Gas Safe Registration - Legality clarification please

Spiggle

Hi,

Please would you clarify the position with Gas Safe registration and replacing a gas boiler please?

I had a guy around to give me a rough estimate (will give firm quote later) for replacing my gas condensing combi boiler. I later searched for him on the GS register and couldn't find him. I rang him to ask about this and he gave me a number and then said this was registration for a different company, the one he served his apprenticeship with.

If I engaged him to replace the boiler would I be covered e.g. insurance, legality of installation, etc.? Is it normal for an engineer to use someone else's registration number?

I really need to know where I stand on this please. The electronic control panel on my ideal isar (I know!!!) has now failed and is propped in place. This needs sorting fairly rapidly. I'm also concerned that any other GS registered engineers will cut my system off when they come to quote (ok rain down the brickbats!).

If you still want to offer advice, I'd love to know your recommendations for a boiler/size required that runs 9 rads in a detatched bungalow. Straight swop of the systems by the way.

Thanks very much in advance for any advice you may offer.

All the best,
Spigs

southcoastrgi

Every GSR installer will have there own card number & be registered under the company they work for, do a search on the gas safe web site or ring them for the company he gave you, if he is listed under that company it will tell you & also what he is legally able to do, if he is not listed REPORT REPORT REPORT him to gas safe, it is a criminal offence to say you are GSR when you are not, he may cut corners & leave you with a dangerous installation.

AquaJen

Ask to see his card. EVERY GSR installer has their own personal ID card with their picture on it. If he doesn't have one he is not GSR, simple.

Spiggle

Thank you Keith,

He isn't listed under the company registration so he's out as far as I'm concerned.

Will you clarify though the legality of an installation by someone who is not GSR?

I realise that stating you are on a register when not is fraudulent, deceptive and probably illegal.

But to the crux of my question, is having a boiler installed by someone not registered with GS illegal? Does this impact on house insurance? Does it impact on the boiler warranty? I just want to be absolutely clear on law versus wisdom if that makes sense please.

ETS: Oops, cross posted but thanks too AquaJen.

All the best,
Spigs

southcoastrgi

+1 on the above plus it has valid to dates & look at the back & it tells you what they are legally allowed to do. You cannot use another persons reg number, some non GSR fitters do the bulk of the work then get one of their mates to sign it off, according to gas safe this is not legal, I would never sign anyone else's work off, it can & will come back to bite you in the a*s

southcoastrgi

Yes it is illegal, he will face a criminal trial a fine & possibly prison, & using a non reg installer may well kill you, please report him to Gas Safe you have been lucky this time because you chose to be wise & ask the question on here, but someone else may not be as lucky, I would shop him in an instant, we need to get rid of the illegal gas fitters in this country.

southcoastrgi

It's not the warrantee or your insurance you need to be worried about although both of these will be void if something happens, it's your life & the lives of those around you.

gas4you

Signing off someone else's work is not illegal, but just plain stupid.

Whoever signs it off is then TOTALLY responsible legally for the installation and any faults/problems afterwards and you can bet someone like this and his mate would be nowhere to be found if there were problems!

wolfehouse

you need to phone- don't just believe a card with number and photo

i used a guy who had a corgi card with his photo and a valid # but the # belonged to someone else
corgi at the time said they couldn't do anything to him because "he wasn't registered"!
trading standards werent that interested either as they said there are lots of dodgy boiler installers- i had to have mine checked again.

Spiggle

Hi gas4you,

I have history with the firm that he quoted anyway so it's not going to happen with him/them. Long story not worth repeating here as digression.

You have helped me before and I respect your posts for their direct and helpful nature. I am well aware of the wisdom arguments - safety, reliance, security, etc. but that is not what I'm asking about.

Please would you just tell me whether it is illegal to have a non-GSR person install a new boiler please?

I have read on here about new installations being logged/recorded somewhere. Where is that please? Is it the local authority/building regs/compliance?

I just can't seem to get a straight answer to bottom out my question. Please ignore the person referred to in my original post as I will not be using them at all and are a diversion from the question I really need to know the answer to.

Thanks in advance,
Spigs

cyclonebri1

It's simple as;

search his name under the gas safe thing, doesn't matter who he works for, he will be there or he won't.

The issue I have is that if is accredited and won't give the correct paperwork then that is a 2ndary issue.

Ok, maybe, just maybe it's safe but you cant prove who did it and he isn't disclosing his earnings:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: