If you are one of the many millions of households in the UK with a mains gas connection, you should already be aware of the Gas Safe register. Gas Safe is an industry standard that helps keep you safe in your home. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Gas Safe register?
The Gas Safe register is a list of all the engineers and companies in the UK who are able to safely carry out work on gas appliances. It includes installers and installation companies who are qualified to work on gas or LPG appliances (including installation, servicing, maintenance and repair).
By law, every gas engineer working in the UK needs to be actively registered on the Gas Safe register in order to work on gas, oil and LPG appliances. Gas Safe replaced CORGI registration and is there for your protection, so use it and be safe.
Why does being Gas Safe matter to you?
An installer who is not Gas Safe is unlikely to be able to carry out work on your appliances safely. Recent research by the Gas Safe Register found that as many as 96 per cent of illegal gas jobs were found to be unsafe, which could put you and your family at risk.
Poor workmanship is likely to damage your appliances, and could mean that expensive repairs are needed later on. Worse than that is the situation where your appliances have actually been made dangerous by the illegal fitter, causing risk of explosion or of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning to you and your family.
By choosing a Gas Safe installer, you can be confident that you are working with a qualified, inspected and trustworthy engineer, who will do their best to ensure you are safe, warm and healthy in your home.
What does Gas Safe tell you about your installer?
Installers have to complete a number of key requirements to be able to be added to the Gas Safe register. These include:
- Relevant qualifications: Your installer will need to have completed an NVQ or SVQ, or will have been awarded an ACS or QCF for delivering work that is up to the required national standard.
- Fuel based qualifications: In addition to the basic Gas Safe requirements, some installers will have completed additional training in order to work on other fuels, such as LPG or oil.
- Recent qualifications: Gas Safe engineers are required to retrain every five years in order to maintain their registration. This means they are always up to date with the latest requirements and safety practices.
- Completed probation: All Gas Safe businesses are required to undertake a three-month probationary period, during which time the Gas Safe register will review and inspect all works carried out. The business will only move out of probation once they have passed their inspections.
Businesses have to renew their registrations every 12 months, and should possess a Gas Safe registration card which is valid and in date before carrying out any work at your home.
Checking your installer is Gas Safe registered
The easiest way to check if your installer is an active Gas Safe member is to ask to see their card. Don’t just accept a wave of a card in your direction; physically take the card from their hand and check it out thoroughly. You need to check that:
- The card is still valid: You’ll find this at the bottom of the card, underneath the photograph and name. There should be a valid from and expiry date on the card.
- They are qualified to do the work: On the back of the card, there should be a list of types of work that the person is qualified to do. It will also list if they are qualified to do these types of work on gas or LPG appliances, and whether they are able to work in non-domestic premises. They are only deemed competent in the categories of work that have a date by them.
- Check their registration number with Gas Safe: At the top of the card, next to the photo, is the engineers license number. It is also printed large in the middle of the card. It should be a seven-digit number, and if you feel you would like further confirmation, you can call into Gas Safe to check the engineer’s status. Their number is 0800 408 5500, and is printed on the front of the card for your convenience.
If you’ve used our installer directory or our Quotes Service to find your installer, you shouldn’t have any problems with their registration. However, it is always a good idea to check their card when they arrive, to ensure you are dealing with the person you expected. It’s better to be Gas Safe than sorry.
