock checks and what to have ready for a CP42 inspection.
A service is not always a safety record
A boiler service and gas safety certification are related, but not always the same thing. A service keeps the equipment working well: cleaning, adjustment, checks on safety devices and controls, and notes on performance and condition. Gas safety certification is separate documentation for the installation and appliances.
At ComGas we do not treat certification as a routine part of every servicing visit. Where gas certification applies to a job, we confirm and agree it before work begins, so you know exactly what you will receive and there is no gap in your files.
Planning a servicing programme
The best time to service heating plant is before you need it. For most buildings that means late summer or early autumn, before the heating season. Schools often use the summer holidays, when plant can be taken out of service without affecting lessons.
A good programme lists every gas appliance in the building, its service interval and the date it was last done. It brings servicing, certification and any testing together, so engineers visit once rather than several times. It also turns the findings into a list of priorities. When a service finds something that needs more work, you should get a clear explanation and a separate quote before anything is done. Our planned preventative maintenance programmes work this way: we look at the equipment in the building first, then agree the scope and visit frequency.
Resilience matters too. When Hatch Mill Care Home in Farnham replaced its boilers, the new plant was set up as a cascade of smaller boilers, so the others keep the home warm if one is out of service. Plant of that kind still needs planned servicing, so faults are found before they matter.
Key facts
- Employers and the self-employed must keep gas appliances, installation pipework and flues at the workplace in a safe condition (regulation 35).
- For most commercial equipment the law sets no fixed interval. HSE guidance treats an annual inspection as a reasonable minimum.
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, which may call for more.
- In workplaces such as shops, restaurants, schools and hospitals, gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer qualified for the work.
- Let residential accommodation, including hotels and staff accommodation, needs a landlord safety check every 12 months (regulation 36).
- Commercial kitchens need the gas supply interlocked with the mechanical ventilation.
- Keep every service record: insurers, landlords and inspectors may ask for them.
Frequently asked questions
Is an annual service a legal requirement for commercial boilers?
The law requires commercial gas appliances to be kept safe, but for most equipment it does not set a fixed interval. HSE guidance treats an annual inspection as a reasonable minimum, and the manufacturer’s instructions may ask for more.
What is the difference between a service and gas safety certification?
A service keeps the equipment working well. Gas safety certification is separate documentation. Both can be done on the same visit, but confirm what you will receive before the engineer arrives.
When is the best time of year to service commercial boilers?
Late summer or early autumn, before the heating season. Schools often use the summer holidays. Care homes and other buildings that need heat all year should agree a time that suits residents and staff.
How often should a commercial kitchen be inspected?
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. HSE’s catering guidance treats an annual inspection as a reasonable minimum, and heavily used equipment or your insurer’s terms can mean more.
Talk to us about servicing
ComGas plans and carries out commercial boiler servicing and heating maintenance for schools, care homes and commercial buildings across Surrey and the surrounding counties, at a frequency agreed for your equipment. Read more about our commercial boiler servicing and heating maintenance, or call 01252 214120.