Flue position on next door house - is it dangerous?

[GasSafeTechnical]

As a reply to the original question at the beginning of the forum, there would appear to be a degree of missing information surrounding the circumstances.

It would be irresponsible to offer any guidance without a complete picture that includes of all the facts and details involved.

In absence of this specification, my advice would be, to the homeowner with the concerns relating to the boiler flue termination, to contact Gas Safe Register as soon as practically possible.

A Technical Helpline is available and safety advice will be offered based upon the information provided.

Contact details are available via www.gassaferegister.co.uk or telephone on 0800 408 5500 selecting Option 2.

 

[stevem999]

In absence of this specification, my advice would be, to the homeowner with the concerns relating to the boiler flue termination, to contact Gas Safe Register as soon as practically possible.

A Technical Helpline is available and safety advice will be offered based upon the information provided.

Contact details are available via www.gassaferegister.co.uk or telephone on 0800 408 5500 selecting Option 2.

Thank you for the post, however as detailed in one of my earlier posts I have already been in contact with Gas Safe, and have sent them the photo of the installation by email in support. They said they would treat it as a neighbour complaint and could therefore only 'invite' the owner or occupier to have a free inspection. They would need to write to the owner and/or the builder beforehand (neither of which I know, or can obtain from the estate agent) to offer them the inspection but they do not have to take it up. That would achieve precisely nothing.

They said that if they hear nothing back after a given amount of time, then they could arrange a visual inspection of the installation but only if it is visible from my property. The flue is visible, but the boiler to which it is attached would of course not be. In any case, they have to go down the route of the 'invited' inspection first, which I cannot facilitate because of lack of address for owner or builder.

Incidentally for those folks following this saga, I spoke to Building Control a little earlier on, who whilst professional and helpful, said they were also able to do precisely nothing. They said the house had to be occupied and the appliance turned on and operating before they would even consider any action. They tried sending me to Gas Safe etc, which I explained I'd done, but when I pointed out that Gas Safe is not a statutory body, but Local Authority Building Control is, they said that their legal powers did not apply to this situation. So, if you happen to be building a house with a new gas appliance and you don't much care for your own safety, feel free to bodge your boiler installation because building control will apparently not care less when they inspect the build!! Another triumph for government.

Also spoke to the estate agent who my wife met outside the house yesterday who clearly wasn't interested and said he's passed it onto the vendor. I asked what the vendor had said and he said he's look into it. Doesn't inspire much confidence. I said that I would really need a timescale before I took further action, and he then got defensive, and then argumentative saying that they were just selling the house and it was the vendors responsibility. When I advised that he is required to point out that he must tell buyers that there is an unsafe gas appliance he retorted that 'I'm sure the buyers know that', but still wouldn't give me any info on the vendor.

So, looks like I'm back with direct action and letters to estate agent, building control, HSE and Gas Safe, along with signs on the door of the property. I am not waiting to find out that the boiler has been turned on and fumes are gathering in my son's room. Oh, by the way I asked the BC guy if he would be involved in investigating the poisoning or death of my son - he had no answer.

 

[Bahco]

How about all the neighbours getting together and putting signs on THEIR property warning of this danger.

The estate agent will not be too happy with this putting off prospective purchasers.

 

[gasbanni]

I'll say it again contact the hse they in turn will contact gas safe and its the hse that prosecutes just get a name at the hse tell them its an infringement of the gas regs youve seen the links to a fatality to a virtually identical installation .......just make the hse officer feel responsible by getting names it will help !!!

 

[Agile]

You have not mentioned the Environmental health officer! Haven't you contacted them yet?

Sooee is an RGI in your area, he may not be very busy and might be willing to help by setting up a visit to the house as a viewer. I am not so keen on the suggestion of shutting if off on that visit though. Thats can only officially be done with the occupier's consent.

Tony

 

[transam]

Well ! if any thing come's out of this sorry saga , it's what a waste of space these different organisation's are , you could'nt make it up ! to the gas-safe technical poster ? it really beggars belief, what use is your organisation ? hound some rgi because he missed that a sleeve was not sealed on some LLT , in the mean time the O'P has a potentially dangerous situation & u do what ???????? than again you are run by the same bunch of cowboy's that administer the congestion charge so should any of us be surprised ?? to be quite honest this sorry saga is an embarrasment to all of us reg with gas-safe ,fella comes on here seeking advice which is given & the organisation's that are supposed to help embarrass us all !!!

 

[Johnmelad502]

They said the house had to be occupied and the appliance turned on and operating before they would even consider any action

So, if its turned on but not occupied and the OPs sone is killed, what then?

 

[tonybhoy]

They said the house had to be occupied and the appliance turned on and operating before they would even consider any action

So, if its turned on but not occupied and the OPs sone is killed, what then?

Resposibility is now with the OP because he knows the implications of his son sleeping in that room.

The OP really has to go to a solicitor ASAP and serve a legal notice on the estate agent putting full responsibility onto them.

A shocking situtation which I can hardly believe. I recall the original CO incident and Corgi made a big big deal about it at the time.

 

[ajstoneservices]

Have you got legal cover with your house insurance? if so, speak to them. As said by Tonyboy start legal action if only with a solicitors letter so that everyone knows your serious and you're not prepared to let it drop.

 

[MIGEM]

Well ! if any thing come's out of this sorry saga , it's what a waste of space these different organisation's are , you could'nt make it up ! to the gas-safe technical poster ? it really beggars belief, what use is your organisation ? hound some rgi because he missed that a sleeve was not sealed on some LLT , in the mean time the O'P has a potentially dangerous situation & u do what ???????? than again you are run by the same bunch of cowboy's that administer the congestion charge so should any of us be surprised ?? to be quite honest this sorry saga is an embarrasment to all of us reg with gas-safe ,fella comes on here seeking advice which is given & the organisation's that are supposed to help embarrass us all !!!

Transam... Id be proud to stand beside you.

I would write to all the departments mentioned and discussed in all the previous posts in this thread. I would post, fax and email a copy of the complaint, with all the suggestions and quotes mentioned, and perish the thought, if anything was to happen, I would make them all famous, and hold each receiver of the letter accountable for a death, making sure they knew and understood that.
I would also send your picture to the press and to CORGI, because they would relish in the fact that the Gas Safe Register has not helped you.
The boiler may even be on a pilot light, (Unlikely, but who knows?) and if the gas valve does not close itself, if the pilot is extinguished, the arch above the flue could end up across the street. Maybe you occassionally smell gas from the flue....0800 111 999
The idea of flooding the boiler with a hose down the flue may also result in the estate agent, or homeowner calling out an RGI to fix 'the leak' and when he does, get him to cap the boiler off for being ID.
You can even report an ID appliance yourself, actually; if you go here https://rweb1.nbapp.com/hse/riddor.nsf/F2508G2?OpenFrameSet In the place of the organisation, simply write Homeowner.

If I had of installed that boiler and flue, I would have guarantee myself to receive a visit from an inspector within a week. Why has nobody served a notice? That too is criminal.
It sickens me sometimes when nothing, or not enough, is done by those that you expect to help.

Eye opening thread.

Mark

 

[Corgigrouch]

LOL.... And they said that CORGI was a toothless dog.... Gas Safe can't even give you a nasty suck.......

 

[jimhet]

Classic case of inmates [Gas Safe] being allowed to run the Asylum [HSE].
An alternative route regarding restrictions on blocking the shared passage
might be more successful, there will be an enforceable covenant of sorts written into the original deeds which will forbid any kind of obstruction of any nature in the shared passageways.

 

[Razor900]

What a fecking joke

Got my ACS renewal in two weeks, might as well fecking cancel it

Go unregistered and feck GSR 'cos they can't do anything anyway.

Set that ginger minger Anne Robinson on them

Must've missed the bit above where gassafe tech officer personally offered to look into this case.

****s



aah that's better

 

[adlplumbing]

talking to customer who works for trading standards he sid give them ring about the estate agents as if they don`t inform who ever buys the property then they are in breach of consumer rights also please tell them about this fourm where you getting your infomation from

 

[holmslaw]

An alternative route regarding restrictions on blocking the shared passage might be more successful, there will be an enforceable covenant of sorts written into the original deeds which will forbid any kind of obstruction of any nature in the shared passageways.

This would be my approach speak to a solicitor asap.

Although the installation is extrememy dangerous, you won't have any success going down the unsafe route until you are able get a valid professional opinion. Might be worth getting an RGI to compile a detailed report explaining the CO dangers and then send copies to all parties.

I'm also sure that if you speak to the right person (you've got to find him first) at Transco they would cut off the gas to the property because it is obviously dangerous.