Phone call to gas safe. . . .

[lambchop]

Phoned gas safe Friday, I'm the the only gas safe engineer on the firm. I have my own reg and the firm has there's with me as their only eng on it. In a nut shell I wanted to speak to gas safe using the firms reg number not my own. I was told that I cannot do this as I have not been authorised by the company to do this. Ok, but I'm the only qualified person on the firm so shouldn't I be on the list to enable me to see what gas appliances are being registered so no illegal work is taken place.

asked who holds this authority, can't say. Phoned the firm, why can't I have access, oh right we will give you access Monday, ok, not really happy with this. Feel my qualifications as a subbie can allow a firm to register gas safe and I have to trust them not to allow anyone else to do work gas work using there reg number which they are only allowed to have because I'm gas safe... Am I reading this wrong, please put me right lads/ladies. Will phone the local inspector Monday aswell, but any input much appreciated

 

[lame plumber]

go self employed then, no problems with your bum in a sling

 

[lambchop]

I am, I'm a subbie.

 

[Ermintrude]

You don't need to worry . If he's doing illegal work last thing you want is access. You will get blame for not registering. Just alert gas safe about what you think is going on. They are supposed to police it....... Be prepared for the boot tho

 

[tamz]

I didn't think a company could register as gas safe if they don't have any qualified employees (if you are a subby you are not an employee).
Obviously they (gs) will take the cash from anyone.

 

[stevetheplumber]

i get the same result when ever ive phoned gas safe, a wasted call

 

[lambchop]

Thanks for answering lads, it just seems like a loophole that's open to be abused. Been with a few companies and this particular one got a bad gut feeling about, easy answer is subb to somebody else. Just wanted to post to see if anyone else has been in a similar position

 

[Ermintrude]

GS just need 1 person on register that's it. Subby. Brother. Cousin.

 

[tamz]

GS just need 1 person on register that's it. Subby. Brother. Cousin.

I was always under the impression they had to be directly employed. Maybe Reg Man would know.
Can you imagine the carry on there would be if every bob the builder started paying out the couple of hundred quid for the badge and getting it because their subby who they use when they are stuck is gsr'd.
It shouldn't be allowed.

 

[Ermintrude]

Supposed to be GSR ever actually check? Other than you have paid for another year!

 

[lambchop]

Just tried to access the company in questions e mail to send my invoice for the week which is the norm, I have been blocked. Will send it to them registered post, wait the allotted time and looks like this one will be going to small claims court. Will give the director a call tmrw and no doubt the gs inspector will be phoned shortly after.

 

[jtsplumbing]

GS just need 1 person on register that's it. Subby. Brother. Cousin.

Even the firms cat would do, as long as GS get paid.

 

[Ermintrude]

Wnkrs. Do u keep a diary? I would be sending GS a list of the jobs you did and they can deduce the rest?

 

[lambchop]

Yes mate, will phone the office and get the final answer if I can access their gs register and check what they have been up to first and then make a decision from there. If it's no we won't let you do that, obviously something to hide and a phone call to gs insp, if it's a yes will take a look and go and work somewhere else. There's a number of things that I'm not happy with and this is the straw that broke the camels back. As I pointed out to them, you can't mess about with somebody's livelihood

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

I didn't think a company could register as gas safe if they don't have any qualified employees (if you are a subby you are not an employee).
Obviously they (gs) will take the cash from anyone.

Actually, unless things have changed there - a firm can be GSR with NO employees
only on the basis of having subbies.

Also I vaguely seem to remember having being Corgi Registered without any qualified operatives listed!
I expect it is still the case - it was some sort of management registration and to pass or be tested you have to prove you have a system that involves using genuine Subcontractors who have their own registration - it is a paper work thing.

My reply to the OP i see where you are coming from.
Currently we have 2 ops on our registration I am the only one with access to GS website officially but of course my DH Mr TP uses the exact same login details for the site.

THe other operative is the only one with up to date cookers and gas fires - how does he know Mr TP isn't out there doing Landlord certs or installations and putiing down his details.
I guess he trusts us.
And if Mr TP was doing that he would be breaking the law and suffer the consequences....

As the subbie I'm not sure if you should have access?
But if the firm is getting someone else to do illegal work and using your ID they are breaking the law. I guess you will hear about it if their is a complaint to GSR/ HSE.

 

[lambchop]

The wheels are turning concerning my op, I don't wish to comment until the situation has been sorted but will of course update when it has been as it's a private forum

 

[lambchop]

Sorted, we have parted company. Inspector aware, he was not really surprised that this could be happening. So hopefully they will find a way to close this loop hole.

 

[buckley plumb]

I have seen many companies who have 5 gas engineers and the rest are plumbers . and on new build sites the plumbers have installed gas pipes and fitted boilers etc and they get the gas engineers to commission the houses .but as you said I bet they have used the engineers codes .

 

[village idiot]

Not so long ago, I fitted a boiler in Crystal Palace. The initial pipework had been started by a company who claimed their plumber and gas engineer had installed all of the present pipework but due to some misunderstandings, had parted company with them. I went to complete pipework and fit boiler.

The gas hob had been plumbed and fitted. I was assured that this had been tested and sound. Meter was a new meter. When I decided to carry out a let-by and tightness test, the guage readings dropped like a stone? It turns out they had just ran the pipework to gas hob, then had difficulty getting the right fittings to hob, so just left it as.