I had a British gas engineer round to look at a vaillant boiler which was producing fluctuating hot water. He said the heat exchanger needed replacing but refused to do it because there were mouse droppings inside the boiler (visible when he opened the front panel to look inside). He said I had to get a certificate from rentokil proving it "rodent free" before he could do the job. I took a look after he'd gone and it took about 40 min with a sponge and some bleach to sort it out. It seems unreasonable to me that bg would refuse to do this work, has anyone else had experience of this sort of thing?
British gas and mouse droppings
- Thread starter bm212
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Have you not heard of Weils desease?
Yes I have heard of Weil's disease.
Typically there are less than 40 cases in the UK each year - see http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1191942176636?p=1191942176636.
There's probably more risk of him falling down the stairs on the way to the flat than there is of him catching Weil's disease from my boiler.
Plenty of other service companies are happy to do the work, just not British Gas.
Typically there are less than 40 cases in the UK each year - see http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1191942176636?p=1191942176636.
There's probably more risk of him falling down the stairs on the way to the flat than there is of him catching Weil's disease from my boiler.
Plenty of other service companies are happy to do the work, just not British Gas.
There is a reasonable risk of a cut hand or scratch when changing components on any boiler, and therefore a risk of infection. Is it not reasonable for you to provide a safe environment for any engineer, not only BG to work in?
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bm212";p="2221259 said:He said I had to get a certificate from rentokil proving it "rodent free" before he could do the job. quote]
Typical of a gas engineer. Having it rodent free is no guarantee that any surface is disease free.
I wouldn't want to work in a environment with mouse dropping and urine.
It wasn't a unreasonable request from the engineer. I've myself requested a customer had a mouse nest removed by pest control, along with the dead mice that had chewed up the 240v wiring for the Central Heating.
It wasn't a unreasonable request from the engineer. I've myself requested a customer had a mouse nest removed by pest control, along with the dead mice that had chewed up the 240v wiring for the Central Heating.
Johnmelad, it's not "typical" of gas engineers and is it not reasonable to expect a clean work area?
It seems to me that BG are after a sterile environment.
It does not matter how clean a work area looks, it will never be sterile, even hospitals can't guarantee that.
Every work environment has risks, the idea is to reduce risk as you can't eliminate them. Having the owner clean the area should have been more than sufficient.
Meant to say typical of a BF engineer.
It does not matter how clean a work area looks, it will never be sterile, even hospitals can't guarantee that.
Every work environment has risks, the idea is to reduce risk as you can't eliminate them. Having the owner clean the area should have been more than sufficient.
Meant to say typical of a BF engineer.
As a BG engineer I can say myself that I have worked in some places that are far from sterile. Every week and everyday can have it's surprises.
BG like any big company to hot on Health and Safety, even more so in recent years.
Call the job back in, you might get another engineer who'll be happy to repair the issue
Every week and everyday can have it's surprises.BG like any big company to hot on Health and Safety, even more so in recent years.
Call the job back in, you might get another engineer who'll be happy to repair the issue
As an independent I have to work on every boiler if I want to get paid.
That includes those with mouse droppings and what I dislike most those which are full of live cockroaches.
I do usually ask for a vac with a pipe so that I can suck out the roaches!
Perhaps 20% of the boilers that I see have mouse droppings. Mostly tennanted places though!
Tony
That includes those with mouse droppings and what I dislike most those which are full of live cockroaches.
I do usually ask for a vac with a pipe so that I can suck out the roaches!
Perhaps 20% of the boilers that I see have mouse droppings. Mostly tennanted places though!
Tony
Oh good grief what is this country coming to.
Give BG the push straight away.
I somehow doubt that the heat exchanger even needs replacing.
Give BG the push straight away.
I somehow doubt that the heat exchanger even needs replacing.
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