F-gas rules for cold rooms and cold stores (Great Britain)

What this guide covers and who it is for

This guide is for an operations or engineering manager who is buying, replacing or running a cold room, blast freezer or cold store in Great Britain. It summarises what the GB F-gas rules ask of the person who operates the equipment, using GOV.UK guidance as the source. It is general information, not legal advice, and coldstorageinstallers.co.uk is an independent information site, not an installer. Check the linked GOV.UK pages before you rely on any figure.

F-gas (fluorinated gas) rules matter for cold storage because most commercial refrigeration plant uses HFC refrigerants. The duties fall on the operator of the equipment and on the businesses and people who work on it. Costs of the refrigeration side of a project are covered in the cost guide.

Who is responsible: the operator

GOV.UK says that if you use the equipment, you are responsible for getting it checked for leaks. If you rent equipment out, responsibility may sit with you rather than the end user, depending on the rental agreement. Responsibility for stopping leaks is shared between equipment users and the technicians who install, maintain or dispose of the equipment (Checking F gas equipment for leaks).

The regulator depends on where your organisation has its registered office. The Environment Agency is the regulator for England; SEPA covers Scotland and Natural Resources Wales covers Wales. Northern Ireland is not part of the Great Britain system: GOV.UK states it remains part of the EU F-gas system, and organisations there should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (GOV.UK F gas and ODS guidance for industry). Everything below is about Great Britain.

Leak-check frequency by charge size

How often the circuit must be checked depends on the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of the F-gas charge. You calculate it by multiplying the mass of gas in tonnes by the gas global warming potential (GWP); GOV.UK gives HFC 404A as 3,922, so a 10 kg charge is 39.2 tonnes CO2e (calculation guidance).

GOV.UK lists these minimum frequencies for standard equipment:

• 5 to under 50 tonnes CO2e: at least once every 12 months.
• 50 to under 500 tonnes CO2e: at least once every 6 months.
• 500 tonnes CO2e or more: automatic leak detection is required (older electrical switchgear and organic Rankine cycle equipment are treated differently, which is not relevant to cold rooms).

For HFC 404A, the same page gives the thresholds in kilograms: 1.3 kg for 5 tonnes, 13 kg for 50 tonnes and 127 kg for 500 tonnes CO2e. A typical walk-in cold room or blast freezer running a 404A-type gas will often land in the first or second band, which is why the charge on the nameplate and in the commissioning record is worth asking for early.

Two points are easy to miss. First, GOV.UK says fitting automatic leak detection lets you double the period between checks, so a 5 tonne system would be checked every 2 years. The leak detection system itself must still be checked every year for equipment other than switchgear, and it must alert you or the service company responsible for your equipment. Second, once a leak is found, repair it as soon as possible and repeat the test within a month to confirm the repair worked (Checking F gas equipment for leaks).

Hermetically sealed refrigeration systems have no maximum interval between leak checks unless they contain 10 tonnes CO2e or more (the page gives 2.6 kg of HFC 404A as that point). Many cold rooms use split condensing units, not sealed systems, so do not assume this exemption applies.

Records the operator must keep

GOV.UK requires records for equipment containing F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes CO2e or more, and says you must keep them for 5 years. The record should show (Record F gas in equipment you own or service):

• the quantity and type of gas when the equipment was installed;
• the quantity and type of gas added during maintenance, for example leak repairs;
• the dates and results of all mandatory leak checks;
• what was done to recover and dispose of gas, such as the registered waste carrier used;
• if you are the user or operator, the name, address and certificate number of any company that installed, serviced or decommissioned the equipment.

The Environment Agency may inspect records. In practice, ask for these details to be handed over in writing at commissioning and after every visit, and keep them with the plant maintenance file.

Who may work on the circuit

There are two separate requirements, and a competent supplier should be able to show both.

Personal qualification. GOV.UK says individuals must hold their own qualification to work on equipment containing F gas, even when employed by someone else. For stationary refrigeration, a Category 1 certificate covers all activities, including installing, servicing, leak checks, recovery and decommissioning. Lower categories cover narrower work, such as recovery only or leak checks that do not break into the circuit. Awarding bodies named are City and Guilds, BESA and LCL Awards, and CITB no longer issues new qualifications (Qualifications to work with F gas).

Company certification. A business must be certified to service stationary refrigeration equipment operated by others. For refrigeration and air conditioning, the approved bodies GOV.UK lists are Refcom Certification Ltd, the F-Gas Register (Quidos) and Bureau Veritas UK Ltd. A company that services only its own equipment does not need certification. GOV.UK says it is against the law to work with F gas without the correct certification, and certification must be renewed every 3 years (Company certification to work with F gas).

GOV.UK asks anyone who sees uncertified work to report it to f-gas-support@environment-agency.gov.uk.

HFC phase-down and what it means for R404A servicing

The phase-down limits the amount of HFC gas that can be placed on the market in Great Britain, not what an operator may hold. GOV.UK states the UK is phasing HFCs down by 79% by 2030 (Fluorinated gases (F gases)). Supply limits tend to show up for buyers as price and availability of virgin high-GWP gas.

On 5 November 2025 the government announced a consultation on a faster, deeper phase-down, proposing an almost full phase-out of HFCs by 2048 (a 98.6% cut), with changes from 2027 (GOV.UK announcement). That page describes a proposal. This guide has not confirmed a final decision, so check GOV.UK for the outcome. The background is also covered in the HFC phase-down article.

Separately, there is a refill ban. Virgin F gas with a GWP above 2,500 may not be used to refill refrigeration systems holding 40 tonnes CO2e or more. Reclaimed gas, and gas recycled from similar equipment by your business or your servicing business, may still be used but only until 2030. The ban does not apply to equipment designed to cool products below minus 50 degrees C. GOV.UK names HFC 404A (GWP 3,922) and HFC 507A (GWP 3,985) in the banned table and calls 404A the gas most affected. Listed options include retrofilling with a lower-GWP gas such as HFC 448A or 449A, following the manufacturer recommendation, or replacing the system (Banned F gas for refilling equipment).

If your plant is below 40 tonnes CO2e the refill ban as described does not apply to it, but the supply trend above still matters for long-life plant.

GWP limits on new equipment

GOV.UK lists bans on F gases in new products. The refrigeration entries relevant to cold storage are (Bans on F gas in new products and equipment):

• stationary refrigeration equipment using HFCs with a GWP above 2,500 is banned, except systems designed to cool products below minus 50 degrees C;
• refrigerators and freezers for commercial use (hermetically sealed) above GWP 150 are banned;
• multipack centralised refrigeration systems for commercial use with a rated capacity of 40 kW or more are banned above GWP 150, with an exception for the primary circuit of cascade systems with a GWP below 1,500;
• non-confined direct evaporation systems, where refrigerant can escape to atmosphere, are banned for all HFCs and PFCs.

The page does not name cold rooms or blast freezers specifically, so ask the supplier in writing which entry applies to the proposed design and what the refrigerant GWP is. Page content is updated over time; the version used here was last updated 27 August 2026.

What a buyer should ask and check

Treat the following as a checklist when comparing suppliers for a new cold room, walk-in cold room or blast freezer:

1. Which approved body certifies the company, and what is the certificate number? Look the company up on that body register or website: Refcom, the F-Gas Register or Bureau Veritas. GOV.UK does not describe whether each body offers a searchable public list, so if a lookup is not available, ask for a copy of the certificate and confirm it with the body.
2. Do the engineers who will open the circuit hold their own personal qualification at the right category, and can they show it?
3. What refrigerant is proposed, what is its GWP, and what is the charge in kilograms and tonnes CO2e? That determines your leak-check band and whether records are required.
4. Will automatic leak detection be fitted, and who is alerted? It doubles the period between checks but has its own yearly check.
5. Who carries out leak checks, how often, and will the check dates and results be supplied to you for your 5 year records?
6. For an existing 404A or 507A plant: is the system above 40 tonnes CO2e, which refill options are being proposed, and what is the cost of retrofit or replacement?
7. How is gas recovered at decommissioning, and which registered waste carrier is used?

To put these questions to every firm on your shortlist in one document, use the cold room installer checklist and tender sheet.

Frequently asked questions

How often does a cold room need a leak check?

GOV.UK lists at least every 12 months for 5 to under 50 tonnes CO2e and at least every 6 months for 50 to under 500 tonnes CO2e. Fitting automatic leak detection lets you double the period between checks, and the detection system itself must be checked every year.

Do I need to keep F-gas records?

Yes, if the equipment holds F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes CO2e or more. GOV.UK says records must be kept for 5 years and include gas quantity and type at installation, gas added, leak check dates and results, and recovery and disposal details.

Can I still top up an R404A cold store?

GOV.UK bans virgin gas with a GWP above 2,500 for refilling systems holding 40 tonnes CO2e or more. Reclaimed or recycled gas may be used until 2030 only. Smaller systems are not covered by that ban as described, but check the GOV.UK page for your charge.

How do I check an F-gas company is certified?

GOV.UK names Refcom Certification Ltd, the F-Gas Register (Quidos) and Bureau Veritas UK Ltd as approved bodies for refrigeration. Ask for the company certificate number and confirm it with the issuing body. Individual engineers also need their own qualification.

Do these rules apply in Northern Ireland?

No. This guide covers Great Britain. GOV.UK states Northern Ireland remains part of the EU F-gas system, and organisations there should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Is the HFC phase-down changing?

GOV.UK states the UK is phasing down HFCs by 79% by 2030. In November 2025 the government announced a consultation proposing an almost full phase-out by 2048 from 2027. Check GOV.UK for any final decision.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Checking F gas equipment for leaks (checked 2026-10-25)
• GOV.UK: Record F gas in equipment you own or service (checked 2026-10-25)
• GOV.UK: Qualifications to work with F gas (checked 2026-10-20)
• GOV.UK: Company certification to work with F gas (checked 2026-10-25)
• GOV.UK: Bans on F gas in new products and equipment (checked 2026-10-20)
• GOV.UK: Banned F gas for refilling equipment (checked 2026-10-25)
• GOV.UK: Fluorinated gases (F gases) (checked 2026-10-20)
• GOV.UK: Calculate the CO2 equivalent quantity of an F gas (checked 2026-10-20)
• GOV.UK: Manage F gases and ODS guidance for industry (checked 2026-10-20)
• GOV.UK news: Reforms to go further in phasing down harmful greenhouse gases (checked 2026-10-20)
• GOV.UK: F gas in refrigeration, air conditioning and fire protection systems (checked 2026-10-20)

Questions about a specific project? Use the enquiry form; we reply by email. This guide is information only: SEO Dons Ltd is not an installer and does not quote.