The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a new reminder of the vital importance of gas fitters gaining proper accreditation via gas courses.

Charles Linfoot, an inspector for the regulatory body, has called on UK residents to ensure that engineers can prove their qualifications using Gas Safe Register ID cards before hiring them for work.

The warning comes after a workman from Hertfordshire was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,500 for breaching gas safety regulations during work at two separate addresses.

It was also found that he did not hold the proper registration and documentation to carry out the informal work he was performing.

Mr Linfoot said: "He acted illegally in that he was an un-registered gas engineer and carrying out work he was not qualified to do."

This comes after an illegal gas fitter was fined £38,000 earlier this month for work carried out on a property in Tywyn.

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