How to find a trusted Gas Safe registered engineer

If your hot water is running cold or the radiators have stopped heating, the last thing you need is an unreliable or unqualified engineer.

Important: if an engineer is not on the Gas Safe Register, they are not qualified to safely carry out any gas work and they could be putting you and your home in danger.

Our top tips when choosing an engineer

It’s essential that you choose a trusted and qualified Gas Safe engineer to carry out any work on your gas boiler. We’ve listed some helpful tips to help you find the right engineer in your local area.

1. Check they’re qualified and on the Gas Safe Register

The Gas Safe Register is an official list of businesses and sole traders that are legally permitted to work with gas. When looking for any boiler or central heating services, we recommend you check the Gas Safe Register first.

You can use the Gas Safe Register’s “check an engineer” tool or call them on 0800 408 5500. To check a company or engineer, you’ll need to know the unique 7-digit licence number on their ID card. If they’re not able to give you this, we recommend you find another Gas Safe registered engineer.

You can also ask to see their ID card on arrival. All qualified Gas Safe engineers should have their Gas Safe ID card with them when carrying out a job. At OVO, all engineers on our independent trade network must be on the Gas Safe Register.

2. Check the details of their Gas Safe ID card

A Gas Safe engineer will have specific qualifications that allow them to carry out a certain type of job. You can look at the back and front of their Gas Safe ID card to check they’re qualified and permitted to do the work you need on your boiler.

For example, if an engineer has come to service your boiler, then you should make sure their card lists “Gas boiler” as a qualification. These qualifications will also have an expiry date, so you may want to check this too.

An ID card will also include:

• Photo of the engineer: you can use this to confirm that the engineer is the person with a registered card on arrival.
• The company they work for: you can check that the engineer is directly linked to the business you contacted about the job.
• The 7-digit licence number: each engineer has a unique licence number, which should be at the top and across the middle of the card.
• Gas Safe security hologram: a hologram with the Gas Safe logo shows that the card is legitimately provided by the Gas Safe Register.

The Gas Safe Register recommends you use these ID card checks to confirm that your engineer is qualified and trustworthy. You shouldn’t let anybody carry out gas work without a valid and in-date card.

If you’re ever worried about a boiler installation, repair or any job you've had completed by a Gas Safe engineer, you can file an official complaint to the Gas Safe Register. They’ll review it and might arrange a visit to inspect the gas work that the engineer carried out.

3. Word of mouth and recommendations

You might want to ask your friends or family if they’ve used a good Gas Safe engineer lately. First hand recommendations are often a great place to start when it comes to hiring someone new.

However, we’d always recommend double-checking any engineer you've been recommended to make sure they are definitely on the Gas Safe Register. You can do that using their “check an engineer” tool.

4. Compare prices and quotes

Once you've done your research and narrowed your search down, you can start comparing prices and quotes to find something suited to your budget. That way you can be sure you're making a smart financial decision when it comes to your boiler and central heating.

Nobody wants to be surprised with an unexpected cost later down the line. So don't be afraid to ask about any hidden fees or charges that might crop up later on. We recommend double-checking that quotes include all parts, labour and waste removal charges, too.

Our Gas Safe engineers are here to help

At OVO, we have a nationwide network of approved Gas Safe engineers on hand to help our customers. A boiler cover plan with us means that any installation or repair will always be carried out by a local Gas Safe engineer. This takes away the hassle of finding a suitable tradesperson, along with the risk of any unexpected costs.