Central Heating Nightmare - Please help me!

[humbug]

It is a Chaffoneaux and Maury (or something like that!) and it is a combi. He said we couldnt have a condensing boiler because it is a terraced house. I now think he had a load of old stock lying around! He did fill out a A5 form with his details and ours. My boyfriend, Adam, says the quote is dated before April- so has he done this on purpose?
I dont know where that pipe goes, but will have a look tomorrow!
I am going to hold onto the money until I have had it all checked out, and I will check out the Corgi website right away!

Gasman- nope- I dont live in Scotland! I get what you are saying- it should be a condensing boiler. I am such an idiot... well, I am not THAT bad because I havent paid yet, but apart from that!

 

[Gasman1015]

Quotes before April, were allowed to be fitted up till end of July only.

 

[humbug]

I just checked the corgi site, it is his company that is registered. The same name that appears on all the thermostat caps!
Adam says the pressure release valve pipe thingy does go outside. All I can think is that it must go through the roof and out the side!
I am not very observant of these things.
The bolier is a minina mx2 30ff (sounds almost like a sports car!)
The blue form says it has been flushed and that they used Sentinal inhibitor and cleanser.
But, where it says Customers signature HE has written his name- shouldn't that be me?!

 

[humbug]

Gasman- does this mean that I have done something wrong or is it the installer? What should I do? His company is Corgi registered so I would have thought that he would have known this. I cant believe it is just getting worse and worse!

 

[chrishutt]

It is a Chaffoneaux and Maury

Chaffoteaux et Maury is a French company but they have been taken over by Ariston (MTS), so what you have (I think) is an Ariston badged as a C & M.

It would be interesting to know what the installer has written in the Benchmark log book. Can you take a photo and post it (apart from names and addresses of course)? The way in which it's filled in is a good indication of the competence of the installer.

As for the requirement to install a condensing boiler, this still applies to terraced houses and even flats, unless the installer has carried out a special assessment for exemption (which you would have a copy of).

I'm also curious about these thermostatic rad valve caps with his name on. He's not called Dan Foss by any chance? (That was an in-joke for heating engineers.) Any chance of a photo of one of those?

It's beginning to look as if the installation is seriously sub standard. The cost of bringing it up to scratch might well be as much as the installer's bill. So at least he wouldn't have much chance of success in bringing a small claim against you!

 

[humbug]

I was on the phone to my mum and she got the dan foss joke- strange!

I will do the pix tomorrow and post them- I am getting good at this! I will photo the log book and the caps too!

I dont have any exemption form or anything. He just said that because the houses were close together that we had to have combi not condensing. I didnt realise, I thought that he was a nice man so I believed what he told me.

 

[Gasman1015]

Can you post a picture of the outside flue position.

The boiler looks (like I know!) like it is plumbed in nicely, it is very neat, unfortunately it is in what used to be the airing cupboard next to the downstairs bathroom and we were going to plasterboard in here- but HE ripped the ceiling out and cut some of the roof timbers to get the header tank out (which he dumped behind our garage!!) instead of using the ready made loft hatch!

All I can think is that it must go through the roof and out the side!

Confusing, is the cupboard downstairs or upstairs.

 

[slippyr4]

Confusing, is the cupboard downstairs or upstairs.

Whilst I can't speak for humbug, there are a lot of victorian terraced houses where the bathroom is a ground floor extension at the back of the house, which would have it's own roof.

 

[John259]

Wow, what a dreadful tale of woe. A few of pieces of advice, sorry if they are all obvious:

Keep a log of all events with dates and details. As time goes on and it gets more confusing, that will be invaluable both to yourself and also as evidence if it ends up going to court.

As far as possible, conduct all communications with the installer in writing. He'll try to phone you of course so there's no record but try your best to get him to put everything in writing.

Obviously, be sure to keep every piece of documentation.

Good luck, don't give up hope.

John

 

[PaulAH]

While I have every sympathy for Humbug and don't wan't to get in the way of the compensation process, she was quoted £2375 for a boiler, 7 rads, a cooker point and installation from scratch.

What price would you guys put on it? (presumably you've seen enough to take an informed guess)

Is there a moral in this?

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

£3500.00 upwards, would all be to Part L. necessary vertical visible pipes would be in trunking, all in writing and discussed first.
I HATE these ****keerrs quoteing stupid prices and throwing systems in and bullying customers, go for him big time and get both his bollokks, if he wants to work for peanuts thats his problem, he STILL has to comply with gas/building regs and if you aint happy with his workmanship dont pay him all the money.

 

[ricarbo]

Why not call in British Gas and ask for a quote for rectification. Say you want a codensing boiler if possible. They'll tell you if a condensing boiler is, in fact, reasonably possible. Then ask a general builder, who is a member of a recognised trade organisation, eg federation of master builders, for a quote for fixing hole in ceiling, damaged skirting etc, then other quotes for damage to furniture etc. You would be entitled in law, I think, to deduct these from his written invoice. They would almost certainly exceed his invoice. Then you write to him (registered post), saying you're going to make these deductions, but that you are willing to let him put it all right himself, providing it is to your complete satifaction. You should do this to show you are being reasonable - if you don't give him the chance, it could count against you, if it went to court. Tell him you will report him to Corgi if the condensing boiler was the right choice after all. Everything in writing. Then you get the work put right, using whoever you like (BG likely to be way over the top).
What do you think?

 

[John259]

Would organisations such as Citizens Advice and Trading Standards be worth contacting for advice? Just an idea. - John

 

[humbug]

Wow! Loads of helpful advice!
I knew the quote was cheap, and I normally wouldnt go for cheapest, but my own brother recommended him and so i thought i was really lucky! My brothers installation was great, but he did move house a few months later so who knows whether the system is still going- I hadnt thought of that before.
I have done some more photos as I said i would do. And this time I will try to not get them all going off the page!

The flu thingy- this explains where the boiler is, I am taking photo from upstairs window.

The funny thermostat caps! Is there anywhere I can buy plain ones?!

And the log book thingy.

Hope they are of some interest!

 

[Gasman1015]

Should have fitted a condensing boiler.

Benchmark book, not very infomative.

Did you discover wher the expansion relief pipe exits, that chrishutt had mentioned.