Technicians who are hired to install or repair a gas-fired appliance must have completed the relevant plumbing courses, an industry source has pointed out.
Chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) Blane Judd called on consumers to ask to see an engineer's Gas Safe registration card.
He explained that workers who have not taken the correct plumbing courses can damage the property and leave the resident in danger of being injured.
Mr Judd said: "It is imperative that all members of the public who call someone to a gas-fired appliance ask to see a Gas Safe registration [card] even if they are in a distressed state."
In his opinion, it is not worth the risk to omit this check and noted that individuals can also use an online service to see if an engineer is qualified.
The CIPHE spokesperson's comments were made after British Gas announced that 68 per cent of consumers do not prepare their homes correctly in advance of cold winter weather kicking in.
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