Government must do more on illegal gas work, says ATAG

ATAG Heating Technology has called on MPs to enforce tighter restrictions on who can purchase gas boilers. The move follows a recent survey that found 82% of registered gas engineers are forced to put right unsafe installations by illegal fitters at least once every quarter.

The nationwide survey of registered gas engineers, carried out by ATAG, reveals the widespread impact of illegal gas work, with more than half of those warning that the faulty work poses a serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

One in five installers say illegal gas work is directly harming their business, from lost contracts and reputational damage to time and money spent rectifying botched jobs.

The survey highlights concern not just about customer safety, but about cost with one-third of gas engineers saying that customers typically pay more than £400 to repair these dangerous installations.

The figures suggest that a major source of the problem is the lack of oversight. Nearly half (45%) of illegal gas work is promoted via social media ads, making it easier for unqualified individuals to provide services without scrutiny.

Kevin Treanor, director of ATAG Heating Technology UK, said: “Illegal gas work poses a serious threat to our profession, but more than that, it endangers the lives of UK residents.

“Every year, around 250,000 gas jobs are carried out by unqualified individuals, and we need to work to bring that number to zero.

“Our engineers routinely uncover dangerously installed systems that could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, fires or even explosions.”

The survey found that 61% of respondents say the most effective way to prevent this dangerous practice is to prohibit boiler sales to anyone who is not Gas Safe registered. ATAG Heating Technology has long maintained a strict policy of only selling boilers to Gas Safe registered engineers and is now urging the wider industry to adopt the same approach. It’s asking tradespeople and members of the public to sign a letter to MPs that calls for legislation to restrict boiler sales to Gas Safe registered engineers only.

ATAG is inviting gas engineers and members of the public to write to their local MPs in support of new legislation that would restrict access to gas-critical products and reduce the volume of illegal installations.

You can email your MP via the ATAG website at: https://www.atagheating.co.uk/help-us-stop-all-illegal-gas-work-in-the-uk/

Research was carried out between May and June 2025, and was conducted on ATAG Selected Partners (Installers), with 174  respondents.