If someone is going to work on your air conditioning, there is one credential that is not optional and not a marketing badge: F-Gas certification. This is a legal requirement, it is publicly verifiable in about thirty seconds, and checking it protects you in ways most homeowners do not realise.
What F-Gas Certification Actually Is
Air conditioning systems contain fluorinated greenhouse gases — refrigerants. These are potent greenhouse gases, often thousands of times more damaging than carbon dioxide by weight if released into the atmosphere.
Because of that, UK law regulates who may handle them. Under the F-Gas Regulations, any business installing, servicing, repairing or decommissioning equipment containing fluorinated refrigerant must hold a valid company certificate, and the individual engineers must hold personal qualifications for the work they carry out.
This is not a trade association membership you pay to join. It is a legal requirement with criminal penalties for breach.
Why It Matters to You, Not Just the Installer
- Your manufacturer warranty depends on it. Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Samsung and Fujitsu all require installation and servicing by appropriately certified engineers. Work done by an uncertified installer can void the warranty on equipment you have paid thousands for.
- Refrigerant handling is where installations go wrong. Correct evacuation, pressure testing and charging are what determine whether a system runs efficiently for fifteen years or leaks and underperforms from month one.
- Leaks cost you money continuously. A system low on refrigerant runs constantly, cools poorly and drives up your electricity bill — often for years before anyone diagnoses it.
- You may carry liability. Commissioning uncertified refrigerant work on a property you own is not a comfortable position, particularly for landlords and businesses.
- Insurance and property transactions. Undocumented work on a fixed system can surface awkwardly during a sale or an insurance claim.
How to Check a Company in Thirty Seconds
REFCOM is the UK’s largest F-Gas certification scheme, and its register is public. You do not need to take anyone’s word for it, including ours.
- Go to the REFCOM Registered Company Search.
- Enter the company name, or search by postcode.
- Check the company name and address match the business quoting you.
If a company is not listed on any F-Gas certification scheme register, that is your answer.
Check us. Tempest Air Conditioning Ltd is F-Gas certified and listed on the REFCOM register at 28 Fir Tree Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1JJ. Search the register yourself — we would rather you verified it than believed it.
Warning Signs Worth Taking Seriously
- A quote noticeably below everyone else’s, with no explanation of why.
- Vague credentials — “fully qualified” or “fully certified” with nothing you can actually check.
- Cash-only, or reluctance to provide a written quotation and invoice.
- No mention of commissioning, pressure testing or a performance test.
- No paperwork handed over at the end — you should receive documentation for the work.
- A company name that does not match the register, or an address that does not exist.
Servicing and Record Keeping
The F-Gas Regulations also require records to be kept for work involving refrigerant, and for systems above certain refrigerant charge thresholds to undergo periodic leak checking. Most domestic split systems sit below the threshold that triggers mandatory leak checks, but the record-keeping obligation on the engineer still applies.
In practical terms, you should receive a written report after any service visit. Keep it — it is what evidences your warranty compliance if you ever need to claim.
Other Credentials Worth Checking
- F-Gas certification — legally required for refrigerant work. Verifiable on the REFCOM register.
- Public liability insurance — ask to see it. Any established firm will provide it without hesitation.
- Independent reviews — a platform like Checkatrade verifies that reviewers were genuine customers, which an unmoderated testimonial on a website does not.
- Companies House — the company number should appear on the website and on your invoice, and you can look the company up for free.
Tempest Air Conditioning Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 16512664. We are F-Gas certified, REFCOM registered, and a Checkatrade member.
Work With Certified Engineers
Whether you use us or someone else, check the register first. It costs you nothing and it is the single most useful thing you can do before letting anyone touch your system.
