Find a plumber near you, and see whether we have checked their Gas Safe number.
Firms we have not checked yet say “Registered company, not yet verified”, so ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card before any gas work. Contact one plumber directly. No one pays to rank higher.
What do you need done?
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All citiesHow it works
- 1SearchPick the job and your town; firms that list the job come first.
- 2CompareVerified reviews, register status and, where the firm publishes them, fees, side by side.
- 3ContactCall the plumber, or message them if they have joined the site. We never sell your details or put you into a lead auction.
How to find a good local plumber
Start with the job, because the job decides who is allowed to do it. Work on a gas boiler, gas fire, hob or gas pipe must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer: the Health and Safety Executive says anyone employed to work on gas appliances in a home must be on the register (HSE: domestic gas FAQs). Water-only work, such as a dripping tap, a new toilet or a leak under the sink, does not need Gas Safe registration. It still has to meet the water fittings rules, and a WaterSafe approved plumber can give you a certificate of compliance to show that it does (WaterSafe).
Then search by job and town at the top of this page. Results show firms that list that job; where no firm in that town lists it yet, we show every firm there and say so. Each profile says in plain words whether we have checked the firm’s Gas Safe number against the register yet; firms we have not checked say “Registered company, not yet verified”. The list is ordered by verified customer review score, then by distance from the town centre. A paid listing changes the badge and the profile, never the place in the list.
Before anyone comes out, ask what the call-out or visit fee is, then get a written quote before work starts. The law is on your side: the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says a trader must do the job with reasonable care and skill (section 49), and where no price was agreed up front you only have to pay a reasonable one (section 51). On the day, ask a gas engineer for their Gas Safe ID card; the back shows which kinds of gas work they are qualified to do. Our guide how to check a plumber is Gas Safe or WaterSafe registered walks through both checks.
Which job is yours?
No heating or hot water? A boiler that has stopped, keeps losing pressure or shows a fault code needs a boiler repair. If it is old and keeps failing, weigh that against a new boiler installation. A Gas Safe installer can certify a new boiler under the Building Regulations themselves, and you should get the certificate within 8 weeks of the work (GOV.UK).
Water where it should not be? Turn the water off at the internal stop tap first, then see leaks and burst pipes or find an emergency plumber. If you smell gas, the plumber can wait: open doors and windows, turn off the gas at the meter if you can, and call the Gas Emergency Freephone on 0800 111 999, at any hour (HSE). In Northern Ireland the Gas Emergency Service is 0800 002 001 (nidirect). For bottled or tank LPG, call your supplier’s emergency number.
Cold radiators, sludge or banging pipes? Start with radiators and heating; if the whole system is slow to warm up, read about power flushing.
A new bathroom? Bathroom fitting covers baths, showers, basins and toilets. Whether the work needs building regulations approval is explained in our building regulations guide.
Letting a home? A landlord must have the gas appliances checked within every 12 months and give tenants a copy of the record within 28 days (Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36). See gas safety certificates and our landlord guide.
Questions people ask
Does a plumber need to be Gas Safe registered?
Only for gas work, and the engineer must also be competent for that type of gas work. A plumber who only works on water pipes, taps, toilets and waste does not need to be on the Gas Safe Register, although many plumbers are both.
How do I check a plumber is Gas Safe registered?
Ask for their Gas Safe ID card and enter the licence number on the Gas Safe Register website, or ring the register free on 0800 408 5500 (number published by HSE). The back of the card lists the gas work they are qualified for, such as boilers or cookers. On this site, a profile marked Verified shows a number we have checked; “Registered company, not yet verified” means we have not checked it yet.
What is a WaterSafe approved plumber?
WaterSafe is the national accreditation body for plumbers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its approved contractors are trained in the water fittings rules and can issue a certificate of compliance for work on your water supply. You can search its directory at watersafe.org.uk.
How often should a boiler be serviced?
HSE advises having gas appliances, flues and pipework serviced at least once a year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Landlords have a legal duty on top of that: a gas safety check within every 12 months, with the record kept for two years.
Do plumbers pay to appear higher on MyLocalPlumbers.uk?
No. The list is ordered by verified customer review score, then distance, for every firm. A plumber can pay £19.99 once for a verified listing or £39.99 once for a featured profile. That adds a badge, photos, its logo on any map pin it holds, and for a featured profile a share of the labelled Featured spots on the homepage map, never a higher position in the list.
Is it free to find a plumber here?
Yes. Searching, comparing and contacting a plumber costs you nothing, and we do not sell your details. An enquiry goes to the plumber you chose and to no other firm.
What should I do first if a pipe bursts?
Close the internal stop tap, which is usually under the kitchen sink, then open the cold taps to drain the pipes. If water is near sockets, lights or the consumer unit, switch the electricity off at the mains only if you can reach the switch without standing in water. Then call an emergency plumber.
Sources: HSE, domestic gas FAQs (registration, ID card, helpline, servicing, landlord checks); WaterSafe; Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36; burst pipe steps from our emergency plumber guide.