Commercial pipework testing enquiries
Commercial gas test certificates: choose the right checks
Has a landlord, contractor or insurer asked you for a gas test certificate? The wording can refer to different records. We can review your request before you book, so the quotation identifies the work your premises actually need.
A pipework tightness test, a catering safety inspection and a boiler check serve different purposes. Tell us about the installation and the document requested.
Attendance and installation suitability are confirmed after reviewing your enquiry.
Request a scoped quotation
Use the location field for the full postcode. In “How can we help?”, give the fuel, premises use, requested test or document, known pipework details and shutdown restrictions. Say whether the supply is shared. Ask how to send drawings or earlier records; this form has no upload. An enquiry does not confirm attendance.
Start with what needs to be checked
“Commercial gas test certificate” is a search term, not a specification for a complete inspection. Share the exact wording from your lease, maintenance plan or contractor’s request so the proposed record can be checked against it.
Gas pipework testing
Tightness testing assesses the defined installation or section for gas tightness under the applicable procedure. Strength testing and purging are different operations, specified where needed.
Ask for the test boundary and record to be identified in the quotation.
Kitchen appliance safety
If the request concerns cooking equipment, start with the commercial catering inspection page. Explain whether it is a fixed kitchen or a mobile unit.
A pipework test on its own does not cover the kitchen’s appliance safety checks.
Heating and wider inspections
For boilers and heating equipment, use the commercial boiler safety route. If several types of equipment are involved, see our commercial gas inspection overview.
What a test record can tell you
The record should make clear where testing took place, which section was tested, the procedure used, the recorded results and any limitations or further action. Confirm the document format and delivery arrangements before the visit, particularly if another party needs to accept it.
CORGI Direct’s CP16 is a non-domestic gas testing and purging form. It is one record format, not a universal certificate for commercial kitchens, boilers and every other installation. Upkeepone’s quotation should confirm the record appropriate to the agreed work; do not assume a particular form will be issued.
The relevant testing procedure depends on the installation. IGEM publishes separate procedures for industrial and commercial pipework, smaller installations and meter installations. The engineer selects the applicable procedure; customers do not need to choose a test pressure or duration.
A recorded test result applies to the scope and conditions of that test. It does not certify every connected appliance or remove the need for ongoing maintenance.
Plan the scope, access and interruption
Explain the reason
Tell us whether this follows proposed alterations, a handover request, maintenance planning or a request for evidence from a third party. Describe the premises and any connected plant; unusual or industrial equipment needs a suitability assessment.
Identify new, existing or altered pipework and the section the request concerns. Existing drawings or reports can help establish that boundary. If the extent or operating conditions are unknown, say so; a site assessment may be needed before the test can be specified.
Agree access
Identify the person who can authorise a shutdown and provide access to the meter, isolation points and relevant equipment. Mention locked plant rooms, shared supplies, permits, tenant coordination and restricted working hours.
Allow for downtime
Testing may interrupt gas use. The shutdown, any necessary purging and safe return to use must be planned for the actual installation. Do not promise staff a reopening time until those arrangements have been agreed.
What affects the quotation?
Price depends on the test required, pipework extent and available information, fuel, operating conditions, access, travel, working hours and the arrangements for taking equipment out of use. A site assessment may be needed before a firm scope and price can be given. We have not published a standard price because these enquiries are not interchangeable.
The quotation should state whether appliance inspections, strength testing, purging, recommissioning or further investigation are included. Servicing, repairs, replacement parts and repeat attendance are not automatically part of a test booking. Necessary safety checks remain part of carrying out the agreed work safely.
Responsibilities and engineer suitability
Employers have duties to maintain workplace gas appliances, installation pipework and flues in a safe condition. That does not create one annual certificate rule for every non-domestic site. Inspection arrangements need to reflect the equipment, relevant legal duties and maintenance advice; a lease or insurer may set additional conditions.
Ask for confirmation that the engineer is qualified for the fuel, installation and work being proposed. Gas Safe registration alone does not establish competence for every commercial appliance or testing category. We assess enquiries before confirming an appointment; this page does not promise acceptance of every pressure range, industrial process or LPG installation.
If the work identifies an unsafe condition, the engineer will explain the findings and required safety action. Further investigation or remedial work may be necessary before equipment can be used. The agreed record should document the outcome rather than guarantee a satisfactory result in advance.
HSE’s workplace guidance here concerns Great Britain. For Northern Ireland, the applicable requirements need separate checking.
Think gas may be escaping? Leave the affected area and phone from safety: 0800 111 999 for natural gas in Great Britain, or your LPG supplier’s emergency service for LPG. Use that route immediately rather than waiting for a testing quotation.
Where to request commercial gas testing
The following areas apply to separately quoted commercial pipework tightness testing on natural gas or LPG:
Priority areas
London, Essex and Kent.
Also covered
Hertfordshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Sussex.
Elsewhere in the UK
Send the postcode and job details for consideration. Attendance outside these areas is by request.
Attendance depends on postcode, installation, access, travel and appropriately qualified engineer availability. Each installation is assessed individually, including its fuel, operating conditions and proposed test boundary. A covered postcode does not establish support for every pressure range or item of plant.
Strength testing, purging and any other work need separate confirmation of scope, competence, support and attendance. The tightness-testing coverage above does not establish availability for all of those tasks.
For LPG appliance inspections, use our fixed commercial LPG page or mobile catering LPG page.
Gas testing questions before booking
Is a gas test certificate the same as a commercial gas safety record?
Not necessarily. A pipework test record documents a defined test, while an appliance safety inspection covers the equipment and safety checks agreed for that visit. Tell us who requested the document and what they need it to demonstrate.
What is a CP16 form used for?
CORGI Direct labels CP16 as a non-domestic gas testing and purging form. The reference describes a record format; it does not mean that every inspection includes purging or that this is the document every business needs. Confirm the required record when agreeing the work.
Does a pipework test cover my cookers or boiler?
A satisfactory pipework test alone does not establish that an appliance, its flue or its ventilation is safe. If you also need a kitchen or heating inspection, include that in your enquiry so the checks and records can be specified together.
Does a commercial gas test certificate expire after 12 months?
There is no single expiry rule for everything described as a commercial gas test certificate. A test record relates to the work and conditions recorded on its date. Future inspection or testing needs depend on the installation, relevant duties, maintenance arrangements and any contractual requirements.
Can testing be arranged outside trading hours?
Include your acceptable shutdown times and any restrictions in the enquiry. The practical arrangements, engineer availability and any additional attendance costs need to be agreed before an appointment is confirmed.
Can you quote for LPG pipework as well as natural gas?
Identify the fuel and describe the installation before requesting a price. Natural gas and LPG enquiries are assessed against the proposed work and the available engineer’s relevant qualifications. A postcode within our coverage does not confirm that a particular installation can be accepted.
What happens if a test finds a problem?
The engineer explains the findings and any immediate safety action needed. Repair work, further investigation and repeat testing may require a separate quotation. Ask which report will be supplied for incomplete or unsatisfactory work; a visit cannot guarantee a satisfactory result.
What should I send if I do not know the pipework details?
Start with your postcode, business type, fuel and the wording of the request you received. Existing records, a site drawing or safely taken photographs may help with the assessment. Do not remove covers or operate gas controls to gather information.
Send the request you have been given
Your postcode, fuel type and the reason for testing are the best starting point. Add the requested certificate wording and any deadline, and we can clarify the proposed scope and availability before you commit to an appointment.
Technical references: IGEM testing and purging procedures; HSE guidance for employers; CORGI Direct: CP16 form purpose.
Coverage, quotation guidance and layout reviewed: 26 October 2026.
