ARCHIVED - Warning: Gas maintenance conmen operating in Lorca

Gas scams are all too common in Spain – don’t allow inspectors in unless a pre-booked appointment has been made

The company which manages and administers the supply of butane gas canisters in Lorca, Butano y Energía del Sureste SL, reports that it has received numerous complaints in recent weeks from customers who have been the victims of conmen posing as repair and maintenance technicians, presenting themselves at their homes without prior warning claiming that important checks and reviews needed to be carried out.

Unfortunately, such scams are not uncommon in Spain, and various of those approached by the fraudsters have had the good sense to contact the company and ask whether their gas installations really were due for inspection and maintenance, and the answer is that whenever this is the case homeowners and tenants are informed in advance. The conmen are claiming to represent Repsol de Lorca, but residents throughout the city are being advised to be on their guard, and in general terms this is sensible advice all over the Region of Murcia as the scammers are always looking for new opportunities.

The invoices produced by the false inspectors can be identified because they bear no official identification of the people carrying out the supposed inspection. They identify themselves only as “Servicio técnico de gas” or “Empresa autorizada por la Consejería de Economía”, without supplying any company name or CIF (fiscal identification number).

Authorized and official Repsol maintenance visits are always PRE-BOOKED and an official Repsol representative will never turn up at your door without prior arrangement. There are scammers who claim to be from Repsol, but unless a visit has been booked, DO NOT ADMIT THEM TO YOUR HOME.

Gas scams in Spain

This is a difficult area to understand fully and it is perhaps for this reason that so many stories about gas scammers reach the news in Spain, and there is a fine line between the scammers and those who do operate as a legal business, but the best approach to take is that “forewarned is fore-armed”.

Maintaining your gas installation

Gas products are available in 3 main forms in Spain: bottled gas, bulk liquid gas and piped gas.

Gas bottles can be obtained from service stations or distributors, by providing a photocopy of your ID card (DNI) or, for companies, a photocopy of the latest I.A.E. (tax) receipt. In the case of a new home, a photocopy of the certificate of occupancy or the equivalent document required by the autonomous communities.

However, second-hand gas bottles are frequently offered for sale at boot fairs etc, and so many expats acquire gas bottles without having the legal contract relating to their use.

For bulk liquid gas installations, an installation certificate from a legally certified plumber will be necessary in order to obtain the gas supplies.

Current legislation states that fixed gas installations must be checked every 5 years.

The intention of the law is to ensure that fittings which could degrade, such as rubber gas pipes and gas connections, are safe for the user and their family. By insisting that degradable rubber fittings are inspected, the aim is to minimise the risk of accidents.

The user is responsible for ensuring that a gas installation company authorised by the Ministry of Industry performs these inspections, so if you use an unauthorised inspector and an accident subsequently occurs, then you will be held responsible for your decision.

Although insurance policies do not directly mention the use of authorised fitters, they do clearly state in standard contents insurance policies that the policy holder is responsible for the maintenance of their property and claims made due to accidents which occur through lack of maintenance will not be accepted. In the event that an insurance claim is made relating to a gas appliance it may be important to be able to prove that your appliances have been checked, according to the stipulation of the law.

By law, all gas fittings for static installations on cookers, gas boilers and central heating systems must be inspected by authorised inspectors every 5 years, and on items such as portable gas heaters, barbeque units and portable cooking appliances the 5-year recommendation is also a sensible one (though not legally stipulated).

Who are the authorised gas inspectors?

The two major gas distributors, Repsol and Cepsa, are the safest options for expats, but both are happy for you to use authorised gas inspectors. The Department of Industry of your local regional government will be able to supply a list of all authorised gas inspectors working in your area, but for non-Spanish speakers this can be a difficult operation.

The two easiest ways of finding authorised distributors and maintenance professionals is either to ask the local vendor of gas (perhaps your local petrol station or the local shop selling canisters), or to check the website of the gas provider (Repsol or Cepsa).

Gas distributors are only licensed to work within a specific area, so the inspector who visits your friend in a nearby town may not be legally authorised to visit you. Each area will have only one legally authorised distributor for each major company. The distributors are also licensed for maintenance inspections.

Navigating the main distributor sites, even though they are in English, can be traumatic, but further explanations can be consulted here.

Alternatively, call customer services for help:

CEPSA 902 100 224 Emergencies (24 hours per day)

CEPSA 902 416 416 Customer helpline

Repsol 901 12 12 12 Emergencies (24 hours per day)

Repsol 901 100 100 Customer helpline

To summarize…

If you have fixed gas appliances, they must be inspected every 5 years.

Use an AUTHORISED INSPECTOR ONLY.

If you do not have a maintenance contract to your knowledge, or do not know the person requesting admittance to your home, DO NOT ADMIT THEM.

If they claim that they have a maintenance contract with you, and you have no knowledge of this, ask them to provide a signed copy of your contract. If you have any doubts, take the paperwork you are given to your local OMIC office, or consumers office, which can be located via your local Town Hall and do not admit them to your premises until you have verified their validity.

They may claim they have a contract with you to force you to admit them so that they can charge for a visit and replacement parts, which you may or may not need.

For a more detailed explanation click here.

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