Cowboy Gas Fitters
Most of us like a job done for the cheapest possible price, it’s human nature, but those considering using a non-qualified gas engineer to do some work on their gas appliance, need to think again. Because, if the person offering to work on your appliance is not on the current Gas Safety Register, with the appropriate qualifications, then a crime is being committed.
If you are tempted into evil, by a good price, and the chap bearing gifts is not legally allowed to carry out the work, then you are literally risking not only your life, but the lives of your family, friends and pets.
Gas work carried out by untrained people (those who basically keep themselves up to date with installation, service and repair methods, and are fully familiar with the dangers posed by appliances) can have some unfortunate results, including fire and explosions, as well as serious injury and death.
So remember the simple rule. It is against the law (not just a recommendation note) for anyone not on the current Gas Safe Register to work on gas appliances in Great Britain and Isle of Man.
The Gas Safe Register is there to protect people from rogue workmen – cowboys if you like – that pretend that they have the necessary qualifications and paperwork, yet don’t. And whereas you might shave a few pounds off the bill, is that really worth your own life, nevermind the lives of your loved ones?
The Gas Safe Register employ a team of highly qualified engineers who actively seek out shoddy work. When the team receive a complaint, or hear about an illegal gas worker not on the Gas Safe Register, then go and investigate, and often find that accidents are just waiting to happen.
Consider these two statistics reported by the Gas Safe Register. The team of engineers discovered that 74% of gas appliances they inspected put the user’s life and their property in danger if they weren’t soon repaired by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. And, very worryingly, 12% of gas appliances they inspected were in a state that put the user and their property in an immediate danger.
Okay, so that’s clear enough, but how do you check that the person quoting for your business is legal. Ask for the ID, which includes a photograph, the fact that they are currently on the register and what work they are qualified to undertake. For example, an engineer registered to work on a gas fire, may not be able to work on a gas boiler. And, one final point on the their ID. The ID should show if they work for themselves, or a firm. If you think that a gas engineer who has an ID from say a gas utility, but is offering to do some work in his own time, then this is also illegal.
But be reassured that there are over 120,000 engineers on the Gas Safe Register and if you need help, then they can check for you, or indeed, help find a Gas Safe registered engineer in your local area. And if you think that someone is offering you to do the work illegally, then please report them and the Sage Gas Register will investigate their work.
Finally, if you’ve had gas work done in the last six months, you can nominate it for a free gas safety inspection.
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