“The certificate existed.
The proof of service did not.”
Mark has rented a flat in Leeds for six years. His gas certificate is in a folder. His EICR is somewhere in email. His agent manages the day-to-day.
In March 2026 his tenant stops paying rent. Mark serves a Section 8 notice. At the possession hearing, the judge asks for evidence the current EICR was served to the tenant at the start of the tenancy — not just obtained.
Mark cannot produce it. The hearing is adjourned. He pays for a second hearing and loses three months of rent.