A man has been fined £13,998 plus £12,212 court costs for his unlicensed gas work at homes of elderly and vulnerable residents.
Tommy Smith pleaded guilty to five safety, business and consumer protection breaches at the Margate Magistrates' Court on August 1, for work he carried out in January 2007.

The unlicensed gas fitter had been targetting elderly and vulnerable homeowners in the Thanet area. Smith cold-called his victims, carried out lethal changes to their properties and over-charged them for the work.

Smith reduced the height of two chimneys in two properties, which contained gas boiler flues. He reduced the flue height and his rogue efforts caused high levels of carbon monoxide to build up in the properties. Residents alerted Kent County Council trading standards as soon as Smith left the properties.

Smith was slapped with a fine of £13,998 and ordered to pay £12,212 in costs, following his successful prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive.

The magistrate told Smith he had put 'profit before safety'. His work was described as a serious shortfall from what the regulations required.

HSE inspector Mike Walters said “It is illegal to carry out gas safety work if you are not registered to do so. Mr Smith took advantage of these vulnerable, elderly residents and as a result, not only broke the law, but caused them deep distress, and potentially put their lives at risk.

“It is essential that individuals and companies who carry out work on chimneys adhere to the guidance given, including the Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations 1998, to stop instances like this from happening again.”

According to HSE statistics, 20 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year.

Smith's prosecution comes after the HSE publicly warned of the dangers of not using registered gas fitters. The HSE prosecuted a Blackpool man on July 30 who fitted a gas fire while not being registered and left it in a dangerous condition.

Richard Cartlidge from Blackpool was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £987 costs at Blackpool Magistrates Court on July 30 after he incorrectly fitted a gas fire in March 2003. Cartlidge’s prosecution came about only because the owner of the flat where the work was being done, had concerns about the way the fire had been fitted and called in a second gas installer to check that his work.

Workers undertaking gas installation and maintenance work must be registered and HSE has chosen Capita to run a new gas installer registration scheme from April 2009. For details click here