For those of you who believe that this problem has simply gone away, further evidence of continuing cowboy gas fitting has arisen with news that, among many other cases, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted two Worcester men for carrying out blatantly illegal gas work.
A father and son team have been prosecuted by the HSE after endangering the life of a local pensioner by carrying out defective gas fitting work while building a conservatory at her home. The pair, trading as Worcester Windows, Doors and Conservatories, knew they had to manage the existing flue of a gas boiler before they began the conservatory at the property, but chose to endanger her life when they failed to do so. When they finished the building in December 2011 they illegally inserted a plastic pipe into the original flue and extended it through the conservatory roof of the ground floor maisonette. Worcester Magistrates Court heard that the offence was only identified when British Gas visited the property three months later to conduct an annual check. A significant gas leak was detected from the flue in the conservatory and the boiler was immediately condemned. An investigation by the HSE found that the two men were aware that the flue they put in was defective but had made no attempt to rectify it. Neither of the men were on the Gas Safe Register! Both men pleaded guitly to endangering life and were ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work over 12 months. They were both also ordered to pay £2,400 costs.
Here at AA Gas Services, your Plumber in Hull, we have long pleaded with a seemingly unsuspecting public to ensure that all gas work is carried out by a qualified and Gas Safe registered tradesman. Darren Catchpole, MD of AA Gas Services, reiterates, “I cannot stress highly enough the real danger of allowing unqualified work on your premises. The temptation, I suppose, is to try to save a few pounds in these times of austerity but a simple phone call can confirm that our charges need not break the bank. You also have the peace of mind that comes with the knowledge that our work is carried out to rigid standards and complies, at all times, with the requirements of the Gas Safe Register. My heart goes out to the victim of this latest cowboy case, a lady who should have been able to trust in the work she paid for. Please do not become another cowboy statistic, give AA Gas Services a call and put yourself in (Gas) safe hands.”
