ROGUE father-and-son gas fitters convicted of illegally installing boilers were doing similar work at other properties, it has been alleged.
Scott Lodge and his dad, Brian Lodge, were sentenced in December last year over gas safety and health and safety breaches respectively.
Northwich resident Scott had previously admitted installing two gas boilers while not Gas Safety registered, while Brian, of Knutsford – who was registered – signed off the work on his son’s behalf.
After reading a Guardian report of the court case, Gareth Crawford, who lives in Verdin Street, Northwich, contacted the newspaper claiming Scott carried out work on his boiler, including fitting parts and doing annual gas safety checks, when he was not Gas Safety registered.
Gareth says the 37-year-old did his gas safety checks every year since he took over the tenancy with iAgent Homes in 2019.
Scott, who qualified in 2023, denies conducting the gas safety checks at Gareth’s home when he was not registered.
iAgent Homes had never given Gareth copies of the gas safety certificates, but after reading the court report, he requested them.
The letting agent sent Gareth copies from his 2022 to 2025 inspections, and those for 2022 and 2023 had been signed off by Brian.
Gareth, a housing support and resettlement worker, says at no point has Brian, 67, ever been to his home.
The 35-year-old has evidence in the form of emails and WhatsApp messages between his partner, Laura Gillett, and both Scott and iAgent Homes, which show Scott was the engineer sent to do the gas safety checks.
One message from February 2020 also suggests iAgent Homes sent Scott, then trading as Flamecare Maintenance Service, to fit a new timer to Gareth’s boiler, as well as repair a leaking pipe.
What’s more, when Gareth called Gas Safety Register to report what had happened, the inspector who came out to check his boiler on Thursday, January 15, condemned it as unsafe, ordering it not to be used.
The engineer’s report notes ‘flue integrity issues’, including ‘flue not sealed internally or externally, and flue not properly supported/excessive movement’.
The reports states these are ‘not minor issues’, adding: “These faults create a real risk of combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, leaking into the property.”
It is not known whether Scott installed the boiler at Gareth’s home, but if he conducted the gas safety checks for at least the last five consecutive years as Gareth claims, it was up to him to pick up on the faults, which did not happen.
The report also confirms the Gas Safety Register is treating the matter as a ‘formal enforcement investigation’.
Gareth said: “We saw the story in the Guardian and we though ‘that’s our boiler man’.
“I’m really upset because we’ve been put in danger.
“I don’t know how you can look someone in the eye knowing you’re not registered.
“My daughter has been living here since she was eight years old.
“Scott did all our gas safety inspections from and including 2020 to 2025.
“We saw him with our own eyes. We also have WhatsApp messages and emails between us and Scott, and us and iAgent Homes, which all show Scott was being sent.
“He behaved professionally while he was here, but we didn’t really interact.
“If we hadn’t read the story, we would never have known.
“When we asked iAgent for a copy of the gas safety certificates, they said they keep them at the office and tenants don’t normally get them.
“That’s wrong. They have a duty to provide them within 28 days.”
Since Gareth found out Scott was not Gas Safety registered before 2023, he has been in touch with both him and iAgent Homes, who reported him to the police for harassment.
However, Cheshire Police has confirmed it will not be pursuing the matter.
A force spokesman said: “On January 21, police received reports of harassment in relation to AI images posted on social media relating to a man from Northwich.
“Officers engaged with the victim and following enquiries, no further action will be taken.”
Last month Scott and Brian both received 200 hours unpaid work, plus court costs of £2,614 a piece, after admitting at Chester Magistrates’ Court to colluding over illegal boiler installations in December, last year.
An inspection of one of the boilers, made at the homeowner’s request, revealed a lack of support for the chimney and flue system, which carried the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The faults were almost identical to those Gas Safety’s inspector found with Gareth’s boiler.
iAgent Homes claims it did not know Scott was not Gas Safe registered when it engaged his services.
Its spokesman said: “We would like to reassure our tenants and landlords we are highly committed to following procedures, and the safety of all tenants remains paramount.
“Flamecare Maintenance Service was engaged in good faith to carry out gas safety inspections for the properties we manage, with the knowledge they were Gas Safety registered.
“Prior to the Guardian article just before Christmas, we were unaware Scott Lodge was not individually Gas Safety registered prior to 2023.
“Immediately upon discovering this information, we launched an investigation to ensure all the properties which we oversee are safe.
“The HSE has been in contact with us regarding this case and they are satisfied with the information we have provided.
“When a gas safety inspection has been conducted, a hard copy is left with the tenants at the property, however it has come to light when Flamecare digitised its certificates, this was not done alongside hard copies, but to replace them.
“We are currently in the process of ensuring every gas safety certificate which has been conducted during an active tenancy, a copy has been provided to the tenant.”
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