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What to do if you smell gas

If you can smell gas or suspect a leak:

1. Put out flames and avoid smoking
Extinguish any candles, cigarettes or open flames immediately. Turn off the gas to extinguish any naked flames from a gas appliance. Never smoke or use naked flames around a suspected gas leak.

2. Call the National Gas Emergency number immediately
From a safe location outside your home, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. This free 24‑hour number is the correct contact in England, Scotland and Wales to report a suspected leak and get expert help on the way. The number should also be shown on your gas meter. The service will talk you through what you need to do next, including…

3. Get fresh air
Open all doors and windows to ventilate the area as much as possible. This helps disperse any gas build‑up and reduces the risk of ignition.

4. Don’t use electrical switches or devices
Do not turn light switches on or off, plug in or unplug appliances, use doorbells or use anything that could create a spark – even phones. Sparks can ignite escaping gas.

After reporting the leak

Once you’ve called the emergency number, stay outside your property or in a neighbour’s home until help arrives. The operator may give you additional safety instructions. An emergency engineer will attend and make your home safe before any repair or further work is carried out.

If you know how and can reach it safely, turn off the gas at the emergency control valve beside your gas meter. Don’t do this if your meter is in a basement or cellar – stay outside the building.

If a gas appliance was involved, a Gas Safe registered engineer must check and repair it before you the supply can be turned back on. If this is an appliance we have installed, we’ll send one of our Gas Safe Registered engineers to do this.  

What if you feel unwell?

If your gas or solid fuel appliance isn’t working correctly, this can result in the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuel, which will produce carbon monoxide gas.

Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and potentially deadly.  If anyone in the home feels dizzy, nauseous, confused, short of breath or develops headache or flu‑like symptoms, seek medical help immediately and mention possible CO exposure.

We install carbon monoxide alarms in our homes that have gas appliances we have supplied. These can provide an early warning of dangerous CO build-up.  You should test this regularly – just like your smoke alarm and let us know if it’s not working.

For more information

If you ever suspect a gas leak — trust your instincts. Act quickly, get out, and call 0800 111 999. Your safety and your household’s safety depend on it.