How to Check a Gas Safe Engineer

Anyone who works on gas appliances or pipework in your home must, by law, be on the Gas Safe Register. To check, ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card, enter their licence number on the Gas Safe Register website (or call 0800 408 5500), and make sure the back of the card lists the type of work they are about to do. It takes two minutes and is the single most important check before any gas job.

Most gas engineers are properly registered and will happily show you their card. These checks simply make sure the person in front of you is one of them, and that they are qualified for your particular appliance.

Why the Gas Safe check matters

Gas work done badly can cause fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning, which you cannot see or smell. That is why the law in Great Britain requires anyone carrying out gas work in a home to be registered with Gas Safe Register, the official body that replaced CORGI. The rule comes from the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

Using an unregistered person also causes practical problems:

Warranties. Boiler manufacturers usually require installation and servicing by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Unregistered work can void the warranty.

Building regulations. A new boiler or gas appliance has to be notified to building control. A registered engineer does this for you, and you should then receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. Without it, you may have questions to answer when you sell.

Insurance. An insurer may be less sympathetic to a claim if the damage traces back to illegal gas work.

If you are looking for someone now, you can browse Gas Safe registered gas engineers and compare quotes from trades who have been checked before they join.

Step 1: Ask to see the Gas Safe ID card

Every registered engineer carries a Gas Safe ID card. Ask to see it before work starts, ideally when they first arrive. A genuine engineer will not mind.

What the front of the card shows

The engineer’s photo, so you can check it is the person standing in front of you.

Their name and the business they work for.

Their unique licence number.

The card’s start and expiry dates.

A security hologram.

What the back of the card shows

The back lists the types of gas work the engineer is qualified to do. This is the part people often skip, and it matters. Being registered does not mean an engineer can work on every gas appliance. The categories cover things like:

Domestic or commercial work

Natural gas or LPG

Specific appliances, such as boilers, cookers and hobs, gas fires, and water heaters

So an engineer qualified for boilers and cookers may not be qualified to fit a gas fire. Check that the appliance you need work on is listed.

Step 2: Check the licence number on the register

The card is a good start, but the online check confirms the registration is current. You can check a Gas Safe engineer in three ways:

Online. Go to the Gas Safe Register website and use the “check an engineer” search. Enter the licence number from the card, or search by business name or postcode.

By phone. Call Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500.

Before they visit. Ask for the business’s registration number when you book, and check it in advance. That way, there is no awkward conversation on the doorstep.

When you search, confirm that:

The engineer’s name and photo match the card.

The registration is current, not expired or suspended.

The qualifications listed online cover your job.

Step 3: Match the work to the qualifications

This is where a quick Gas Safe register check pays off. A few common examples:

Your job

What the engineer should be qualified for

Boiler service, repair or replacement

Domestic natural gas, central heating boilers

New gas hob or cooker

Domestic natural gas, cookers and hobs

Gas fire installation or service

Domestic natural gas, gas fires (and the relevant flue types)

Work on an LPG appliance, such as in a park home or off-grid house

Domestic LPG, plus the relevant appliance

Landlord gas safety record

Domestic natural gas, covering each appliance in the property

If you are not sure whether a category covers your job, ask the engineer to explain, or call Gas Safe Register to check.

What if your engineer is not Gas Safe registered?

If someone cannot show you a valid card, or the register check does not match:

Do not let them start, or ask them to stop. It is better to rearrange the job than to risk unsafe work.

Do not use the appliance if you think unregistered work has already been done on it. Turn it off and get a registered engineer to check it.

Report it. You can report illegal gas work to Gas Safe Register online or on 0800 408 5500. Note names, dates, the address and any business details, as the more information you give, the better they can investigate.

If you have paid for work that has turned out to be illegal or unsafe, keep your invoices, messages and photos. Gas Safe Register can inspect work, and Citizens Advice can explain your consumer rights.

If you ever smell gas, or suspect carbon monoxide, leave the property, open doors and windows if it is safe to do so, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Do not switch electrics on or off.

Red flags to watch for

No card, a photocopy of a card, or “I left it in the van” and they do not go and get it.

A card in someone else’s name, or a photo that does not match.

An offer of cash-only work at a suspiciously low price, with no paperwork.

Reluctance to give a business name or address.

No mention of registering a new boiler or appliance with building control.

Please do not try any gas work yourself, however small it seems. Gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Getting quotes

When you contact gas engineers, give them a clear brief: the appliance, its make and approximate age, what is wrong or what you want done, and your postcode. Ask each one:

Their Gas Safe licence number, so you can check it before they visit

Whether the price is fixed or hourly, and what is included

Whether they will register any new appliance with building control

What warranty they offer on parts and labour

Getting three quotes shows you the fair local price and makes it easier to spot anyone cutting corners. If you live in Reading, our Reading area guide is a good starting point for finding local trades.

Get up to 3 quotes from vetted local gas engineers. Tell us about the job and your postcode, and we’ll match you with trades whose reviews come from real, invoiced jobs.

FAQs

How do I check if my engineer is Gas Safe registered?

Ask for their Gas Safe ID card and enter the licence number on the Gas Safe Register website, or call 0800 408 5500. Check the name, photo, expiry date and the categories of work listed.

What does the back of a Gas Safe card mean?

The back lists the types of gas work the engineer is qualified to do, such as natural gas or LPG, and specific appliances like boilers, cookers or fires. Make sure your appliance is listed.

Is my engineer Gas Safe registered if they work for a big company?

Not automatically. The business is registered, but each engineer who does gas work must also hold their own registration and card. Check the individual who turns up.

Can I check a Gas Safe engineer before they visit?

Yes. Ask for the licence number or business registration number when you book and run a Gas Safe register check online in advance.

What happens if gas work is done by someone unregistered?

It is illegal, it may be unsafe, and it can void your warranty and cause problems with building regulations. Stop using the appliance, have a registered engineer check it, and report it to Gas Safe Register.

Do plumbers need to be Gas Safe registered?

Only if they work on gas. A plumber fitting taps or fixing a leak does not need to be, but any work on a boiler, gas pipework or gas appliance must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer

Related reading: what homeowners check on the Gas Safe Register · Gas Safe registration cost and process · boiler service cost · no hot water or heating