Gas Safe Register: how to check an engineer

The Gas Safe Register is the official list of gas businesses and engineers who are allowed to carry out gas work, and the law says every gas business and engineer must be on it. Before anyone works on your boiler, ask to see their Gas Safe ID card, look at both sides, and, if you have any doubt, check the engineer online or by phone. It takes a couple of minutes and it is the best protection you have against unsafe gas work.

What the Gas Safe Register covers

Gas Safe Register is the only official gas registration body in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey. It investigates reports of unsafe gas work, inspects registered engineers and tracks down illegal gas workers. You can search it for an engineer near you or check someone who has already given you a quote.

Registration is not a quality mark for a particular job. It says an engineer is registered and which kinds of gas work they may legally do, and that second part is why the back of the card matters.

How to check a Gas Safe ID card

Take the card in your hand and check both sides. Gas Safe’s own list for the front is:

• The photo. Does it match the person at your door?
• The dates. Is the card in date? Cards are renewed annually.
• The licence number. A seven-digit number lets you check the engineer online.
• The hologram. Look for the official security hologram, which shows the card isn’t a forgery.
• The business name. It should match the company you booked.

What the back of a Gas Safe card shows

Registration alone isn’t enough. An engineer might be qualified to fix a gas cooker and not to service a boiler. The back of the card lists the appliances and the gas type, such as natural gas or LPG, that the engineer is qualified for. Check that boilers are on it, and that the gas type is the one in your home.

Gas Safe also says engineers must renew their qualifications every five years, and that those dates can differ from the date on the front of the card. If the appliance isn’t listed on the back, don’t let the engineer work on it.

How to check an engineer on the Gas Safe Register

If you doubt a card, or you want to be sure, find the licence number on the front and use Gas Safe’s online Check an Engineer tool. It shows the engineer’s profile, photograph and qualifications. You can also phone Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500.

Many engineers now carry a digital ID card on a phone or tablet. Gas Safe says it is as valid as the plastic one, and you can scan its QR code to verify the engineer on the official site.

If a Gas Safe engineer has no card

If an engineer refuses to show the card, says it is in the van or shows one that looks altered, don’t let them start. Ask them to fetch it or leave. If you think they are working illegally or using a false identity, you can report them to Gas Safe Register.

Why Gas Safe registration matters for a boiler

A boiler burns gas in your home, and badly done work can leak gas or produce carbon monoxide. Gas Safe describes carbon monoxide poisoning as one of the risks of unsafe gas work, and it recommends audible carbon monoxide alarms around the home. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Manufacturers’ fault code guides give the same warning: they advise against opening the boiler yourself. Our guide to boiler fault codes explains which checks are safe and which are an engineer’s job.

Choosing a Gas Safe installer for a new boiler

When you compare quotes, treat Gas Safe registration as the starting point and compare the rest: the make and model, the warranty, what the price includes and who registers the installation. Our compare tool and quote checker help with that, and the combi boiler prices page shows what to expect to pay. When you are ready, get free quotes from Gas Safe installers near you.

Source: Gas Safe Register, the Gas Safe ID card and the Gas Safe Register home page, read on 3 November.