Anthony — TSSA-Certified G1 Gas Technician
TSSA G1 licence #TBD · 15+ years in gas and mechanical trades · Service area: Greater Toronto Area, Ontario
Last updated: 2026-09-01
What does a certified correction record contain?
It names the appliance, the defect exactly as written on the tag, the correction performed, the verification tests run, and the certification of the technician who performed the work. It is dated and signed.
Lenders and lawyers ask for it because it converts an open safety condition into a closed one on the record. An invoice describing a repair is not the same thing — an invoice says money changed hands, a correction record says the defect named on the tag no longer exists and was verified.
Insurers ask for it for the same reason. A binder written on a property with a known uncorrected gas defect is a problem for the buyer at the worst possible moment, and the record is what clears it.
How are holdbacks usually handled on a red tag?
The common structure is a holdback from the seller's proceeds sized to a written quote for the correction, released on delivery of the correction record. It keeps the closing date and moves the risk to money rather than to the schedule.
Two things make holdbacks go wrong. The first is sizing the holdback off a guess instead of a scoped quote, which leaves the parties arguing after closing. The second is where the correction depends on a part with an unknown lead time, because the release date then has no anchor.
Where the defect is unclear at inspection — a suspected heat exchanger crack, a chimney of unknown condition — the useful step before drafting anything is a diagnostic attendance that produces a scoped number. That is usually faster than the negotiation it replaces.
None of this is legal advice. Structure is for the lawyers on the file; the point here is what the trade side can and cannot commit to.
What timelines are realistic?
Valve, clearance, connector and most venting corrections are single-visit work, so diagnosis to correction record can be same day or within a few days of booking.
Chimney liners and venting rework typically run several days to a couple of weeks depending on the specialist schedule. Heat exchanger and appliance replacement is parts-driven and is the one that should never be promised against a closing date without the part confirmed in stock.
The realistic planning rule for a firm closing: get the diagnosis done at least two weeks out. That is what turns a correction into a scheduling exercise instead of a crisis.
| Correction | Typical time from diagnosis | Risk to a firm date |
|---|---|---|
| Shut-off valve, connector, clearance | Same visit | Low |
| Vent connector and draft correction | Same visit to a few days | Low |
| Chimney liner | Several days to two weeks | Medium |
| Heat exchanger or appliance replacement | Parts dependent | High |
| Locked meter, utility re-attendance required | Adds utility scheduling | High |
What does a locked meter add to the schedule?
A locked meter adds a second party. When the appliance was isolated at the shut-off, the technician who clears the tag can return the appliance to service directly. When the utility locked the meter itself, the utility has to attend to unlock it, and that attendance is on their schedule.
Plan for the utility visit as a separate line item on the timeline, not as part of the correction. It is also why a vacant property with the gas locked can fail a pre-closing walkthrough for heat even though the correction was completed days earlier.
In winter, a locked meter on a vacant property brings a freezing risk into the file. That is worth raising with both sides early rather than the week of closing.
What should the client be told at inspection?
Three things. The tag type determines whether the appliance is off now or on a deadline. The defect named on the tag determines the cost range, and nobody can give that range from the inspection report alone. And the document that closes the issue is the correction record, not the repair.
General information only, not legal advice. Red Tag Relief is an independent contractor and is not affiliated with Enbridge Gas or the Technical Standards and Safety Authority.
Red tag found at inspection — what your client needs before funds move
One page you can forward to a client or opposing counsel: what the tag types mean, what the correction record has to contain, and where the timeline usually breaks. General information, not legal advice.
Download the one-pager (PDF)Frequently asked questions
Can a closing proceed with an open red tag?
That is a question for the lawyers on the file and the lender's requirements, not a trade question. Practically, most files either correct before closing or hold back funds against a written quote and release on delivery of the correction record.
Who can clear a red tag before a closing?
A TSSA-certified gas technician. The correction record is only meaningful if the technician was certified for the appliance in question, which above 400,000 BTU/h input means a G1.
How fast can you produce a clearance timeline?
Send the tag, the inspection note and the closing date through the form on this page and you get a scoped timeline rather than a generic estimate.
Does the buyer or the seller pay for the correction?
That is negotiated between the parties. From the trade side, what matters is that whoever authorizes the work is identified before attendance so there is no delay at the door.