F gas regulations (GB): record keeping, leak checks and what goes in the log book

If fixed refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump equipment holds F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide, the operator and the engineer servicing it must keep records for 5 years. Log the gas at install, every top-up, every leak check and result, and what was recovered and where it went. From 5 tonnes, leak checks are needed at least every 12 months, rising to every 6 months from 50 tonnes.

This page covers the rules for Great Britain, with a log book layout you can copy.

What are the F gas regulations?

F gases, short for fluorinated greenhouse gases, include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). They are used as refrigerants in air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pumps, in fire protection systems and in electrical switchgear. They are a powerful greenhouse gas, so the law limits how they are used, checked, recorded and recovered.

In Great Britain the main rules come from the retained Regulation (EU) No 517/2014, enforced through the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015. GOV.UK guidance from the Environment Agency and Defra explains them for users, servicing engineers and traders. The Environment Agency is the regulator if your organisation's registered office is in England. For Scotland the contact is SEPA, and for Wales it is Natural Resources Wales. Northern Ireland is part of the EU system instead.

Which equipment needs records?

Records are needed for equipment you operate or service if it contains F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide. GOV.UK lists:

• stationary refrigeration equipment
• stationary air-conditioning equipment
• stationary heat pumps
• stationary fire protection equipment
• refrigeration units of refrigerated trucks and trailers
• electrical switchgear
• organic Rankine cycle equipment

So a heating engineer fitting or servicing heat pumps is in scope of these rules, not just refrigeration firms.

How do you work out the CO2 equivalent?

Multiply the mass of gas in tonnes by its global warming potential (GWP). Equipment labels usually show kilograms, so divide by 1,000 first. GOV.UK's example: 10kg of HFC 404A is 0.01 tonnes, and 0.01 tonnes multiplied by a GWP of 3,922 is 39.2 tonnes CO2 equivalent.

GOV.UK also gives the mass that equals each threshold for common HFCs:

Check the gas type on the unit's label. The table only covers those three, and GOV.UK publishes the global warming potential for others.

What must an F gas log book record?

GOV.UK says you must keep records for 5 years on:

• the quantity and type of gas in the equipment when it is installed
• the quantity and type of gas added during maintenance, for example in leak repairs
• the dates and results of all mandatory leak checks
• what you did to recover and dispose of gas, for example the registered waste carrier you used

If the gas was recycled or reclaimed, also record the quantity recovered and the name, address and certificate number of the facility. If you are the user or operator, keep the name, address and certificate number of any company you use to install, service or decommission the equipment. The Environment Agency may ask to see your records during an inspection.

GOV.UK does not prescribe a format. This layout covers everything it lists, one row per visit, one sheet per unit:

The example values are made up to show the format.

How often must you leak check?

It depends on the amount of gas and its warming potential. From GOV.UK:

If you fit an automatic leak detection system, the gap between checks doubles. So 5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent with leak detection means a check every 2 years. There is no maximum gap for hermetically sealed refrigeration and air conditioning unless the system holds 10 tonnes or more (GOV.UK gives 2.6kg of HFC 404A or 7kg of HFC 134a as equal to 10 tonnes).

If you find a leak, you must repair it as soon as possible and repeat the test within a month to check the repair worked. Not having the right checks in place, or not fixing leaks, is breaking the law and can bring a civil penalty.

Who can work on F gas?

Only people with the right qualifications, even if they work for someone else. For stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems there are four certificate categories from accredited bodies:

• category 1: all activities
• category 2: install, maintain, service and recover from systems holding less than 3kg of F gas (less than 6kg if hermetically sealed)
• category 3: recover refrigerant from those smaller systems
• category 4: check for leaks without breaking into the refrigeration circuit

Companies, sole traders included, must also be certified by an approved body to install, repair, maintain or decommission stationary refrigeration, air conditioning or fire protection equipment operated by others. A company servicing only its own equipment does not need certification. Working without the right qualification or certification can bring a civil penalty.

Recovering gas at end of life must be done by a qualified technician, and recovered gas goes through a registered waste carrier to a licensed facility. Releasing F gas into the air on purpose, when it is unnecessary, is against the law.

Why do F gas logs go wrong?

The usual weak point is a log written up from memory, days after the visit, with the gas weights taken from a scribbled note. A record like that is thin if anyone asks to see it.

Kade, Nexley's founder, is talking about running a trade business in general, but the point carries: "Yes, the job is still manual. However, everything else that goes into running a business ... has completely changed this year." The refrigeration work is still hands on. The record of it does not have to be.

The fix is simple. Record each entry at the unit, while the reading is in front of you. If you need help with the wider paperwork, see our guide to file naming conventions in construction and maintenance contracts for trades.

Where Nexley fits

Nexley is practical AI for UK trades that works through WhatsApp. It does not carry out leak checks or sign anything off. The engineer stays responsible for the readings and the record.

What it can do is the writing up. You dictate the charge, top-up, leak check result and gas recovered from the unit, and Nexley records them against that unit, so the log is current at the end of the visit rather than the end of the month. It can also remind you when a unit's next leak check or a contract visit is due, on the schedule you set.

See the back office page, what AI does for plumbers and heating firms, or try it free for 7 days, no card needed.

Common questions

Is there an official F gas log book?

No prescribed form. GOV.UK lists what you must record and for how long. A paper log book, spreadsheet or app is all fine if it holds those items for 5 years and can be shown to the Environment Agency.

Who keeps the F gas records, the engineer or the customer?

Both have a part. GOV.UK says you must keep records on equipment you operate or service. The user or operator also keeps the details and certificate numbers of the companies that install, service or decommission the equipment.

How long do you keep F gas records?

5 years, for equipment holding F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide or more.

Do F gas regulations apply to heat pumps?

Yes. Stationary heat pumps are listed for record keeping and leak checks when they hold the equivalent of 5 tonnes or more of CO2. The qualification rules cover installing and servicing heat pump systems, whatever their size.

Do the same F gas rules apply in Northern Ireland?

No. GOV.UK says Northern Ireland is part of the EU F gas system. Its regulator is the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Sources

This page is general guidance, not legal advice.

• GOV.UK, Fluorinated gas (F gas): guidance for users, producers and traders (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, Record F gas in equipment you own or service (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, Checking F gas equipment for leaks (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, Calculate the carbon dioxide equivalent quantity of an F gas (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, Qualifications to work with F gas (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, Company certification to work with F gas (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, Recovering, reclaiming and recycling F gas (gov.uk)
• legislation.gov.uk, The Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)
• legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 as it applies in the UK (legislation.gov.uk)