How can I check a boiler installer’s accreditation?

The useful check is not a logo on a van or quotation. It is whether the named engineer is authorised for the type of boiler and fuel in your home, and whether the installation will be recorded correctly afterwards.

Start with the fuel. Gas boilers must be installed and serviced by an engineer who is registered with Gas Safe. Oil-fired boilers require an engineer with the appropriate oil-heating competence, commonly demonstrated through OFTEC registration. These are different areas of work, so a registration for one fuel does not automatically cover the other.

If an installer is working on a gas boiler, ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card before work begins. The card should identify the individual, not only the business. Check the categories listed on it and make sure they include the appliance being installed. You can then use the official Gas Safe register to confirm that the details match.

For an oil boiler, ask which engineer will carry out the work and what OFTEC registration covers it. This matters particularly on an off-gas-grid property, where the boiler, oil storage and associated controls may all need to be considered together. Registration should relate to the work being undertaken, rather than being used as a general claim of competence.

Check who is actually coming to your home. A company may hold a registration while arranging for another engineer to do the installation. Ask for the name of the person responsible for the work, their relevant registration and whether they are employed by the installer or subcontracted. If different people will install, commission or connect the system, ask which person is responsible for each part.

Accreditation is one part of the check. You should also expect the installer to explain the survey findings, boiler position, flue route, condensate drainage, controls and any changes needed to pipework or radiators. An older home, solid-wall property or converted building can need more planning than a straightforward replacement, particularly where the existing flue or heating circuit cannot be reused.

Before accepting a quotation, ask what you will receive when the work is complete:

• a written description of the boiler installation and any associated work;
• the commissioning record, showing that the appliance has been set up and tested correctly;
• the relevant building regulations or installation notification paperwork;
• instructions for the boiler and controls; and
• confirmation of how the manufacturer’s warranty will be registered.

These documents should identify the installer and the appliance. Keep them with the boiler records, especially if you later sell the property or need warranty support. A registration logo alone does not replace commissioning paperwork or evidence that the installation was completed to the manufacturer’s instructions.

It is also worth asking what happens if the survey changes the price. A reliable installer should explain any extra work before it starts, rather than discovering essential pipework, flue or electrical changes on installation day. At Alderminster Group, we provide a written quotation before work begins and our Gas Safe or OFTEC-registered engineers explain the work that the property needs. The result should be a boiler installation with a clear chain of responsibility, not just an accreditation badge.