Gas safe people

[BODs SR2]

Is it me or is there a lack of gas engineers willing to work on boats these days 

[LadyG]

 

The Boat Safe Examiners have to pay a something like £5K for training for that qualification Doing that alone is probably not a very profitable business proposition.

Not sure about shortage, its probably patchy. 

 I think i have found that the only people who are  really  hands-on are those who maintain a fleet of hire boats. 

I dont believe many gas safe people who do Boat Safety have the level of skills to service appliances, they are more likely to be trained to install the gas system. 

I remember asking my BSC bod to service my cooker  two years ago, he did  some gas work replacing the armoured hose [they are now illegal], and setting up a test point, but that was it.

Edited May 14 by LadyG

[cheesegas]

I have a friend who works for British Gas and recently added the LPG on boats bit to their ticket with a view to taking on a few jobs as a sole trader after leaving British Gas.

 

They've done a few boat jobs and it sounds like compared to houses, it's more difficult due to the confined space and increased chance of finding a bodge job. So far, every single one that has promised to be quick - capping off an old fridge for example - has turned into a bigger job once other issues are found.

 

On top of that, people seem reluctant to pay the same going rates as houses, despite it being more challenging!

[Gybe Ho]

2 hours ago, BODs SR2 said:

Is it me or is there a lack of gas engineers willing to work on boats these days 

 

Did you mention that your boat is your principal residence?

 

22 minutes ago, cheesegas said:

They've done a few boat jobs and it sounds like compared to houses, it's more difficult due to the confined space and increased chance of finding a bodge job.

 

 

And an increased chance of stepping in the cat litter tray, or being attacked by the resident staffie or putting a foot through the floor because the showertray has been leaking for years.

[jonathanA]

The bss examiner I use is gas safe does quite a lot of boat gas work as well as bss. He tells me that as well as the gas safe training he also has to do the Bss gas training and 'exam'  every 3 years  (I think it was 3) 

 

He does a lot a installs for a well known builder so I guess that pays better than sorting out lady Gs hose and test point and given the costs to maintain qualifications its not too surprising the better ones can pick and choose work ....

 

 

[BODs SR2]

Thanks for your comments. Does anyone have a contact in west Lancashire area please. 

[jonathanA]

Pm sent

[LadyG]

12 hours ago, jonathanA said:

The bss examiner I use is gas safe does quite a lot of boat gas work as well as bss. He tells me that as well as the gas safe training he also has to do the Bss gas training and 'exam'  

He does a lot a installs for a well known builder so I guess that pays better than sorting out lady Gs hose and test point and given the costs to maintain qualifications its not too surprising the better ones can pick and choose work ....

 

 

Not only do the Examiners have to be trained, and re-trained at what looks to me like a significant cost, I believe they have to pay for each certificate they issue.

While I am all for my personal safety, its not even about that, its about third party risk.

There will always be some level of risk in solved with any activity. 

I  think hire boats must be  Examined rigorously, but again it will be the hire centre who check the boat on more frequently.. Leisure and Liveaboard, different standards, its a bit of a mess of potage.

 

Edited May 14 by LadyG

[MtB]

9 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Not only do the Examiners have to be trained, and re-trained at what looks to me like a significant cost, I believe they have to pay for each certificate they issue.

 

Just had a BSS done on mine and the examiner says he has to pay BSS Office £94.00 for each ticket issued. 

 

Jeez....

 

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

16 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Just had a BSS done on mine and the examiner says he has to pay BSS Office £94.00 for each ticket issued. 

 

Jeez....

 

Just had mine done, cost was £275 up North, should be roughly the same price as yours down South, was it? Just to give people an idea of the BSS cost.

[jonathanA]

i paid £240 in the north west last month and that would include 1 free retest. 

[Russ T]

My very first BSS examination cost 60 quid. That's inflation for you.

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

19 minutes ago, Russ T said:

My very first BSS examination cost 60 quid. That's inflation for you.

Now you’ll get someone saying. “When I started boating, there were no bits of fancy paper needed for the boat, just a bloody thrupence vet’s certificate for the horse” 😂🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐴🐴

Edited May 14 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2

[Alan de Enfield]

54 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Just had a BSS done on mine and the examiner says he has to pay BSS Office £94.00 for each ticket issued. 

 

Jeez....

 

 

The subject appears to be "gas fitting" and LadyG says that the gas bods have to pay to issue a certificate.

I think she is confusing it with the BSS certificate.

 

Certainly we have to have a landlords certificate, for our caravans, - and - they are not cheap !

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The subject appears to be "gas fitting" and LadyG says that the gas bods have to pay to issue a certificate.

I think she is confusing it with the BSS certificate.

 

Well I certainly was! 

 

As a gas bod myself I can confirm we do not have to pay anyone to issue a 'gas certificate' of any sort (other than buying the pad of forms for £20-ish), unilike BSS bods who have to pay BSS £94 to 'register' the results of the inspection they just carried out. 

 

This will be next though I suspect, given the Labour guvvermint's insatiable appetite for bureaucracy and hefty charges that go with it. 

 

"MTD", anyone? 

 

This is being introduced for no other reason than to generate five more annual filing deadlines for the self-employed for them to miss and get fined a penalty of £100 on each missed deadline. More penalty income for missed filing deadlines is the only reason anyone can think of for MTD, some accountants are saying. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

"MTD", anyone? 

 

This is being introduced for no other reason than to generate five more annual filing deadlines for the self-employed for them to miss and get fined a penalty of £100 on each missed deadline. More penalty income for missed filing deadlines is the only reason anyone can think of for MTD, some accountants are saying. 

 

"Go Limited" - problem solved.

[MtB]

 

P..S. My BSS was £243.00. Of which Jason got to hang onto £149.00. One which he has to pay tax and NI adding up to almost 50%. 

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

"Go Limited" - problem solved.

 

Just swaps one set of filing deadlines for another, Shirley. 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

P..S. My BSS was £243.00. Of which Jason got to hang onto £149.00. One which he has to pay tax and NI adding up to almost 50%. 

 

You forgot running a vehicle costs - but, still not bad for 15 minutes work !

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Just swaps one set of filing deadlines for another, Shirley. 

 

 

 

Yes, but you only file once a year.

Edited May 14 by Alan de Enfield

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Yes, but you only file once a year.

 

Yeahbutnobut I have to go PAYE then, Shirley, which comes with its own massive set of bureaucracy with deadlines, IIRC

 

 

[Gybe Ho]

13 hours ago, jonathanA said:

The bss examiner I use is gas safe does quite a lot of boat gas work as well as bss. He tells me that as well as the gas safe training he also has to do the Bss gas training and 'exam'  every 3 years  (I think it was 3) 

 

Regular gas safe people have to perform hands-on practical fault fixing test at an examination centre every few years. The family member I know who does this claims the whole periodic testing scheme is a sham because for the past decade he attends the same testing centre and is challenged to identify and fix the same fault in the same malfunctioning cooker as 3 years previously. 

[Unicorn Stampede]

Our domestic BSS last year was like £160? Possibly £170.

 

The yearly commercial gas certificate we need for trade boat is around £240.

 

I know it cost us just shy of £800 for the initial commercial gas certificate (and admittedly some fittings and labour).

 

We had real trouble finding someone who would do the commercial element (apparently it requires additional courses).

 

Luckily we got recommended a guy who has been very good, but I know he's become substantially busier over the last 2 years. To the point where if I was him, I'd be either very picky with what jobs I selected or increase prices to reflect the fact there's clearly a demand (but not enough supply).

Edited May 14 by Unicorn Stampede

[MtB]

33 minutes ago, Unicorn Stampede said:

We had real trouble finding someone who would do the commercial element (apparently it requires additional courses).

 

 

EVERYTHING to do with gas requires additional courses! 

 

And all of them cost £hundreds and have to be renewed every five years. Its a right gravy train for the training schools with us foot soldier gas bods working at the sharp end paying for it all. 

 

And passing the ever-escalating costs onto our customers in order that we stay in business at all.

 

 

Making all the gas exam passes expire after five years instead of being 'evergreen' was a GENIUS IDEA by the guvvermint, and created a whole new £1bn a year industry constantly re-examining everyone in my industry. 

 

Also the boat safety industry and electricians will no doubt be next (if they don't already spend half their lives in the exam room and paying through the nose for it.) 

 

Rant over. 

[cuthound]

12 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

EVERYTHING to do with gas requires additional courses! 

 

And all of them cost £hundreds and have to be renewed every five years. Its a right gravy train for the training schools with us foot soldier gas bods working at the sharp end paying for it all. 

 

And passing the ever-escalating costs onto our customers in order that we stay in business at all.

 

 

Making all the gas exam passes expire after five years instead of being 'evergreen' was a GENIUS IDEA by the guvvermint, and created a whole new £1bn a year industry constantly re-examining everyone in my industry. 

 

Also the boat safety industry and electricians will no doubt be next (if they don't already spend half their lives in the exam room and paying through the nose for it.) 

 

Rant over. 

 

Was it a "government" idea?

 

Usually governments are reactive, so more likely caved in to the gas industries demands for tighter regulation.

[IanD]

12 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Was it a "government" idea?

 

Usually governments are reactive, so more likely caved in to the gas industries demands for tighter regulation.

Are you sure the EU aren't to blame? 😉 

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

Are you sure the EU aren't to blame? 😉 

 

GasSafe's predecessor CORGI was around when I started work in 1972, so predates our joining the EU.