Back Boilers Legal or Not???

[Rizzo]

Hi,

A few weeks ago my friend had a phone call telling her that from 2009 back boilers will be illegal and have to be replaced, the person calling claimed to be from British Gas and quoted her over £3000 to replace the boiler and her radiators.
Does anyone know if this is true or is it some hoax job???,
Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.....Debi

Ps.. if this has been posted in the wrong forum....Sorry!

 

[kirkgas]

more of a hard sell than hoax, nobody can phone you and tell you your boiler needs to come out, the actual conversation would have been vague, innuendo (think thats what i mean!!) and half descriptions about condensing boilers, ventilation regs co emmissions, anything else that they can throw at you to make you buy
PS if they only quoted £3000 they were not from British Gas

 

[Rizzo]

So they're not going to be made illegal next year then??

 

[kirkgas]

not existing ones, regulation changes are not retrospective, if YOU decide to change the boiler the installer has to fit to the current regs which can dictate certain decisions, but even the push for high efficiency boilers has exemptions as there are some situations where it would be impossible or financially too restrictive to fit one, if you have the phone number and can be bothered giving them the run around get them to post info then you have it in writing (bet you don't get anything confirming it is illegal) DO NOT LET THEM COME TO SEE YOU AS YOU WIL NEVER GET RID OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!

 

[superdupergasman]

It probibly to do with the reports that the engineers have made with regards to the ventilation.

As of June this year most vents that are currently 'Not to Current Standard' will be made 'At Risk'

This is not the fault of BG and the decision has been made by CORGI to change the regualtions for saftey reasons.

BG are prob going through the database looking at boilers that will become AR and are also elderly and trying to sell a new ones.

They are there to make money, all company's do cold calling to try to promote their business.

Old back boilers are inefficient and if its unsafe it a blessing in diguise.

 

[twgas]

i dont believe anyone in BG would ring a customer, tell them their boiler will be illegal and give a price for a replacement.

 

[Rizzo]

Thanks for the replies, I will pass on this information.

Thanks again........Debi.

 

[The Baker]

Also pass on the information that Back Boilers can be repaired.

Even to the extent of a total strip down and rebuild.

I know a bloke in Cornwall who regularly embarrasses a very large national gas servicing and repair company who seem to dislike repairing Back Boiler units, by getting the customers heating up and running at a fraction of the cost the national company quote for a replacement combi.

Whilst I am a promoter of high efficiency condensing boilers that with the assistance of Weather Temperature Compensation controls that can reduce a house holders gas consumption, I do understand that a person who is happy with the service their Back Boiler has given them, is quite entitled to repair their appliance if they so wish.

Can you give details of the company who "may" be operating close to the wind so the Directors can be checked out at Companies House

Tim

 

[nickso]

not existing ones, regulation changes are not retrospective, if YOU decide to change the boiler the installer has to fit to the current regs which can dictate certain decisions, but even the push for high efficiency boilers has exemptions as there are some situations where it would be impossible or financially too restrictive to fit one, if you have the phone number and can be bothered giving them the run around get them to post info then you have it in writing (bet you don't get anything confirming it is illegal) DO NOT LET THEM COME TO SEE YOU AS YOU WIL NEVER GET RID OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!

horseshit.

the regs regarding the classification of ventilation requirements are entirely retrospective.

in what way will you "never get rid of them"?

 

[nickso]

Can you give details of the company who "may" be operating close to the wind so the Directors can be checked out at Companies House

Tim

what?

 

[nickso]

i dont believe anyone in BG would ring a customer, tell them their boiler will be illegal and give a price for a replacement.

if that happened it would have been recorded.

 

[nickso]

So they're not going to be made illegal next year then??

no.

 

[Rob]

I know a bloke in Cornwall who regularly embarrasses a very large national gas servicing and repair company who seem to dislike repairing Back Boiler units, by getting the customers heating up and running at a fraction of the cost the national company quote for a replacement combi.

So he basically replaces the thermocouples, stats and pilots. Not exactly uncommon

 

[The Baker]

So he basically replaces the thermocouples, stats and pilots. Not exactly uncommon [/quote]

He repairs leaking heat exchangers as well as doing the easy bits.

Tim

 

[gasacs]

[

quote="superdupergasman";p="853500"]It probibly to do with the reports that the engineers have made with regards to the ventilation.

As of June this year most vents that are currently 'Not to Current Standard' will be made 'At Risk'

This is not the fault of BG and the decision has been made by CORGI to change the regualtions for saftey reasons

The changes to ventilation regs have not been made by CORGI they have been altered by the change in the standard for ventilation BS5440-2. These were amended a couple of years ago with the June date being set for it to become the current regulation.