Dublin man convicted for pretending to be gas installer

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) Ireland’s independent energy, energy safety and water regulator prosecuted Petros Tsiogas for carrying out illegal gas works, providing false information to a gas safety officer, and falsely portraying to be a registered gas installer (RGI) at Dublin District Court which resulted in convictions. 

Petros Tsiogas of 2 Beechfield Meadows, Clonee, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to 23 offences carried out at nine separate residential properties in Counties Dublin and Kildare between February 2023 and December 2024.

Evidence was heard at Dublin District Court on 1^st September 2025, from a Gas Safety Officer with the CRU, that a leak had been found in a gas pipe which had been worked on by Mr Tsiogas at a house in Cellbridge. Mr Tsiogas was unable to perform and demonstrate his understanding of how to conduct checks and testing on the gas installation.

Mr Tsiogas claimed to be a registered gas installer, but a records check showed this to be incorrect. His registration has since been terminated. He still had a book of 50 gas certificates of conformance which he is not entitled to issue. The CRU Gas Safety Officer believed this case featured the most significant number of unauthorised gas work offences to ever come before the Courts.

District Court President Judge Paul Kelly imposed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, on the condition that he does not carry out any gas installations unless he is registered.

He also imposed a €500 fine and ordered that he pay €750 in prosecution costs.

President Kelly stated that this case was “exceptionally serious” where his work had left a house in Celbridge like “a ticking time bomb”.

The successful prosecution emphasises the requirement by law for all gas installers to be registered with the Registered Gas Installer (RGI) Scheme when carrying out domestic gas works.

There are over 3,000 RGIs in Ireland. By using an RGI, consumers can have confidence that they are dealing with a competent installer who has the required expertise in gas safety to ensure the safe operation of their gas installation. The RGI is insured and a sample of their work is inspected by Safe Energy Ireland Inspectors on an annual basis.

The CRU Commissioner, Fergal Mulligan, said: “If a gas installer does not have the required registration or cannot prove membership of the RGI scheme, consumers should not use them and if they suspect that they are acting illegally, they should report this at www.rgi.ie. The CRU will continue to pursue such cases against individuals and companies who do not observe the legal requirements for undertaking gas works”. 

The penalties for non-compliance include a fine of up to €50,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 3 years.

Members of the public who wish to report an unregistered individual who has undertaken gas works or has portrayed themselves as a Registered Gas Installer should visit www.rgi.ie.