REGISTERED GAS ENGINEER | AROUND THE INDUSTRY
Vulnerable tenant lived in property with dangerous gas appliances A landlord has been given a suspended prison sentence after he failed to maintain the gas appliances at his rental property in Penlan, Swansea. HSE, prosecuting, told Swansea Magistrates’ Court that there were numerous faults with gas appliances at the property, found between May and June 2017. The HSE had received a complaint from the tenant’s advocate, a tenancy support
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worker for Swansea Young Families Scheme, Action for Children, who was acting on behalf of the vulnerable tenant. Gas Safe Register inspectors discovered that the chimney/flue of the boiler in the attic had not been sealed properly so that products of combustion could enter the property, nor was it supported correctly. There were further boiler defects, and the tenant had not been provided with any temperature controls. The gas cooker, which was owned by the tenant, had no stability chain or bracket fitted. The gas supply was classified as Immediately Dangerous because the connection to the cap and liner meter outlet union had been made with an incorrect fitting and did not fit properly.
The installation pipework sleeve at the meter position under the stairs was not sealed and the gas meter regulator operating pressure was not within the acceptable tolerance. The court heard that landlord Tariq Shehadeh, who bought the property from his parents in 2007 but who now lives in Doha, Qatar, failed to have the gas appliances inspected regularly or maintained, and failed to provide a landlord’s gas safety record. Mr Shehadeh later complied with Improvement Notices that required him to take action to deal with these issues. Mr Shehadeh pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 28, 36(2), 36(3) and 36(4) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 as amended.
He was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay full costs of £14,883.30.
Asbestos was strewn across the roof in property refurb A construction company and a property management company have both been fined after failing to manage asbestos safely during the refurbishment of a former office block in Stockport. Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Samer Constructions had been contracted by Swift Property Management MCR to refurbish the property in Hazel Grove, Stockport. Materials containing asbestos and general waste had been discarded from the property in August 2018, and were spread across the roof of a single-storey part of the block. Some of the materials had fallen on to a car
park area below that was not cordoned off from passing members of the public. The HSE investigation found that an asbestos survey had been
carried out in May 2018, which identified the presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) including licensed ACMs, But Swift Property Management MCR failed to pass on the survey to Samer Constructions before work started. The court heard that Samer Constructions failed in its duty because it did not check whether a survey had been carried out. It went ahead with the work in a reckless manner, which resulted in two employees being exposed to asbestos fibres. Swift Property Management Limited of Denison Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to
breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £25,000 plus costs of £3,428. Samer Constructions Limited of Platt Lane, Manchester, pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £12,000 plus costs of £3,428. HSE inspector Phil Redman said: “These risks could so easily have been avoided by acting on the findings of the asbestos survey and carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”
Guaranteed contracts: a warning Once again, we’re hearing that gas engineers have lost money after they’ve signed up to so-called guaranteed contract work. A recent victim told Gas Safe Register: “The cost in my case was £2,300. If you are hungry for work, it is easy to get taken in by these people.” This is how they operate: a company contacts you by phone or email, offering you 08 April 2021
exclusive and substantial guaranteed work in your postcode area. The company, often describing itself as a property maintenance firm, says it’s giving you a contract to exclusively provide landlords’ gas safety record checks and maintenance of gas appliances in a postcode area local to you. But here’s the catch: you’ll be asked for a fee to secure the
‘exclusive’ contract, usually around £2,000. Or you may be invited to apply through a tender. Several gas engineers have contacted Gas Safe Register, saying they have never received any work. They can’t get hold of the company to which they have paid their hard-earned money and they can’t recoup it. These companies pop up
regularly and change name frequently. Their addresses are often serviced offices and any phone numbers provided are not in service or go through to virtual assistants only. If you think you have been a victim, contact your bank and report anything suspicious to the police or Action Fraud. Remember: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
