In an Emergency

If you have a natural gas emergency, call GasNet on 0800 349 2050 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Contact us immediately if:

  • You smell natural gas.
  • You hear natural gas leaking (hissing sound).
  • Your gas supply is suddenly interrupted.
  • Have any concerns about the safety of your gas supply.

Please note that GasNet will not charge for attending a call out or making safe any situation so if you are in any doubt about any situation call us, we are just a phone call away.

What to do in a Gas Emergency

If you suspect your gas installation or appliances are faulty or leaking (even if you cannot smell gas), turn off your gas supply immediately at the meter and contact a gasfitter. If you still smell gas a few minutes after turning off the supply call your retailer or GasNet on 0800 349 2050 and follow the advice below for Smell of Gas Inside a Building.

To turn off your gas supply, turn the valve handle in the clockwise position until it stops in the horizontal position (level with the ground). For some valves that do not have a handle they will need a spanner. For further information see Turning off the Gas Supply on our Safety Information Overview webpage. If you smell gas from or around the gas meter, turn it off immediately and call your retailer or GasNet on 0800 349 2050.

Smell of Gas Inside a Building

If you smell gas inside a house or building:

  • Turn off all gas appliances including pilot lights.
  • Turn off the gas supply at the gas meter. You may need a spanner to do this.
  • Keep people clear of the area.
  • Open all doors and windows for ventilation.
  • Evacuate the building if you feel unsafe or consider it necessary
  • Extinguish all naked flames – cigarettes, candles, open fires, matches or lighters.
  • Do not turn any electrical appliances or switches off or on. This includes mobile phones.
  • If the smell of gas remains after turning off the gas meter or you cannot turn off the supply immediately contact your retailer or GasNet on 0800 349 2050 from a safe location and evacuate the property.
  • If the smell of gas stops after turning off the gas meter contact a gasfitter to repair your installation and relight your appliances.
  • Remember, any person undertaking work involving gas must be appropriately licensed.

Smell of Gas Outdoors

If you smell gas outdoors:

  • Call GasNet on 0800 349 2050, your retailer or the Emergency Services on 111.
  • Keep people clear of the area.
  • Keep all flames, cigarettes, vehicles and electrical equipment (including mobile phones) away from the area.
  • Close doors and windows to prevent gas entering any adjacent building.
  • Turn off any plant or machinery in the area if it is safe to do so.
  • Do not attempt to repair or stop the leak.

Loss of Supply

If it appears that the gas supply has stopped and an appliance does not work, first check to see if any other appliances are affected. If those appliance(s) still operate, contact your licensed gasfitter to attend to the faulty appliance. If all appliances appear to be affected, check your gas meter control valve to ensure this has not been turned off. If the valve is still turned on then contact GasNet on 0800 349 2050.

Damage to GasNet’s Network or Meters

If you notice damage to any of our pipes or meters please contact GasNet on 0800 349 2050 as soon you can, especially if the damage has resulted in a gas leak. Any information about who caused the damage, how and why it happened would be appreciated, but the most important thing is for us to find out about an incident and fix it before someone gets hurt, or worse.

We understand if a caller prefers to remain anonymous in reporting damage, and we will honour that wish. On every occasion our priority is to make safe all hazardous situations.

GasNet Response

When a gas leak or other emergency has been reported, a qualified GasNet Technician will be assigned to attend to the situation. GasNet aims to attend all emergency call-outs within one hour of receiving a report; in many instances the response will be much quicker.

Once on site the Technicians priority will always be to “make safe” before any consideration is given to what action might be appropriate to fix the problem.

Where a gas leak is found on the consumer owned pipework (after the gas meter), the Technician will advise the occupier of the need to arrange for a Certified Gasfitter to fix the fault prior to the supply being restored. Any faults found on the network or the meter installation will be resolved as soon as is practically possible, given the nature of the fault.

On occasions when our Technician’s are called to a leak that has been reported outdoors they are unable to find any trace of a gas leak. There are a number of reasons why this may occur, but the sensitive detection equipment operated by our Technicians gives us every confidence that any natural gas will be detected. Where a report of a smell of gas cannot be confirmed, our Technicians will frequently re-visit the location at a later time and conduct a further survey of the area.