STAY SAFE – DON’T LET A BOGUS GAS INSTALLER PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK
Hardly a week goes by without another successful prosecution of a bogus gas installer – with estimates that there are 20,000 of them operating in the UK, they don’t have the skills or qualifications to work on gas appliances in the home – putting families at risk. Sound advice comes from the Heating Helpline on how to steer well clear of their shoddy, dangerous work.
29 June 2011 – Hardly a week goes by without another successful prosecution of a bogus gas installer who has carried out illegal gas work for a home owner. It is estimated that there are over 20,000 bogus gas installers operating in the UK carrying out over 250,000 jobs each year. Apart from putting lives at risk it costs homeowners around £100 million a year just to rectify this unsafe work.
An alarming one in five homes inspected by the Gas Safety watchdog, the Gas Safe Register, was found to be ‘immediately dangerous’ and the appliances had to be disconnected straight away to make them safe. In all cases the work had been done by an illegal gas fitter.
"Every week families, and especially OAPs, fall victim to bogus gas fitters who don’t have the skills or qualifications to work on gas appliances; working with gas appliances is demanding, specialist work and potentially very dangerous”, comments Bob Towse, Technical Consultant to the Heating Helpline.
Continuing, he says, “Poorly installed gas work can cause explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal and can also cause serious long-term health problems.
“Don’t simply rely on the recommendation of a friend or use a plumber that has done work for you in the past – anyone you are thinking of hiring to carry out gas work in your home must be Gas Safe Registered, and always ask to see their Gas Safe Register identity card and contact the Register immediately on 0800 408 5500[1]if you have any concerns or if you think the gas fitter is using a falsified ID card or still using a CORGI ID card which is no longer valid”.
An easy way to locate a qualified, reputable gas installer is to use the Heating Helpline website at: http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk or call them on 0800 840 4069. Backed by the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association (HVCA), the Heating Helpline provides essential information on where homeowners can find a local, reputable Gas Safe Registered installer, how to employ them, how to get the best from them and what to do in the unlikely event that things do go wrong.
Ends
Issued on behalf of the HVCA by Next Step Marketing Ltd
Media enquiries to: Denzil Lee
Tel: 44(0)1256 472020
Fax: 44(0)1256 471010
E-mail: denzil@nextstepmarketing.co.uk
Notes to Editors
Established in 1904, the HVCA is the premier organisation representing central heating contractors across the UK, and exists to promote fair dealing and the sound installation of heating systems. HVCA members all undergo third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability every three years. This process is carried out by an independent certification body with an established industry reputation. HVCA members who undertake gas installations are registered with Gas Safe – the gas safety watchdog body – and are also members of TrustMark, the Government-endorsed scheme designed to direct customers towards reliable tradespeople. HVCA operates the Heating Helpline (http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk) to provide consumers with free, impartial advice on every aspect of home heating.
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