Stewart Clements, Director of HHIC said “As the heating season begins, we are calling on installers to avoid using fake spares. We know that fake spares are available within the market and so we are asking installers to remain vigilant and report any fake heating components they come across to Trading Standards.

Many ‘fakes’ claim to be an exact replica of the manufacturer's own part and some even carry a CE marking. However they may be made from substandard material or may not have been rigorously tested on the actual boiler they are being sold for, the result, an invalid boiler warranty and a potentially dangerous installation.

Heating engineers are liable for all of the work they carry out on a central heating system and this liability extends to the replacement parts they purchase and fit so staying fake free is the best way to protect both the consumer and the installer.”