Raising awareness about gas safety is critical to protecting the public. Unfortunately, there are still instances of illegal and dangerous gas work carried out by unqualified, unregistered “gas engineers”, as well as cases of landlords failing to meet legal gas safety requirements. Below are just some of the news stories that have been reported this year, followed by tips on how you can keep yourself, your family, your community, and, if you’re a landlord, your tenants safe.
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- Crewe Magistrates Court Convicts Contractor for Illegal Gas Work
- Suspended Gas Engineer Sentenced in Belfast
- London Builder & Gas Fitter Flaunt the Law
- Uncooperative, Unqualified, Unregistered Gas Installer Fined
- Burnley Landlord Billed £2000 for Failing To Ensure Gas Safety
- Gas Safety Advice
- Further Information
Crewe Magistrates Court Convicts Contractor for Illegal Gas Work
Robert Allen, a self-employed contractor who has never been Gas Safe registered, was convicted by Crewe Magistrates Court for two breaches of Regulation 3 (3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as well as breaches of Regulations 3 (7) and 5 (3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He pleaded guilty to all charges, earning him a £5263 fine, 200 hours of community service, and a 40-week suspended sentence.[1]
The Court heard how Mr Allen, who traded under A&E Property Services, had issued himself with a false gas registration number and had also used the registration number of an unconnected company. Under this guise, he had improperly and dangerously replaced a boiler at an address in Ledward Street, Winsford. Issues such as pressure loss and water leaks alerted the property owner to a potential problem. After an inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer in August 2019, the incident was reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who subsequently conducted their own investigation of the work.
The HSE discovered undersized gas pipework amongst an array of other issues such as an unsealed flue, an incorrectly located pressure relief valve, an appliance that had not been commissioned, and corrosion to the gas pipework. All these defects could have proved fatal as they can lead to carbon monoxide leaks, scalding, unsafe combustion, and unburned gas release.
Ian Betley, an HSE Inspector, said after the hearing
“This case highlights the dangers of carrying out unregistered gas work. All gas work must be done by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met in order to prevent injury and loss of life. Installers will be prosecuted if they carry out gas work without the proper qualifications. Householders should check that anyone they allow to work on the gas supply is gas safe registered.”
Suspended Gas Engineer Sentenced in Belfast
On the 12th April 2022, Belfast Magistrates Court fined David Horner, trading as EDH Plumbing, Belfast, £2500 for multiple breaches of gas safety legislation as well as failing to comply with a prohibition notice issued to him by an HSENI Inspector in June 2017.[2]
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) discovered that, despite being suspended as a gas engineer from the Gas Safe Register, Mr Horner had continued to carry out gas work at various properties within the Greater Belfast area. Between February 2017 and October 2017, Mr Horner conducted numerous gas safety checks and boiler installations. It was also found that Ian Campbell, trading as Ian Campbell Gas Services Bangor, Co. Down, sub-contracted thirty-four gas safety checks to Mr Horner without verifying that he was Gas Safe Registered. Belfast Magistrates Court also fined Mr Campbell for his transgressions. He has been ordered to pay £1500.
Commenting after the hearing, Gavin Rowan, an Inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team, said
"Conducting gas work without being registered to do so is not only a failure to comply with gas safety regulations, it unnecessarily places homeowners, tenants and others at significant risk from gas installations that may not have been properly maintained or inspected.
All gas engineers have a legal responsibility to ensure that they are registered with Gas Safe Register as competent to do the work. Home owners and occupants can check if a gas engineer is currently Gas Safe Registered by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk"
HVP Magazine has the Full Story
London Builder & Gas Fitter Flaunt the Law
In February 2019, HSM Builders Limited, the main contractor for a domestic renovation in South London, hired Valentin Paulic, trading as VP Plumbing & Heating, to carry out plumbing and gas work such as installing new gas boilers and gas cookers. However, HSM Builders Ltd did not check that Valentin Paulic was Gas Safe registered, as is required by law for anyone undertaking gas work. Mr Paulic’s sub-parr work was subsequently found to be ‘Immediately Dangerous’: it posed an imminent threat to life and property.[3]
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) followed. It revealed that Mr Paulic was not Gas Safe registered and that HSM Builders Ltd had failed in their responsibility to check that he was registered to complete the work before they employed him. Gordan Carson, an HSE Inspector, said after the hearing at Southwark Crown Court
“All gas work must be done by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.
HSE will not hesitate to take enforcement action against people who break the gas safety rules, which are in place to protect the public. We would encourage anyone who is asking for gas work to be done to make sure they check the engineer has the right skills and is registered with Gas Safe Register. Homeowners can ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe Register identification card, which contains key information.
By law, businesses should make reasonable efforts to obtain evidence that any person they intend to perform gas installation work, either under contract or on their own behalf, is a member, or employed by a member, of Gas Safe Register.”
Both parties pleaded guilty at the hearing: Mr Paulic to a breach of Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; and HSM Builders Ltd to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Valentin Paulic was sentenced to ten months in custody (suspended for twelve months), placed under curfew, and ordered to pay £1644 in compensation to the property owners as well as £4747.68 in costs; while HSM Builders Ltd was fined £50 000 and made to pay £4859 in costs.
Uncooperative, Unqualified, Unregistered Gas Installer Fined
Luke Rodgers, a plumber suspected of undertaking dangerous and illegal gas work he was unqualified to carry out, has been fined by Huddersfield Magistrates Court for refusing to cooperate with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).[4]
It is alleged that in February 2020, Mr Rogers unlawfully replaced a boiler at a property in Tingley, Wakefield. When a Gas Safe registered engineer attended the house, it was discovered that the new boiler had been left in such a dangerous state that it had to be immediately disconnected from the gas supply.
HSE interviewed Mr Rogers under caution. In the interview, Mr Rogers explains that he and a friend had been employed to labour at the property and that he had completed the boiler installation work only up to the point when the boiler needed to be connected to the gas supply. He alleges that he arranged for a different qualified friend to complete the gas work. However, he refused to provide the names of either of his friends which prevented the HSE inspector from following reasonable lines of enquiry. This is an offence.
On the 8th August 2022, Mr Rogers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33(1) (e) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Huddersfield Magistrates Court. He was ordered to pay £1500 in costs and fined £583.
David Beaton, an HSE Inspection, said of the ruling that
“The defendant blatantly failed to comply with a requirement under the Health and Safety at Work (etc) Act 1974. This prosecution would not have happened had the defendant provided the information.
Hopefully, this will send a warning to others that failing to comply with Her Majesty’s Inspectors while they exercise their lawful powers will not be condoned by the HSE.”
HSE’s Full Press Release Can Be Found Here
Burnley Landlord Billed £2000 for Failing To Ensure Gas Safety
Private landlord Mark Taylor has pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching selective licensing conditions in Burnley Magistrates Court. Mr Taylor owns four properties within the Burnley Wood selective licensing area. He failed to provide valid gas certificates for all four of these properties. It is a condition of selective licensing areas that annual safety checks are conducted and safety certificates are made available to the council upon request. National regulations also require landlords to obtain an annual gas safety certificate.[5]
It was revealed in court that three of the properties hadn’t had a valid gas safety certificate since 2020, and the other since 2019. Thankfully, no gas-related incidents occurred during this time. The magistrates also heard that despite the council’s efforts to contact Mr Taylor they had not received a reply and that the defendant had previously been fined £5000 for a similar offence relating to a different Burnley property.
In mitigation, Mr Taylor, who has recently registered as disabled, explained that he had been unable to visit the properties as much as he used to and that he had been let down by those he had put in charge of them. However, he conceded that it was his responsibility to comply with the law. Mr Taylor has been fined £2000 and instructed to pay £640 in costs and charges.
Burnley Council’s housing boss, Councillor John Harbour, said of the verdict
"The priority must always be the safety of tenants in their home. It’s a basic responsibility of any landlord.
This was a serious breach of mandatory conditions that are in place to save lives.
This prosecution sends out a clear message that we will take strong action against any landlord who doesn’t ensure the safety of their tenants.”
Mr Taylor has since employed the services of a reputable agent to aid in the maintenance of his properties.
Gas Safety Advice
It is worrying that there are still so many stories about unregistered "gas engineers" carrying out illegal gas work but fear not, there are some simple steps you can take to root out unregistered or fraudulently registered engineers:
- Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered: verify your engineer is Gas Safe registered by visiting GasSafeRegister.co.uk or calling the free helpline on 0800 408 5500.
- Check your engineer is qualified for the type of gas work you require: this information can be found on the back of your engineer's Gas Safe ID card and on the Gas Safe Register website. Always ask to see your engineer's Gas Safe ID card before they commence work.
These are just two steps that you can take to ensure your own gas safety; others include:
- Getting your gas appliances checked every year
- Looking out for warning signs indicating that your gas appliances aren't working correctly
- Knowing the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
- Installing an audible CO alarm
- Helping your local community to maintain their own gas safety
Gas Safety Advice for Landlords
The safety of your tenants is paramount. Landlords should abide by the following advice as well as the pointers above:
- Gas pipework, appliances, and flues provided for tenants must be maintained in a safe condition
- All gas appliances and flues provided for tenants must have an annual safety check
- A Gas Safety Record should be provided to existing tenants within 28 days of completing the check or to a new tenant before they move in
- Keep a copy of your Gas Safety Record until two further checks have been completed
- Check that all gas equipment, including appliances left by a previous tenant, is safe or removed before re-letting
- Ensure that maintenance and annual safety checks are performed by a Gas Safe registered engineer
More Gas Safety Advice for Landlords
Further Information
For help finding a Gas Safe registered engineer or to check your engineer’s credentials, please visit the Gas Safe Register website, or call their free hotline on 0800 408 5500.
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[1] All the information about this story was gathered from HSE, last accessed 02 September 2022
[2] All the information about this story was gathered from HVP Magazine, Northern Irish Gas Engineers Fined Following Illegal Gas Work, last accessed 02 September 2022
[3] All the information about this story was gathered from HSE, last accessed 02 September 2022
[4] All the information about this story was gathered from HSE, Unregistered gas installer fined after failing to answer questions from HSE inspector, last accessed 18 October 2022
[5] All the information about this story was gathered from Bill Jacobs, ‘Private landlord fined £2000 over gas safety’, Yahoo News, last accessed 18 October 2022
