Updated Rules for Gas Installation Notification

If you work as a gas installer in England and Wales you will know that you must notify the installation of some heat-producing gas appliances and heating and hot water systems to your local building control.

It is a legal requirement under the Building Regulations in England and Wales that the relevant Local Authority (LA) must be notified that specific work has been carried out. In the case of gas this can only be done through Gas Safe Register or one of its third party partners that has an agreement with the Register.

We have tried to include all the necessary information from Gas Safe Register themselves in this article. We hope you find it useful.

Update to the rules (April 2016)

There is no longer an option to undertake notification under a building notice where the business is registered with a body authorised to accept self-certification of building regulation compliance, eg, Gas Safe Register.

In light of this legal obligation, GSR’s Rules of Registration have been amended to reflect the requirement and come into effect in April 2016.

Section 9

You must report all heat-producing gas appliances (boilers, fires and air heaters etc.) and related heating systems that you install and commission as a requirement of the Building Regulations in England and Wales, confirming that the work complies with all aspects of the Building Regulations.

For registered businesses operating in geographical areas outside those covered by these Building Regulations, there will be no change to the inspection process. However, where the requirement does apply, non-compliance with the Rules of Registration will attract sanctions in accordance with the Sanctions Policy.

Many boiler manufacturers have arrangements in place that allow automatic notification of the installation of a boiler when you register the appliance’s warranty if you are a member of their loyalty programmes.

You can notify directly through Gas Safe Register by logging into your account here. Click on Notifications then click “Report Gas Work”.

Once the transaction has been completed and payment made, Gas Safe will send a Building Regulations Compliance certificate to your customer and will advise the relevant Local Authority Building Control department of the work on your behalf.

You will be able to see a summary of the jobs you have already notified along with a list of work codes for all appliances and manufacturers when you notify online. You can also request a duplicate certificate if required.

What needs to be notified?

The following is a list of the descriptors used for notification:

Gas

• Install a gas-fired condensing boiler up to 70kW
• Install a gas-fired non-condensing boiler up to 70kW
• Install a gas-fired condensing boiler over 70kW
• Install a gas-fired non-condensing boiler over 70kW
• Install a flue gas heat recovery device with a domestic gas condensing boiler
• Install a gas-fired radiant heating system
• Install a gas water heater
• Install a gas fired warm air heating system up to 70kW
• Install a gas-fired warm air heating system over 70kW
• Install a flued gas cooking range/hot water boiler

Heating and hot water

• Install a flue liner/chimney system
• Install a domestic hot water system
• Install heating controls for wet central heating or warm air systems (domestic)
• Install a non-domestic hot water system
• Install heating and/or hot water systems controls (non-domestic)
• Install an unvented hot water storage system
• Install a wet underfloor heating system
• Install a dry central heating system
• Install a hearth.

Note: You do not need to notify the installation of a new gas cooker under the Building Regulations, but you may report it if your customer would like to receive a Declaration of Safety Certificate confirming that this has been done by a correctly qualified and registered business.

What information is needed?

You should provide the job address, postcode, date of the completion, customers name and address, the installing engineer, manufacturer, model, version and location.

When the appliance has been notified, your customer will receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate or Declaration of Safety Certificate if appropriate. It is an important certificate for homeowners and they need to keep it – it may be needed if they sell their home or remotgage.

Costs

• Notification costs £2.20 plus VAT per notification online or £3.50 plus VAT by phone.
• You can notify up to 6 items per address in one transaction – eg the installation of a new domestic heating system could attract a notification that includes the following items in order to fully meet the requirements:
• Install a gas-fired condensing boiler up to 70kW
• Install an unvented hot water storage system
• Install a domestic hot water system
• Install heating controls for wet central heating or warm air system (domestic)
• Install a wet underfloor heating system.

The information above is taken from the only official gas trade publication “Registered Gas Engineer”.