Making Sure your gas fitter is licenced
In Melbourne, Victoria gas fitters are licensed by the Plumbing Industry Council (PIC), which operates under the umbrella of the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). It is illegal in Victoria for gas fitting work to be carried out by anyone who has not proven their ability and received accreditation from the PIC.
In Victoria, you will need to hire a licensed gas fitter such as The Gas Doctor for installation of hot water systems, heaters and when fitting or relocating other gas appliances. A gas fitter is not required to do a simple reconnection job, such as reconnecting a gas cylinder.
There are two types of gas fitting licences in Victoria:
A Class A licence authorises a gas fitter to install light commercial and domestic appliances such as cookers, heaters (space heaters or central heaters), and other appliances that are classified as Type A gas appliances.
A Class B licence authorises a gas fitter to work on Type B gas installations that consume gas in excess of 10MJ (mega joules) per hour.
When hiring a gas fitter in Victoria, ask to see their gas fitters licence card. Their licence is your assurance that they have received the training necessary to safely carry out your installation, repair or maintenance work. In addition, a licensed gas fitter must:
- Hold insurance that warranties their work for a period of six years
- Issue you with a Compliance Certificate upon completion of a job.
- The Compliance Certificate is an important document. It is an offense not to issue one and without it, you may not have recourse under the law if something goes wrong with your gas installation within the warranty period of six years.
Licences are typically issued for one to three years. All of the Gas Doctors fitter’s credentials by asking them for their photo ID card, which details the validity of their licence and the class of work they are qualified to carry out.
All Gas Doctor technicians are fully licenced to carry out the work required. Call The Gas Doctor today on 0488 800 693