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PHW · Other · 2026-02-04

An unregistered gas fitter in London sentenced after fraudulent gas work left a pensioner at risk

London · Croydon Crown Court

What happened

A man falsely claimed to be Gas Safe registered and installed a boiler at a pensioner's home, issuing a fraudulent safety certificate. After relatives smelled gas and reported problems he returned and continued working even after British Gas issued an immediately dangerous notice.

Injuries: No injury reported; the work placed the pensioner at serious risk of gas leaks, fire, explosion and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The breach

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, Regulation 3(3) and 3(7)

The sentence

  • Other sentence: 12 months imprisonment
HSE inspector

“Despite a previous conviction for the same offence, he continued to carry out gas work.”

What would have prevented it

Always check a gas engineer's Gas Safe registration before allowing them to carry out work, and never accept assurances alone.

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Source: HSE press release, Man jailed after dangerous and illegal gas work put pensioner at risk