Clearance around freestanding electric cooker

[swongilford]

I have a property that has a gas cooker against a tiled wall, the space is tight. One side of cooker is 40mm adjacent to the tiled wall, the other side is about 25mm adjacent to a worktop.

Recently, BG carried out a gas safety certification and informed me that the space clearance is not adequate.

We had certification every year yet, this is the first time BG raises this as non compliant and issued a warning notice.

Has there been a new regulation regarding clearnace recently?

Is it the same for an electric cooker?

If I replace it with an electric cooker that is installed by a qualified electrician, it will not be subject to gas safety inspection. Would that be acceptable in terms of safety?

Please help.

[JK0]

With gaps like those, it sounds like British Gas are just after selling you a thinner cooker!

MFI installed my gas cooker right against cupboards on either side and caused them to get scorched. My cupboards are now about 1/2" clear of the cooker on each side, (and don't get scorched any more.)

You only have a warning. Presumably this has been like this for years, so tenant can continue to use the same cooker.

Someone in a previous post linked here: http://callde.co.uk/safety_regulations.asp

[Horsepig]

Electric free standing cookers can have worktops up to the sides of the cooker. Built in electric hobs have worktop all around the hob and built in electric ovens are set into 'built under' oven units which are a close fit. Nevertheless, manufacturers recommendations for clearances should be observed and that will help you decide.