Plumber in court after leaving gas boiler in dangerous state
A plumber from Somerset has been in court after falsely claiming to be a Gas Safe registered engineer, and leaving a gas boiler in a dangerous state.
What happened?
Ian Gardiner, trading as Ian Gardiner Plumbing & Heating Services, has been prosecuted for a series of offences contravening gas safety regulations.
The 46-year-old from Ilton provided a homeowner with a quote to install a gas-fired central heating system, using paper headed with a Gas Safe Register logo.
After completing the work he provided further paperwork, which included a gas boiler system commissioning checklist and a Gas Safe Register number.
An Investigations Officer employed by Gas Safe later inspected the property, and identified nine defects in the way the central heating system had been installed.
Three of these defects constituted a danger to life or property, including:
– the chimney flue wasn’t sealed to the structure of the building, nor was it sealed on internal and external walls.
– the telescopic chimney flue assembly on the boiler had not been fixed at the required length, and the telescopic joint inside the cavity wall had not been sealed with aluminium tape as instructed by the manufacturer.
An investigation in the work performed by Mr Gardiner found that his Gas Safe registration had expired nearly six months prior, and that the Register number he had provided was actually that of another engineer who had no knowledge of the installation.
What was the outcome?
Ian Gardiner pleaded guilty to breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and was fined £2,100 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs and £125 in compensation.
HSE Inspector, Mehtaab Hamid, said:
“Ian Gardiner was Gas Safe registered several years ago, but had failed to
renew his qualifications or membership. Standards in gas work do
change and it is important for gas engineers to keep up to
date. The work he carried out put anyone in this
property at potentially serious risk.
“Incorrectly fitted gas appliances can be highly dangerous and can lead to
loss of life. Gas Safe Register exists to protect the public from
people like Mr Gardiner who are prepared to work illegally,
despite not being qualified and competent.”
If you have been affected by an incident such as this, and you would like expert advice, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
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