Service reminders for gas and heating firms: annual services, CP12s and stale databases

Set boiler service reminders from each customer's last visit date: first message eight weeks before it's due, a second at four weeks, then a call. For landlords, a gas safety check can be done up to two months early and keep the original due date, so aim reminders at that window. Keep messages factual: a neutral reminder is a service message, not marketing.

What are the rules on landlord gas safety checks?

Landlords must get a Gas Safe registered engineer to check every gas appliance and flue they provide every 12 months, keep the record for 2 years, and give it to tenants. The check that produces the landlord gas safety record, often called a CP12, is a legal duty for the landlord. A homeowner's boiler service is advisory.

For homeowners, Gas Safe Register advises getting a boiler serviced annually or in line with the manufacturer's guidelines, and ideally before winter. For what goes on the record itself, see our CP12 gas safety record guide.

Is it different in Northern Ireland?

The annual check, 2-year record and 28-day copy rules are the same under the Northern Ireland 2004 regulations. The two-month early window that GB introduced in 2018 isn't yet in NI law: HSENI consulted on aligning with GB between December 2025 and February 2026, and no change had been made when we checked. In NI, time reminders so the check is done within 12 months of the last one.

A heating and gas engineer in Northern Ireland with about 700 gas customers told us his records sit in software with no open API, and he's afraid of losing six to seven years of data. If that's you, export what you can (a CSV of customers and last service dates) before you change anything.

When should reminders go out?

Work back from the due date. Here's a landlord check due on 14 November 2026.

Homeowner services follow the same pattern without the legal deadline. Many firms send the first reminder a month before the anniversary and fill quieter weeks first.

What should the reminder say?

When it's due, how to book, and nothing else. Copy these and change the brackets.

Hi first name, it's Firm name. Your boiler make at address was last serviced on date, so it's due again around due month.

Reply with a day that suits and we'll book you in, or call number.

Reply STOP if you'd rather not get service reminders.

Hi first name, the gas safety check at property address is due by due date.

We can do it any time from window start date and the due date stays the same, so the earlier booking costs you nothing. Please send tenant contact details or a day that works and we'll arrange access.

Firm name, Gas Safe registration number

Hi first name, a last reminder that the gas safety check / boiler service at address is due by due date. We have day and date available. Reply YES to book it, or let us know if someone else now looks after the property.

How do you clean up a stale service database?

Fix the dates before you send anything, or you'll remind people who moved, switched firms or had the boiler replaced. A gas firm we spoke to, owner plus wife on admin with three engineers, had stale gas safety reminders sitting in an old database.

1. Export everything.

   Customers, addresses, phone, email, appliance, last service date. Save a copy before you change anything.

2. Split by type.

   Landlords and letting agents first, because they have a legal deadline, then homeowners.

3. Mark the overdue.

   Anyone more than 12 months since the last visit.

4. Remove the obvious dead.

   No contact details, moved away, or no visit for three years or more.

5. Send one neutral "are you still at this address?" message.

   Update or archive based on replies.

6. Set the next due date on every record.

   That's what the reminders run from.

Who should send the reminders?

Whoever reads the replies. A reminder that gets "Yes, Tuesday" back needs someone to book it within the day. Most job management software can send reminders; check whether it handles WhatsApp and replies, not only email. For setting up WhatsApp for this, see WhatsApp for a trade business, and for getting the visit reported properly, see engineers' job sheets.

The landlord is responsible for the check. If you can't get access after reasonable attempts, write down what you tried and tell the landlord in writing; HSE has separate guidance on access. If you're unsure of a landlord's duty in an unusual setup, ask HSE or a solicitor rather than guessing.

Common questions