Smart Meter Installers ID-ing Gas Appliances

[PhillCO2]

Afternoon all,

After a quick bit of advice deciding whether to complain to British Gas or not.

My grandmother had a visit from on of BG's smart meter 'experts' for her install. The installer noticed a grubby mark on the wall next to the boiler and categorised it as a sign of spillage told my grandmother and the appliance was dangerous.

Despite having a very recent inspection and service, she rang the gas engineer who was more than happy to come straight over. However the BG installer said he had to classify it as ID cut off the gas supply. He put a blanking disk in at the meter and warning sticker and did a runner after telling her he legally had to agree and sign the form. This left her as an elderly lady without central heating but also no gas supply for the fireplace which had no identified issues.

Less than 30 minutes after he left the gas engineer got there and said anyone with any experience would have known it was just dust deposition but he had to charge her for a new test and issue of a safety certificate as the supply had been capped.

He also said he has had 14 of these where the BG installer has said it is ID and there has been no issue when he has turned up. BG are apparently giving these 'experts' the bare minimum of training and then sending them out to customer premises.

I was hoping some of you lovely people would give me your opinion on this, would a properly experienced and trained installer ID an appliance on a visual check of a small dust mark and was the installer right in categorising it as ID and isolating the entire gas supply, especially as he was aware the gas engineer was on his way over.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Signs of spillage with no proof of remedial action is ID.

 

[Doug99]

She should at least be refunded the repeat test charge as the engineer confirmed it was only dust.

 

[PhillCO2]

Signs of spillage with no proof of remedial action is ID.

I understand. I guess what I'm getting at is the gas engineer seemed to think it was pretty obvious it wasn't a sign of spillage and was just dust. I've heard of ones where they have said it's spillage and it was dirty fingerprints from when the boiler was installed or last serviced. Should these installers be better trained rather than erring on the side of caution with minimum experience on which to base a decision?

 

[Ihavenojob]

Why did you have to pay? As far as I knew BG would send one of their fully trained guys out FOC.

 

[PhillCO2]

Why did you have to pay? As far as I knew BG would send one of their fully trained guys out FOC.

The guy just said to my gran she can't use it because it's dangerous and she would have to get a gas engineer to inspect it. He then told her she had to sign the paper to agree and then isolated it at the meter and left.

I will get in touch with BG and see what they have to say about it, stay tuned.
Was just a bit miffed they left a pensioner with no gas at all including the fireplace which was fine and left her to arrange her own gas engineer to come out at her expense.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Another reason not to have a smart meter. Try calling BG, explain what happened & you may get reimbursed.

 

[PhillCO2]

Another reason not to have a smart meter. Try calling BG, explain what happened & you may get reimbursed.

I've sent them an email, will post back how it goes.

 

[Hot&Cold]

The gas meter fitter during the visual risk assessment prior to appliance relighting-purging process identified a situation where the appliance is showing a sign of distress

The meter fitter has to comply with https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/m...ituations-procedure-april-2018-amendments.pdf

 

[Deleted member 63160]

I've been charging £85.00 to check an installation capped by these goons. Yet to find one that is actually ID. Customer feedback is saying they have been reimbursed. A few claim to have pushed for a small amount of compo too and got it. Most of them (the meter swappers) have never even seen an open flued boiler and wouldn't know a "spillage mark" from a skidmark. Nice lil earner though. Long may it continue.

 

[Ihavenojob]

The sooner people realise what a con smart meters are the better. Refuse to have one, some people will want one as they have a digital display screen & are "free". Well, they are not free, the cost isn't borne by the energy companies, its paid for via your bills, and all these reimbursements for cut offs etc are also added to bills as they want to keep shareholders sweet. Sorry to the OP for my "rant", but I detest smart meters, & hope your grandmother gets well treated.

 

[PhillCO2]

Thanks all will see how it goes.

The standard of installation on the electrical side was rather poor too. Not unsafe but just bloody untidy, I don't think a single new component was installed square on the backboard.

The bugger also removed a perfectly serviceable Henley block on the consumer side tails. Fortunately I had installed a 100A cut out last time I worked with the board so I didn't have to use the Henley block as a point of disconnection in future.

 

[SammyInnit]

BG are apparently giving these 'experts' the bare minimum of training and then sending them out to customer premises.

Correct and it's unfair on real gas engineers for them to adopt the title.

If you have a later certificate of safe condition by a proper gas Safe engineer that's all you need. In future, beyond them coming to read the meters, tell them to get ****ed.

 

[Ihavenojob]

If you have a later certificate of safe condition by a proper gas Safe engineer that's all you need.

So if you turned up at a house to service a boiler & you noticed a nice DGF in the lounge with soot up the wall, you would ignore it if they had a 2 week old certificate saying its safe ?Not having a dig at you, or the meter swappers, its just that they don't have the relevant training to work on appliances, possibly CCN1 & MET1, so they err on the side of caution, as they or anyone should. Get blase about safety, then its time to pack it in.

 

[SammyInnit]

So if you turned up at a house to service a boiler & you noticed a nice DGF in the lounge with soot up the wall, you would ignore it if they had a 2 week old certificate saying its safe ?Not having a dig at you, or the meter swappers, its just that they don't have the relevant training to work on appliances, possibly CCN1 & MET1, so they err on the side of caution, as they or anyone should. Get blase about safety, then its time to pack it in.

You've completely misrepresented what I said.

a later certificate of safe condition by a proper gas Safe engineer

Where did I say anything about it being underhand or just a bit of a paper with a name on it? A gas Safe engineer worth his salt and who values his livelihood is going to do the appropriate testing before signing off on it.