Landlords Gas Safety Certificate

diamond_dave

As a landlord, I am responsible for the safety of my tenants when it comes to gas, etc. Naturally, each year I get the whole system checked and pass the certificate on to the tenants. This year I contacted a Corgi registered guy who did the job, but failed the gas fire in the front room( everything else was fine) because he said that the Flame detection device was not working. He said that he would try to get the part, but after a week rang to say that they were not available. It looked like I was going to have to fork out £300 for a new fire. However, this week I called out BG with a problem in the central heating, and casually asked the engineer about the fire. He took 1 look and said that there was No device fitted to fire. On checking previous certificates, all said "N/A in the particular box. Today, I stripped the fire - and guess what Nothing!! All that is there is the Piezo spark generator. So what does that tell you about Corgi engineers? I'm going to call him later so I will report his comments. If I dont get any joy, I'll call Corgi direct.

COOKIEWILLOW

diamond_dave wrote: »

As a landlord, I am responsible for the safety of my tenants when it comes to gas, etc. Naturally, each year I get the whole system checked and pass the certificate on to the tenants. This year I contacted a Corgi registered guy who did the job, but failed the gas fire in the front room( everything else was fine) because he said that the Flame detection device was not working. He said that he would try to get the part, but after a week rang to say that they were not available. It looked like I was going to have to fork out £300 for a new fire. However, this week I called out BG with a problem in the central heating, and casually asked the engineer about the fire. He took 1 look and said that there was No device fitted to fire. On checking previous certificates, all said "N/A in the particular box. Today, I stripped the fire - and guess what Nothing!! All that is there is the Piezo spark generator. So what does that tell you about Corgi engineers? I'm going to call him later so I will report his comments. If I dont get any joy, I'll call Corgi direct.

PLEASE do not class All corgi engineers as rip off merchants!! My husband is one, and he DOES NOT rip people off. Same with every occupation, you get bad eggs!! Would you like it if all LANDLORDS were cast as such?

COOKIEWILLOW

Plus please report him to Corgi if you think he has done you an injustice

Gorgeous_George

It's not just Corgi 'engineers' (there was a time when being an engineer meant something), all tradesmen have rogues.

I wonder if Corgi and other trades bodies are proactive in weeding out the fraudsters. Relying on the public to do their policing for them is not enough.

GG

COOKIEWILLOW

It just seems now that ANYBODY can pay the reg fee to Corgi for £200 a year and call themselves Corgi registered. There was a time my hubby used to have somebody come once a year to check his work but he hasnt seen anybody for years!!

Gorgeous_George

I think the GSC is of limited value. It shows that the house had safe equipment on the day it was tested - but only if it was tested correctly by a competent and suitably qualified engineer.

Surely it would be much better to have a carbon monoxide detector in every gas-supplied room. These check that the room is safe 24/7 and 365 days of the year.

GG

Debt_Free_Chick

Not necessarily a "rogue trader" out to make a fast buck.

Could simply be an inexperienced and/or newly qualified engineer who "ticks boxes" rather than using their experience/knowledge.

But still not satisfactory for the OP or anyone else who uses him.

Gorgeous_George

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Not necessarily a "rogue trader" out to make a fast buck.

Could simply be an inexperienced and/or newly qualified engineer who "ticks boxes" rather than using their experience/knowledge.

But still not satisfactory for the OP or anyone else who uses him.

That is even more scary. This is not an area where people should gain experience/knowledge. I bet the cost was the same as an experienced 'engineer'.

Perhaps there should be a criminal offence here?

GG

Debt_Free_Chick

I thought they only had to be qualified. Experience is something that can only be "gained" ...... surely?

TJ27

I once took my Landrover Defender to the main dealer in Cardiff to get it serviced. When I went to pick it up the engineer said to me, "there was a fault on the the ABS part of the brakes which we had to fix, so it'll be a little bit more expensive." This surprised me, as I was aware that my vehicle did not have ABS brakes. So a red faced engineer charged for just a standard service.

Your gas engineer didn't used to work for Landrover did he?

Gorgeous_George

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I thought they only had to be qualified. Experience is something that can only be "gained" ...... surely?

I get the feeling that you work in HR D_F_C.

Maybe it's the LL's fault.

Maybe LL's should be responsible for employing only EXPERIENCED Corgi engineers. No doubt they already are.

In the event of an accident (are we allowed them anymore?), perhaps the OP should be prosecuted for failing to provide a SAFE home for the tenants.

This underlines my view that TENANTS should provide their own certificates. If I was a tenant I would want to have the system checked to MY satisfaction.

Of course, I will comply with the law when I have GCH fitted to my tenant's property. My own home however, relies on a CO alarm (and I shall supply a similar model to my tenant each year).


GG