A cowboy gas engineer carried out shoddy work despite being unregistered to do so.
Neil Burton, 41, of Harrogate Crescent, Middlesbrough, admitted two gas safety offences when he appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 7th October 2025.
Regulations 3(1) and 3(3) of The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require that anyone undertaking gas fitting work should be competent to do so, having been approved by the Health and Safety Executive (e.g. on the Gas Safe register).
The court heard that Burton ticked neither of these boxes when he serviced boilers in Stockton-on-Tees in May 2021 and April 2022. Furthermore, the work he did at those properties was found to be substandard and potentially dangerous.
An HSE investigation confirmed that Burton had also carried out work at properties in Middlesbrough in 2022 and 2023, despite not being competent or registered. This included the replacement of a gas hob and the disconnection of a gas fire.
Burton had previously been Gas Safe registered, but had allowed his membership and qualifications to lapse.
He was sentenced to 6 months' custody suspended for 12 months, with the requirement that he completes 150 hours' unpaid work.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Darian Dundas said: "All gas work must be carried out by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met and to prevent injury or loss of life.
"The public should always ask to see a gas engineer's identification and check their registration number online."
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