Gas Safe Engineer: What They Do and How to Check One Before They Start

What the Gas Safe Register is

The Gas Safe Register is the official list of businesses and engineers approved to work safely and legally on gas in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Guernsey. It replaced the older CORGI scheme in 2009. Businesses register, and the individual engineers who work for them each hold their own licence.

Registration is not a one-off. Engineers renew it and must hold current qualifications for each category of work, so an engineer qualified on boilers is not automatically qualified on, say, gas cookers or commercial catering equipment.

Jobs that need a registered engineer

If the job involves breaking into a gas pipe or working on anything that burns gas, it needs a registered engineer. That covers a lot of everyday household work, not only new boiler installations.

How to check an engineer's ID card

The front of the card shows the engineer's photograph, their name, the business they work for, their licence number and the card's start and expiry dates. Check the photo matches the person on your doorstep and that the card has not expired.

Turn it over. The back lists the categories of gas work the engineer is currently qualified to carry out, such as domestic boilers, cookers or fires. Make sure the job you have booked is on that list.

For extra certainty, look the licence number up on the Gas Safe Register website or call the Register. A genuine engineer will never object to you doing this; it is exactly what the card is for.

Paperwork you should receive

After a new boiler or other notifiable gas installation, the work should be notified to the local authority through the Gas Safe Register, and you should receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate by post. You should also get the manufacturer's commissioning checklist, often called a benchmark, filled in by the engineer.

Landlords must have gas appliances checked every year and give tenants a copy of the gas safety record. A registered engineer produces this record after the check.

Warning signs of unregistered gas work

Be wary of anyone who cannot produce a card, whose card lists different work from what you need, or who suggests skipping the paperwork to save money. Very low prices for boiler swaps sometimes reflect corners being cut on flue checks and commissioning.

If you are worried about gas work already done in your home, a registered engineer can inspect it. If you ever smell gas, leave the property, avoid operating electrical switches and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Frequently asked questions

Is a gas fitter the same as a Gas Safe engineer?

Gas fitter is an informal term. What matters legally is that the person is on the Gas Safe Register and qualified for the specific type of work you need.

Does a plumber need to be Gas Safe registered?

Only for gas work. Plumbing jobs such as taps, toilets, leaks and water pipes do not require Gas Safe registration.

Are your engineers Gas Safe registered?

Yes. Our gas work is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers, and we are happy for you to see and check our ID cards before we start.

What should I do if I smell gas?

Open doors and windows, turn off the gas at the meter if you can, do not use electrical switches or flames, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.