Trading standards leaflets

Ref: 122600

Selling used gas cooking appliances

It is an offence to supply or hire out a used gas-cooking appliance unless it complies with certain safety requirements - for example, the gas carrying component must prevent leaks of gas, the gas shut off devices must work properly and safely and surface temperatures must not be too high. Only someone who is competent under the terms of the Regulations can install a gas appliance.

In the guide
The legislation
What is a gas cooking appliance?
What are the safety requirements?
How do I know whether the cooker meets the safety requirements?
Who can install an appliance?

The legislation
Under the General Product Safety Regulations  2005 it is an offence to supply (and this includes hiring out) a used gas-cooking appliance unless it complies with specified safety requirements (see below).

What is a gas cooking appliance?
A gas-cooking appliance is any equipment designed, or suitable, for domestic use in the home (including a ship or caravan) and is designed for cooking by the burning of gas, including LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). Equipment is covered by the Regulations even if it has additional functions, and it is covered whether it is designed for floor, table or wall mounting, resting on a raised surface or fixed to any upright structure, or supported by any other equipment.

Used equipment designed to be used outdoors or in a tent is also covered by these Regulations.

What are the safety requirements?
The main safety requirements for a gas appliance when in normal use are as follows:

  • all gas carrying components must be sufficiently sound to prevent leaks of gas or poisonous fumes
  • oven door seals must be effective
  • burner ignition devices must work to ensure prompt ignition of the burner
  • when a burner is lit by automatic or manual devices, all of the flame ports must ignite
  • after a period of one minute following ignition, any flame must be stable enough so that it does not move away, either in whole or in part, from the burner port and the flame does not return inside the body of the burner
  • the quantity of carbon monoxide in the products of combustion is not such as to give rise to the likelihood of death or personal injury
  • gas shut-off devices must work promptly and safely
  • any tap handle must be designed so that it cannot be switched on by accident
  • shut-down lids with automatic devices to cut off gas must work
  • surface temperatures, apart from working surfaces, must not be so high as to cause possible injury or fire
  • any glass (such as doors, lids and splashbacks) must be of a type to prevent death or injury due to the glass breaking
  • all accessible parts must be free from sharp edges
  • any free-standing appliance, when subjected to certain tests, must be stable, and any pan supports must ensure the stability of any cooking vessels placed upon them
  • information that is necessary for the safe installation, adjustment, maintenance and operation must be marked on the appliance or, if not practicable, in accompanying documentation and must be in English

How do I know whether the cooker meets the safety requirements?
Cookers that state that they comply with British Standard BS EN30, or bear the CE" >http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/environmental-and-technical-regulations/technical-regulations/ce-marking-faqs">CE mark, will probably have complied when they were manufactured. However, that does not guarantee that they will comply after they have been used. Therefore, it will be necessary for a skilled and competent person (see below) to examine the appliance to ensure that it complies with the safety requirements.

Who can install an appliance?
Only someone who is competent to do so under the terms of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, in other words, a person registered by Gas Safe.

Please note
This leaflet is not an authoritative interpretation of the law and is intended only for guidance. Any legislation referred to, while still current, may have been amended from the form in which it was originally enacted. Please contact us for further information.

Relevant legislation
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
General Product Safety Regulations 2005

Last reviewed/updated: October 2012

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