Gardner Leader

Robert Green, Senior Partner at Gardner Leader LLP advises on recent changes, which sees an end to CORGI registration and the introduction of a new scheme to replace it.

We are all used to seeing the name of Corgi on the sides of vans and on adverts for gas and central heating engineers. The name was that given to the gas installer registration scheme in Great Britain. Why it should have been the name of a dog has always been a puzzle, but that all ends on the 1^st April 2009.

As from the 1^st. April, the gas installer registration scheme will operate under the name: Gas Safe Register™

Landlords and employers should check that anyone carrying work on gas appliances or flues as from that date is registered with Gas Safe Register. CORGI registration will no longer carry any statutory force and the Corgi register itself will cease as from 31^st March 2009.

There is no grace period so in the case of any ongoing maintenance contracts where registration is necessary, the credentials of the engineer should be checked to make sure that if he is to carry out any work subsequent to the 31^st March, he is registered with the Gas Safety Register and that no works should be carried out by an engineer after 1^st April unless and until he is so registered.

In the commercial sector, failure to check that an installer is registered under the Gas Safe Scheme may mean a breach of the Building Regulations 2000 and Regulation 3 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

In the residential sector, as well as a breach of the Building Regulations 2000, residential landlords (including those in the social housing sector) will breach Regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 if their regular gas appliance checks are carried out by a person who is not registered on the Gas Safe Register.

Further information is available online www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk