What to do if you smell gas

Safety: Gas emergency: call 0800 111 999. It's free and open 24 hours. Don't wait for a plumber or gas engineer to call you back.

Do

• Open doors and windows to let the gas out.
• Turn the gas supply off at the meter, if you can.
• Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Don't

• Smoke, light matches or use any naked flame.
• Use electrical switches, including turning lights on or off.
• Go into a cellar, even if your gas meter is there.

What happens next

An adviser assesses the situation over the phone and sends an emergency engineer if needed. They make the situation safe, which may mean capping off an appliance. Repairing or replacing that appliance is then a job for a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) has no smell. Symptoms can be mistaken for flu, food poisoning or tiredness: headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, chest or stomach pains, and visual problems. If you suspect CO, get into fresh air, call 0800 111 999, and get medical advice from NHS 111, or 999 if someone is seriously unwell.

A carbon monoxide alarm near gas appliances gives early warning. Have gas appliances serviced every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer.