AN incompetent heating engineer with no gas qualifications who carried out work that could have left tenants’ lives at risk has been warned he faces jail.

Keith Downie, who traded as a heating engineer under the name All Systems in the Darlington area, fraudulently gave the details of other, qualified, plumbers on safety certificates to make people believe he was legitimate.

Officials fear Downie may have carried out sub-standard work on other gas appliances in homes around Darlington and have urged anyone who has concerns to contact the Gas Safe Register.

The people living in three properties where evidence of Downie’s incompetent work on gas appliances was found were put at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, fire and explosions, according to court documents.

In a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Downie, 51, of The Firs, Darlington, pleaded guilty to six charges of contravening a health and safety regulation.

Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard that Downie had no training to work on gas appliances and had never registered on the Gas Safe Register, which all gas engineers must legally sign up to.

HSE inspector Jonathan Wills, prosecuting, said Downie’s actions came to light after a qualified plumber raised concerns about the standard of earlier work carried out at a property in Louisa Street, Darlington.

The landlord, Northgate Estate Agents, which took over the property in April 2012, checked the certificates it had been given and found that Downie had carried out work in February 2012, using the Gas Safe Register number of a company based in Scotland to cover his tracks.

The other charges admitted by Downie involved properties owned by a private landlord in Belgrave Street and Neasham Road.

Mr Wills told the court that the landlord mistakenly rang Downie’s number and, believing he was speaking to another, qualified, engineer, asked him to carry out work on two boilers.

Mr Wills said: “Downie deceived the landlords into thinking the work had been carried out by a competent and registered person and that the lives of the people living in those properties were safe.

“He deliberately breached the law to profit financially.”

Stephen Andrews, mitigating, deferred giving his defence statement to magistrates until a pre-sentence report had been completed.

Magistrates warned Downie to co-operate with the probation service and told him his offences were so serious that prison was an option.

Downie will attend Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on December 9.

Russell Kramer, chief executive for Gas Safe Register, urged people to ensure they use a qualified and registered engineer to work on any gas appliance in their home.

He added: “Badly fitted gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.

“It’s therefore important that you only ever employ a registered engineer who is qualified to carry out your gas work. If your engineer is not registered, they are working illegally.”

To check an engineer is qualified call Gas Safe Register on 0800-408-5500 or visit gassaferegister.co.uk

If you believe Keith Downie carried out work on a gas appliance in your home, contact Gas Safe Register.