PHAM NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 GasSafety


Time to stop selling to unregistered gas fi tters


Illegal gas work endangers homes and lives, as well as negatively aff ecting the businesses of legitimate engineers, says ATAG’s Lauren Gilbey, who sets out proposals to enforce higher standards.


I


llegal gas work is one of the most serious yet under-addressed threats facing our industry today. Gas appliances are


inherently high-risk equipment, and without proper training and certifi cation, an installer may not even recognise a potentially deadly mistake. This means the danger to occupants begins immediately. At ATAG Heating Technology,


we understand the vital role Gas Safe registered engineers play in keeping the public safe. They are trained to the highest safety standards, carry offi cial identifi cation, register every job and follow regulations that protect lives. Yet the current system allows others to bypass those standards entirely. Unqualifi ed individuals advertise their services on social media and can easily source gas critical parts through online retailers with no checks in place. According to the Gas Safe


Register, 250,000 gas jobs in the UK are carried out every year by individuals who are not legally


Lauren Gilbey Head of marketing at ATAG Heating Technology UK


qualifi ed. Of these, around two-thirds are deemed unsafe and one in fi ve are classed as immediately dangerous. Our recent nationwide


survey of registered installers supported these fi ndings. It revealed that 82% of engineers are forced to rectify unsafe installations by unregistered fi tters at least once every quarter.


Damage done Nearly half of those surveyed said the faulty work poses a serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. One in fi ve warned that illegal gas work is harming their business through lost jobs, reputational damage and wasted time. These are not just statistics. They represent lives at risk and homes placed in danger. The issue is also a fi nancial


burden. Repairs to unsafe installations cost homeowners an average of £400. In some cases, the cost runs into the thousands, especially when walls, fl oors or pipework have been damaged. The fi nancial impact is only one part of the story.


Industry action Our policy has always been clear. Gas critical products should only be sold to qualifi ed Gas Safe registered engineers. That has been our stance since day one. However, across the UK,


boilers and gas parts can still be purchased online or in store by anyone with a credit card and a postcode. That needs to change. The Installer Show earlier


 ATAG launched its campaign to end illegal gas work at the Installer Show in June, with the goal of making it a legal requirement for anyone buying gas-critical


producs to prove they are Gas Safe registered


this summer gave us a powerful platform to speak directly to the trade. We launched our campaign to end illegal gas work with the clear goal of making it a legal requirement for anyone buying gas-critical products to prove they are Gas Safe registered. The response was overwhelming. Over three busy days,


we welcomed hundreds of engineers to our stand. We heard story after story about botched jobs, dangerous installations and the cost, both fi nancial and emotional, of having to fi x the damage left behind by unqualifi ed individuals.


BY NUMBERS


250k 2/3


and one in fi ve are classed as ‘immediately dangerous’


20% 82%


of engineers have rectifi ed unsafe installations at least once every quarter


£400


repairs to unsafe installations costs homeowners £400 on average


percent of installers who want to end boiler sales to non-Gas Safe installers


61% 1/5


of engineers say rogue installers are harming their business


When we asked installers


what they believe is the most eff ective way to tackle this problem, 61% said stop boiler sales to anyone who is not Gas Safe registered. The logic is simple. If unqualifi ed individuals cannot access the equipment, they cannot do the work.


Government action The government must do more. It should not be possible for someone without the right qualifi cations to legally purchase a gas boiler, let alone fi t one. In the same way that certain chemicals or electrical parts cannot be bought without a licence, the same principle must apply to gas critical products. That is why we are calling


on policymakers to make this mandatory and for the entire industry, including manufacturers, merchants and suppliers, to follow suit. Since the Installer Show


number of jobs per year carried out by unqualifi ed gas fi tters


of these, about two-thirds are deemed unsafe


our campaign has gathered pace. In just a few weeks, over 200 emails have been sent to MPs across the UK and we have received widespread support from the trade. Media coverage has already reached nearly 200,000 professionals and our message has sparked meaningful conversations across industry forums and social media. This is only the beginning. We are continuing to engage


with MPs to raise this issue in Parliament and we are working with other stakeholders across the sector to share data, build alliances and strengthen the case. We also need the support of tradespeople.


Do something If you are a Gas Safe engineer or someone who cares about the safety of our profession and the customers we serve, now is the time to get involved. Visit the ATAG website to send an email to your local MP and show your support for tighter restrictions on the sale of gas critical products. If you have ever had to fi x a


dangerous or illegal installation or if you have seen fi rsthand the impact of unsafe gas work, please contact the team at marketing@atagheating. co.uk. Real life stories will help strengthen the case and push for the change we all want to see. Together we can protect the


public, uphold the reputation of our industry and ensure that only qualifi ed professionals are trusted with gas work in the UK. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/925/75


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