SSE gas engineer deliberately fitted dangerous part

Hello,
I would like some advice on how to escalate this, as the company concerned (SSE), nor Gas Safe are replying to me.

The situation is, that last year my elderly, disabled mother, called SSE Home Services to repair an apparent fault to her gas combi boiler.

The SSE engineer came, replaced a part, and signed it off as "work completed", in terms of Gas Regulations.

Several months later, my mothers own energy provider (British Gas), came to fit a Smart Meter, and during a routine check of the gas boiler, found that the part fitted by the SSE engineer several months earlier, had been either fitted whilst already damaged, or had altered the part so as to render it dangerous.

The part was very visible altered/damaged in such a way that it would be impossible to consider it otherwise.

Either way, British Gas immediately disconnected the boiler and certified it "At Risk".

Apparently the "part" concerned had been fitted with a large damaged gap, which would allow vented Carbon Monoxide to re-enter the house, thus putting any occupant at risk of CO poisoning. Such was the size of the gap that daylight could be seen through the hole, of which was supposed to be a sealed, protective unit. The part has been retained and photographed.

An independent local engineer who came to replace the dangerous part was also of the same opinion that a dangerous part had been fitted by the SSE engineer, and the result of that was a potential danger of CO poisoning.

I took up the matter with SSE and initially they blamed my mother for not spotting it herself sooner, and also the fact that since that time, she had not renewed her Boiler insurance with SSE.

However, at the beginning of October 17, I was told by SSE Customer Services to forward all photos of the damaged part, and documentation from British Gas, to them for assessment.

I did this, but, despite many requests for updates from SSE, they are not responding to me, nor my mother.

2 weeks ago, I informed SSE by registered letter that unless they responded with an update to this very serious matter, I would report the matter to BBC Watchdog and report the engineer to Gas Safe.

No contact or acknowledgment to this has been forthcoming from SSE, and so I did complain to BBC Watchdog and report the SSE engineer to Gas Safe.

I am not able as yet to report the matter to the Ombudsman as 8 weeks have not passed since "informing" SSE.

As a former Police Officer, quite knowledgeable in criminal matters, I can see potential criminal offences here, committed both by the engineer for deliberate negligence which could have caused death or injury, as well as Fraud for certifying regulatory work as safe, when it clearly was not.

SSE are also liable as this gas engineer`s employer, and I have told them this.

I just think it is appalling that SSE has such a derisory attitude to such a serious issue, and still, in these days of big company accountability, they do nothing, forcing people like mother to take drastic measures to get their attention and resolution.

Any advice on how to escalate this further would be greatly appreciated.