I plagiarized this as I thought it might add to the confusion...
" Until 1998, gas installers could achieve certificates of competence through a number of different certification schemes - resulting in an inconsistency of standards across the UK. Those separate schemes have now been replaced by the Nationally Accredited Certification Scheme for Individual Gas Fitting Operatives (ACS).
This means that all operatives are assessed within nationally agreed standards, to gain certificates that need renewal every five years. Assessments are available from some 150 centres around the UK. Each of these has been approved by one of six certification bodies accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)."
"All gas installation businesses and operatives must be in a "class of persons" approved by the Health and Safety Executive. That currently means they must be registered with CORGI."
This does not apply to DIY work. CORGI, as one would expect, say “could be dangerous" and "likely to be illegal".
Here is the referring Statutory Instrument.
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1998/19982451.htm
The HSE published a complete Fundamental Review of Gas Safety
http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm
In which there is a section discussing DIY
http://www.hse.gov.uk/fundgas.htm
It does say:
DIY installation and maintenance Question 30. Should DIY work be legally prohibited, e.g. by restricting the sale of gas equipment to registered gas installers? Should retailers be legally required to record sales of gas equipment and pass these to a central body, perhaps CORGI? Should any central body selected for this purpose be required to arrange the inspection of gas installation work in any case where the record of sale suggests work will be carried out by an unregistered installer? Should increased publicity on the dangers of DIY gas work be given by (i) HSE campaigns, (ii) manufacturer's warnings, (iii) other means? (HSC Discussion Document 'Gas Safety Review: option for change', DDE14a, Page 50) Recommendation 26
226. We understand concern about the possible risks posed by incompetent DIY gas work, but believe at present there is insufficient hard evidence of incidents to support the introduction of a legal ban. However, we recognise that current statistics might not tell the full story and recommend that further work be done more accurately to identify the scale of the problem, i.e. by refining arrangements for reporting incidents specifically to identify those related to DIY (see Recommendation 9), with a view to reviewing the legal position again (say in five years time).
227. In the meantime, we recommend that increased publicity should be given to the dangers of DIY gas work (possibly funded through industry and the Gas Safety Levy - see Recommendations 7 and 11). This should focus more on legal requirements for competence if DIY is undertaken, and penalties if these are not met. More encouragement should also be given to retailers for providing 'point of sale' information, and equipment manufacturers to include warnings with products.
Analysis of responses
228. Of a total 109 responses to Q 30, 54 supported the principle of banning DIY with 35 specifically against; whereas 44 were in favour of a ban in practice with 47 against (NB some voted just for principle or practice,
others for both). The similar question in the consumer document resulted in 29 favouring a ban with 31 against and 1 unclear. Replies to the public questionnaire showed 285 in favour of a ban with 54 against. The issue was also posted on a DIY Internet web site which provoked a number of responses from those practising DIY gas work; these were against more legal controls but generally supported further publicity, stressing competence requirements for DIY rather than frightening people away from doing it.
Argument
232. Data currently available suggests that a number of gas incidents have occurred over recent years where DIY is directly or indirectly implicated, but, the link is not always entirely clear and in some cases it is possible for other factors to have contributed. At present we do not believe that this evidence is sufficiently strong to suggest that current legal controls (ie for competence under GSIUR regulation 3(1)) are inadequate, and an absolute ban needs to be placed on DIY. If you look at some of the rest of the report, and contributing consultants reports concerning dangers in the home in general, you will read that in the gas arena, CO poisoning is by far and away the biggest issue, and that all gas related accidents in the home are a tiny proportion of the total.
DIY gas work is not illegal and is not a major focus area of the HSE. That's pretty clear.
