When your boiler breaks, the last thing you are thinking about is building regulations, but since 1st April 2005, all new boilers (including replacements) are required to have building regulations approval. This is to make sure the boiler installation is safe, and that the boiler itself is at least 85% energy efficient for gas, and 85% efficient for oil.
Fortunately, working with a Gas Safe registered engineer is the easiest way to ensure that your gas boiler installation is up to building regulation standards. A Gas Safe engineer will provide you with a Gas Safe certificate (CP12 certificate) following the installation, and a copy of this is registered with building regulations by the engineer.
If you have an oil boiler, the engineer should be registered under the Competent Person Scheme.
What happens if I don’t have building regulations for my boiler installation?
The biggest risk when using an engineer that isn’t on the Gas Safe register is the risk of improper installation, which can be extremely dangerous. The boiler may not meet the required energy efficiency, which can lead to high energy bills.
Sometimes both the boiler and installation might conform to building regulation standards, but a lack of proof can still cause problems when selling your home. If your boiler isn’t registered with building regulations, you will either need to pay to get your boiler inspected and get a retrospective certificate, or you will need to purchase boiler indemnity insurance when selling your home.
How to check if your engineer is on the Gas Safe register
Before you commit to replacing your boiler, check if the engineer is registered on the Gas Safe register here: http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/
At Prime Gas, all of our engineers are Gas Safe registered, and all our work complies with building regulations, including providing Gas Safe certification for boiler installations and replacements.
