Check who can authorise the work and use the relevant landlord, council, utility or emergency route where needed. This form is not an emergency dispatch service. Local reporting contacts are below; this enquiry service does not provide emergency dispatch.
First decide which help is needed
Quick answer
A gas smell or suspected carbon monoxide is not an ordinary repair enquiry. Use direct official emergency guidance immediately. A stopped boiler without those signs may still need urgent attention because of weather, leaks or occupants’ needs, but the response depends on the actual situation. This website does not operate a heating team, dispatch an emergency service or monitor incidents. Do not wait for review of the form where people or the property are unsafe. The immediate safety response and a later permanent repair are separate tasks.
If you smell gas
Do this now
Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 from a safe place. Avoid flames and do not operate electrical switches. Follow the emergency operator’s instructions. National Gas publishes the official precautions; do not delay direct contact to complete this form or search for a repair quote. Do not assume an emergency make-safe attendance repairs the boiler permanently. Describe any LPG or other fuel arrangement to the relevant supplier and emergency responder so advice fits the actual installation.
- Leave the affected property and keep clear of danger.
- Avoid flames and electrical switches.
- Call 0800 111 999 from a safe place and follow advice.
Sources: National Gas: emergency contacts
Carbon-monoxide alarm or suspected exposure
Go outside and seek medical advice promptly if you suspect carbon-monoxide exposure; do not return until advised it is safe. NHS guidance says to call 111 for suspected symptoms and 999 for serious signs such as breathing difficulty, sudden confusion, loss of consciousness, weakness or chest/muscle pain. Suspected gas-appliance carbon monoxide also needs the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Carbon monoxide cannot be ruled out by absence of a smell. This site does not assess symptoms or replace emergency advice.
Sources: NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning
Water, electrical equipment and other hazards
Keep clear of water reaching electrical fittings and do not open boiler covers or touch exposed parts. A leak near equipment needs direct competent assessment. If there is fire or immediate danger to life, get out, stay out and call 999. Do not restart equipment left unsafe or unavailable by a professional. Safe temporary arrangements should be explained by the attending business. Photographs taken only from safe ordinary access may help later, but gathering evidence must not delay the direct response to an unsafe situation.
Useful next steps
Emergency reporting in a managed home
If there is a suspected gas escape, call 0800 111 999 from safety and follow the national service’s advice. A boiler repair enquiry is a separate route. For a dangerous situation or immediate threat to life, use emergency services rather than waiting for an online review.
CBH’s emergency repair number is 01206 282514; its website distinguishes emergency calls from non-emergency online reports. A private tenant needs the relevant landlord or agent arrangement. No promised repair attendance or named heating contractor is inferred from those published contact details.
Sources: National Gas emergency contact · Colchester Borough Homes repair requests
Call-out scope and permanent repairs
Ask before authorising repair work
For a directly contacted repair business, ask what it can attend to now, what charges apply and who authorises work. Making safe, diagnosis and a completed permanent repair may be separate stages. Parts, fuel type, access and connected-system faults can affect what is possible. Clarify later visits, VAT and any cover or warranty route. Confirm the emergency charges and response arrangements directly. Keep a clear record of restrictions on use and the follow-up required before the equipment can return to service.
At handover, ask for the specific restrictions on use and share them with the responsible occupier, landlord or manager. Record whether a further registered professional, manufacturer or supplier must act before operation resumes. Keep the emergency report and repair invoice together. A later business should know what has already been made safe and which question remains unresolved.
- What is included now: safety, diagnosis or full repair?
- What remains unavailable and what follow-up is required?
- What charges, parts and further visits need approval?
A safe follow-on enquiry
After immediate hazards have been addressed, explain the appliance, symptom and any emergency-service instruction to the business carrying out repair. Keep records of what was isolated or left out of use. Do not treat a restart or a cleared display as proof that the appliance is safe.
For gas repair work, confirm suitable Gas Safe registration and competence. Tell us about the follow-on repair or assessment if you would like an enquiry reviewed; sending this form neither dispatches an engineer nor certifies the system. The property owner or responsible landlord must authorise the work.
Useful next steps
Sources: National Gas emergency contact · Homeowner gas safety · Colchester Borough Homes repair requests