Gas Safe Not working for their memebers but for everybody else

[desperado dan]

Was in the merchants the other day and i was horrified to find out that GSR was offering free "gas safety checks" to anyone who has had a recent appliance registered, then going to the property slagging off the engineers work and then up selling them in to maintenance contracts through a third party? i was like what's going on!!, they then went on to explain they have been collaborating with the inland revenue to catch "cash" gas engineers when Registered appliances don't match up with invoices. Dont forget we pay these guys every year! oh and to cap it off been going round every cmpany in the country informing them if the GE doesnt hold a valid cpa1 all his other units will be invalid. Cheers Boys Keep up the good work!!!

 

[Halesowen1]

Disgusting if true.

 

[GasSafePR]

There are quite a few parts of this that are either wrong or are a really odd interpretation of the facts - I'll try and address the main ones.

Why would you be horrified that we offer gas safety checks?

We do offer 'free gas safety checks' to consumers who have had work carried out to check that the work is safe, it's a key part of what we were appointed to do (the clue is in our name). It's not about slagging off the engineer, and it certainly isn't about selling maintenance contracts (I have posted a few times on this and regular visitors to the forum will have seen the answers I have given in the past. In short - we haven't, don't and won't, nor do we pass on your data to companies that do sell that kind of service).

I am afraid you are just plain wrong there.

Similarly, when HMRC asked us for information we are legally bound to comply. They are looking at all sorts of trades at the moment, not just gas engineers, as part of a campaign to encourage people to get their tax affairs in order. Their argument is that if the majority are paying the right taxes why should those who aren't get any advantage. But, as I say, it was a request we were legally obliged to comply with.

The decision to include CPA1 does not come from us - it was decided by the independent standards setting function whcih includes representatives from across industry and operated by EU Skills. Once it was agreed then we have no choice but to apply these rules. There is a good breakdown on how the standard setting function works in the January edition of Registered Gas Engineer (page 6).

I know that as the operator of the register we are sometimes seen as being reponsible for everything but it really isn't the case.

 

[CMairiD]

But GasSafePR, you are a part of the SMB as well which means you did have input into the CPA1 implementation too.

I won't argue that once the decision had been made you were required to implement it. Nor will I argue that CPA1 is a bad idea; however, implementation was poorly thought out and a discredit to the standards setting function and equally reflects poorly on the those required to enforce it.

 

[GasSafePR]

Hi CMairiD

Thanks, you are right that we are one of the voices on the but, as you will appreciate, only one amongst many. There has been a lot of discussion around what was agreed and how it was implemented which I sure will continue.

 

[desperado dan]

HMM why does GSR register need a PR Team Makes you wonder, everyone knows you can't paint over the cracks

 

[GasSafePR]

Because if we didn't then people would believe what they heard in the builder's merchant...

 

[desperado dan]

Because if we didn't then people would believe what they heard in the builder's merchant...

smoke and fire springs to mind

 

[Puddle]

smoke and fire springs to mind

I thought a tale made up of half truths and half innuendo sprang to mind

Imho

 

[AWheating]

Was in the merchants the other day and i was horrified to find out that GSR was offering free "gas safety checks" to anyone who has had a recent appliance registered, then going to the property slagging off the engineers work and then up selling them in to maintenance contracts through a third party? i was like what's going on!!, they then went on to explain they have been collaborating with the inland revenue to catch "cash" gas engineers when Registered appliances don't match up with invoices. Dont forget we pay these guys every year! oh and to cap it off been going round every cmpany in the country informing them if the GE doesnt hold a valid cpa1 all his other units will be invalid. Cheers Boys Keep up the good work!!!

the biggest problem i can see is that you believe what people say in merchants.

 

[desperado dan]

the biggest problem i can see is that you believe what people say in merchants.

i wouldn't say so my friend, not when multiple people are saying it, just heard it from another colleague just now, he is writing a letter of complaint to gas safe now, the service they provide is atrocious.

 

[AWheating]

these types of things are always spoken around the trade and to be honest always will be. They offer a free check..... good keeps us on our toes. They give information to the hmrc by contractual agreement...... no body like to be spied on but what do you have to hide?? anyone not paying taxes correctly derserves what they get. Not really anything to do with gas safe tho.

tradesmen are like old woman, moan,moan,moan....... i too like to have a good moan.

i think sometimes we expect more than gas safe are paided and need to do, they are in essence a record keeper mainly.

 

[dancinplumba]

next it will be splashed across the front of the daily star.. then it will be true IMHO

 

[Mike Jackson]

It's like a huge game of Chinese whispers. By the end of next week Gas Safe Register will be sitting stroking a white cat and planning world domination.

 

[AWheating]

i heard they want to make cows pass a purging course before they are allowed to release methane?