Gas safe engineers regulation

[Ziggie]

Lateral thinking.
Given the work covered is legally mandated to be done by a qualified person (which I agree with), should controls be introduced to govern response times, inability to turn down work, and statutory limits on costs to the customers.

This is the case with London taxi drivers who need the Knowledge to operate.

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Why ? Whats the problem?

 

[DuncanM]

Everyone has to start somewhere and the cost is dictated by the market, not the engineer.

 

[snowhead]

The answer to the Question is No.

It's impossible to implement.
If it were to be the case then ALL trades and professions would have to have fixed response times and costs.

For example, a GSR is half way through installing a boiler when someone rings asking for them to come and look at a cooker because the flame doesn't look right.

The GSR can't turn down the work and has to leave to look at a cooker.
Once there discovers it's working O.K.
As they are leaving to go back to the boiler someone else rings with a problem, the GSR can't turn down the work.

It simple enough to apply it to Hackney Carriage work, something which has been in place since horse and carriages, if the Cab is available it has a sign to say so, how's that going to wok for GSR?
Note that the inability to refuse pick up only applies to Hackney Carriage, not to Private Hire or the Uber type system.

An interesting note re the forum, I typed G S R (without the spaces) and the forum software has auto changed it to 'Registered Professional Gas Engineer'

 

[Stu-B]

who would police that? Or rather how much extra would it cost the gsr every year to police that, you know, on top of gassafe registration and public liability etc?
Maybe we need some scheme which prevents customers from going on holiday when it’s time to settle their bill, especially the one who was so desperate for the job to be done so the engineer agreed to forfeit his Christmas time off to do the job... much to the disgust of his wife and young son!!!

 

[Gasmk1]

also limits on costs, diffferent prices for whichever part of the country you live in you couldnt standardise it london prices are nothing like the rest of uk, mind you it would put a spanner in the works for BG and the larger companies. none of this would happen as impossible to govern as already stated

 

[SimonG]

If you were taking that approach with a gas engineer then what about doctors, lawyers, vets etc.

Is there a specific reason for mentioning this?

 

[OffshoreGas]

If you were taking that approach with a gas engineer then what about doctors, lawyers, vets etc.

Is there a specific reason for mentioning this?

You could argue you’re not legally obliged to use any of those professions. Nothing stopping you representing yourself in court, doing your own conveyancing etc. Cost of medical treatment to the private sector is regulated by the NHS.

 

[SimonG]

Don't fancy having to pop out my own appendix though.

 

[OffshoreGas]

Don't fancy having to pop out my own appendix though.

Can’t imagine it’s that much different to fitting a Nest or replacing a 3 port.

 

[Brambles]

I don’t think that fitting a Nest really requires 4 to 6 years of degree level education, followed by 2 years of clinical pathway training!!