GovWire

This guidance applies to F gas and equipment that has already been placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Placed on the market means the F gas or equipment has cleared customs for free circulation.

Selling F gas in cylinders

If you sell F gas in cylinders, they must be refillable. Find out when containers can be classed as refillable.

You will need to follow different rules depending on how your customers will use the F gas.

F gas for installation, servicing, maintenance or repair of certain equipment

The following rules apply if you plan to sell F gas to a customer who will use it to install, service, maintain or repair:

• stationary refrigeration equipment
• stationary air-conditioning equipment
• stationary heat pumps
• stationary fire protection equipment
• refrigeration units of refrigerated trucks and trailers
• mobile air conditioning equipment in vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kilograms with fewer than 8 seats

You must check that your customer and their employees hold:

• company certification to work with F gas
• qualifications to work with F gas

A person without qualifications can collect, transport or deliver F gases.

You must keep records of:

• the customers certificate number
• quantities of F gases they buy

Keep these records for at least 5 years and show them to your regulator when asked.

F gas for other purposes

If you are selling F gas in cylinders for any other purpose, you should ask for a letter of assurance from each customer.

You can download a F gas customer letter of assurance template (ODT, 17.3 KB) and ask your customers to complete it.

In the letter, the customer must confirm that they are permitted to buy or collect F gas and that they will:

• not intentionally release F gas into the atmosphere, unless its technically necessary
• take steps to prevent F gas leaks
• confirm they do not need F gas certification or qualifications

Selling F gas in equipment

You can sell F gas in equipment that is hermetically or non-hermetically sealed.

Hermetically sealed means that:

• the part of the product containing F gas is permanently sealed (for example, welded or brazed shut), even if it had capped valves or service ports
• the product has a tested leak rate of less than 3g per year

Before you sell non-hermetically sealed equipment containing F gas to a customer, you must:

• ask your end user for the details of the qualified technician who will install the equipment you should get these details in writing
• check that the technicians details are valid

You do not need to follow these steps for hermetically sealed equipment.