Seven in ten heating engineers (69%) say more households have delayed annual gas services in recent times due to cost – leaving occupants at risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, with 38% regularly encounter boilers, fires and cookers that need significant repair work or replacement, which the homeowner simply can’t afford.
In the survey by campaign group Project SHOUT, engineers also reported seeing a significant increase in dangerous appliances since the cost-of-living crisis began, with nearly half (45%) saying they had seen a rise in dangerous appliances since a previous survey in 2021.
Poorly maintained and faulty gas appliances can emit deadly carbon monoxide and it is estimated that approximately 50 people die each year from CO poisoning, while thousands more are treated in hospital. Medical professionals can also misdiagnose CO poisoning, particularly as the weather turns colder when many people have colds or flu, as the symptoms are the same.
Previous research has suggested that 80% of residents in properties that have a CO alarm have no idea whether it works or not as they never test it.
