On 8 September 2008 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) awarded Capita Group plc a 10 year contract to provide a new registration scheme for gas installers. This began on 1 April 2009 and replaces the CORGI system. These changes will be of significance to landlords, tenants and the general public alike.
From April, the Capita Gas Safe Register will be the only gas installer registration scheme approved by the HSE under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. All installers (including those used by landlords) wanting to undertake domestic gas work will need to be registered with the scheme in order to be able to lawfully carry out any work on both gas fittings and appliances in a property.
The operation of this new Register will be overseen by the HSE as the regulator for gas safety. New identity cards will be issued to all engineers following valid registration and gas consumers will be encouraged through publicity in the media to ask to see these instead of the old CORGI documents.
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords are required to ensure that all gas appliances in each of their properties are in a safe and fully working order. These checks are to be undertaken at least on an annual basis. In order for this work to be carried out in the future, landlords will have to ensure that all current and future gas engineers are registered with Capita in order to meet their legal obligations.
