When a tenancy ends, the property is often empty for a short window. That is usually the easiest time to complete landlord gas safety timing, test heating and hot water, and fix dripping taps or running toilets before the next occupants arrive — rather than discovering each fault as a tenant complaint in week one.
Why use the between-tenancy window?
- Access is simpler without coordinating multiple occupants
- Gas safety records can be brought in date for the new lease where needed
- Plumbing leaks and sanitary faults can be cleared before move-in
- Heating and hot water can be tested under less pressure than a mid-winter emergency
Between-tenancy checklist
| Area | What to check | Classification | How Etchells can help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Safety Record | In date for new lease start; copy ready for new tenants before move-in | Legal / regulatory | CP12 / gas safety check |
| Gas appliances | Landlord-provided appliances and flues; remove or check left-behind appliances | Legal / regulatory | Gas safety visit / appliance advice |
| Boiler | Operation, known faults, lockouts, pressure | Legal / regulatory (safe condition / annual check) · Maintenance / good practice | Repairs · servicing |
| CO alarms | Living-accommodation rooms with fixed combustion appliances (excl. gas cookers); working order | Legal / regulatory | Confirm against GOV.UK guidance / licence conditions; competent installer for alarm work |
| Heating controls | Thermostats, programmers, TRVs where fitted | Maintenance / good practice | Heating diagnosis |
| Radiators | Heat, leaks, valves | Maintenance / good practice | Heating / plumbing repairs |
| Hot water | Delivery at baths, showers and sinks | Legal / regulatory (where repair duties apply) · Maintenance / good practice | Boiler / system diagnosis |
| Toilets & cisterns | Running, leaking, incomplete flush | Maintenance / good practice | Bathroom plumbing |
| Taps, showers, basins, baths | Drips, seals vs pipe leaks, poor flow | Maintenance / good practice | Bathroom plumbing |
| Kitchen sinks & wastes | Leaks, traps, blockages | Maintenance / good practice | Kitchen plumbing |
| Appliance connections | Washing machine / dishwasher hoses and isolators | Maintenance / good practice | Kitchen plumbing |
| Pipework & isolation valves | Visible leaks, accessible stop tap / isolators | Maintenance / good practice | Plumbing repairs |
Gas between tenancies
Legal / regulatory
HSE requires relevant gas safety checks to have been carried out within the 12 months before a new lease starts (with limited exceptions for recently installed appliances). New tenants must receive the latest gas safety record before they move in. Left-behind gas appliances should be removed or checked by a Gas Safe engineer before reletting.
Official guidance: HSE landlords’ gas safety.
Plumbing and heating snagging
Maintenance / good practice
Void snagging is preventative property maintenance. It does not replace statutory gas duties. Clearing small faults while the house is empty usually costs less disruption than emergency call-outs after move-in.
Who this page is for
Landlords, letting agents, property managers, portfolio landlords and HMO landlords. Hub: property services.
Void work along our corridor
Between-tenancy plumbing, heating and gas follows our South Birmingham to Worcestershire coverage.
Between-tenancy FAQs
Is every item on the checklist a legal requirement?
No. Gas safety timing and records before a new tenancy are legal/regulatory matters under HSE guidance. Most plumbing and heating snagging items are recommended maintenance while access is easier. Labels on this page separate the two.
Do I need a new gas safety check every time a tenant leaves?
Not automatically on every checkout. HSE requires relevant checks to have been done within the 12 months before a new lease starts, and new tenants must receive the latest record before move-in. If the existing record will still be in date at the new lease start, a fresh check may not be required — but many landlords still use the void to renew early for scheduling.
Should the boiler be serviced between tenancies?
Servicing is preventative maintenance, not the same as the statutory gas safety check. HSE advises following manufacturer instructions (and recommends annual servicing where instructions are unavailable unless a Gas Safe engineer advises otherwise). A void period is often a convenient time to book it.
Can Etchells work through a void list?
Yes. Send the address, access arrangements and a list of plumbing, heating and gas items. We confirm coverage for the postcode and report findings clearly for landlords or agents.
Do you cover voids in South Birmingham and Worcestershire?
Yes along our corridor: South Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Hagley, Kidderminster and the corridor towards Bewdley. Confirm the postcode when you enquire.
Send a void maintenance list
Tell us the address, access arrangements and what you need checked — gas safety, boiler work, plumbing snagging or a mix.