Central Heating Contractor installation woe's

[sprocket1100]

Hi there and thanks for running a great site. Never thought I'd end up having to leave a post here tho! My problem is as follows and I need some advice on how to go forward, legally or otherwise?

My partner in September 07 paid £1800 to have a 'contractor' remove a c.h boiler from a back bedroom and install a new Biassi boiler in the loft. Since then she / we have no hot water (central heating works ok) no reply to numerous texts to get him to contact us etc to resolve.

I got personally involved with this and he shows up three weeks ago to fix a genuine leak in a downstairs rad and look into the problem further. He gets in touch with Biassi in Wednesbury and they advise him to check filters and other things etc in boiler, still no joy. He ends up getting a new boiler from Biassi, turns up on doorstep and tells us this will cost £200 to install?

After installation, no change, i.e no hot water. He now thinks its the gas pressure. removes the steel 3/4" pipe from gas meter downstairs to under floor of upstairs landing and replaced it with 22mm copper. From landing to rear bedroom. I notice he has replaced 15mm pipe he had tapped into originally to run the 22mm pipe to the loft. He then goes on holiday but informs us his 'mate' will contact us to check gas pressure before and after meter, although in past I had asked if gas and water pressure were up to spec pre installation and informed gas ok, but water not his issue? Anyway his mate did not call and today we got in touch with him (the installer) and he is now saying its not his problem but the gas pressure.

So, at this moment in time we are no further forward. I'm sorry the story rattles on but just need some info on how to go forward with this? I am in process of checking to see if he is corgi registered, although he has the 'orange' shield on his van, there is no registration number below it. I don't think my partner at the time of getting this guy in, asked for his I.d number.

Thanks for any advice you may be able to offer.
Tony

 

[ChrisR]

WHy should you have to pay £200 if the boiler, or the installation, is faulty?

It all sounds dodgy. As you imply the first step is to check his corgi registration. Corgi aren't known for doing a lot, but you have to go through the motions. Look for your installer by postcode here:

http://www.trustcorgi.com/findinstaller/checkaninstaller.htmx

If no luck but you have his full name, call Corgi and they can see if there's anyone it's likely to be, in the area.

Corgi will only be interested in gas safety, though that includes anything in the installation too.

 

[LUNAT]

HI

ChrisR is right

regarding your hot water he might have crossed the hot and cold pipes into the boiler (if it is combi boiler ) common mistake made by cowboys .

 

[doitall]

Chris, Tony and thescruff love Indians

 

[sprocket1100]

Thanks chrisR. The £200 has not been paid yet and no chance of getting either. He appears to be shrugging his shoulders now.

What is not helping matter much is not having it signed off either. But as mentioned I will contact Corgi Tuesday and see what they can tell me. It's just the sad fact that he took the work on and cannot even hand over a commissioned system. Although he comes out with some good reasons as to why it's not working. Funny how after asking him about the gas pressure being in spec, the next day he's replacing the old pipework although I was informed it's all within spec

Thanks for the idea lunnat, and yes it's a combi.

...Yep an 'injun' would prob do a better job!

 

[Nixt]

What is not helping matter much is not having it signed off either. But as mentioned I will contact Corgi Tuesday and see what they can tell me.

As CORGI registration has been compulsory for many years and gas work notification/LA notification since April 2005, did no-one check the relevant credentials before awarding the work?

 

[Nixt]

My partner in September 07 paid £1800 to have a 'contractor' remove a c.h boiler from a back bedroom and install a new Biassi boiler in the loft. I don't think my partner at the time of getting this guy in, asked for his I.d number.

I see.

 

[sprocket1100]

Hindsight Nixit.... is a wonderful thing... the bloke with his own 'business' got the work, sadly because his daughter is / was a pupil at the dance school daughter runs. A lesson there is always ask for I.d!!!

Is there any way of legally getting him to finish the work?

 

[tonybhoy]

Hindsight Nixit.... is a wonderful thing... the bloke with his own 'business' got the work, sadly because his daughter is / was a pupil at the dance school daughter runs. A lesson there is always ask for I.d!!!

Is there any way of legally getting him to finish the work?

I've been Corgi registered since the very start (1990ish I think)and I doubt I've been asked for my card twice.

Only way you can get him to do anything legally is to contact Corgi then appoint another contractor to sort out the problem pay that contractor and force the original one to pay that bill via court action if necessary.

Frankly I am astonished at how some of these people get away with this sort of thing and I am amazed he got another boiler however I am willing to lay money he bought it.

I'm the type of guy who replaces a tap washer for an OAP for a fiver and is called back because the 50 year old tap is still leaking,I get away with nothing not that I want to but you get my point,I hope

 

[Nixt]

Is there any way of legally getting him to finish the work?

Sorry, trade related technical only. Litigation I have to leave to others.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Is there any way of legally getting him to finish the work?

Yes.

1. Do not pay him any more money and certainly not the £200 he is asking to replace a faulty boiler; that has to come out of his own pocket!

2. Check his Corgi Registration
3. If he is not registered, inform Corgi on 0800 915 0491
4. If he is registered, complain to Corgi; there is a form on their website.
5. Read The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002 Guide for the Domestic Plumbing and Heating Industry
6. Contact your local Trading Standards Department. They are usually very helpful.

 

[sprocket1100]

D_Hailsham, Thank you very much for the advice supplied, the link to supply and sale of goods act information covers us, so at least I know he has no chance of getting funny demanding any money.

Prior to finding your reply this afternoon, we called TRANSCO out to check the gas pressure and they replaced the reg valve on the meter and we now have hot water!! - He too is miffed because the gas pressure is something he should have checked before starting the install, although last week I asked if the pressure was ok, the installer said yes and then the next day starts to replace the original 3/4" piping with 22mm??? Also there is no sticker? on the meter to say work has been done.

Contacted CORGI and gave the address we have of the contractor, no surprise to hear no one in that road name is registered with them.

Only prob now is we now have a central heating boiler that has not been signed off. Out of interest, is this a legal requirement we have to have done? Thanks again D_Hailsham, appreciate your sugestions on what to do next.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Only prob now is we now have a central heating boiler that has not been signed off. Out of interest, is this a legal requirement we have to have done?

The installation is an illegal one as it has not been carried out by a "competent person".

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) regulations 1998

3. - (1) No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so.

(3) ..... no self-employed person shall carry out any such work, unless the .... self-employed person ... is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive for the purposes of this paragraph.

The "member of a class of persons approved" means Corgi Registered.

The second problem is that the installation has be passed for Building Regulations purposes. Normally this would be done by the registered installer under the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000. But as your installer is not Corgi Registered the job will have to be be passed by an inspector from your local council's Building Control Department.

Building Regs approval is designed to ensure that the installation meets current standards for boiler efficiency, controls etc; it is not concerned with the safety aspect. The only time it might be questioned is when you come to sell the house and an on-the-ball solicitor asks for a copy of the approval.

I suggest you get back to Corgi and ask for their advice. They may be able to arrange for the installation to be inspected, but you may have to pay for it. You then send the bill to the installer and sue him through the Small Claims Court if necessary.

You should also get Trading Standards involved as they are dead against cowboys of any kind.

Presumably your installer has not completed the Benchmark info?

 

[sprocket1100]

Don't sound surprised, but no, the benchmark info has not been filled in.

We tried to contact him this morning not to bother to bring his friend / collegue to check the gas pressure, because Transco have resolved the problem, but to just call and sign off everything - We wait with baited breath for a reply. Otherwise like you have sugested, we get corgi etc to check and sign off if possible.

If he does not make any attempt to contact us in the next few days to sign off the work, I will report him to corgi. They have already confirmed that no one at his address or in his road are corgi registered and they have already asked for more info about him.

 

[Agile]

I do have to say that much of the problem seems to be that you are too willing to sit back and do nothing!

This is an ILLEGAL installation. Its probably not even safe! You should immediately call CORGI to complain that its an illegal install. They will inspect in about two weeks time and see what they can find out about the installer.

Next complain to TRADING STANDARDS ! They have harsher penalties about people who purport to be CORGI registered by having a CORGI sign on their van. Go at night and photograph it on his van showing the vehicle index otherwise it will be gone as soon as you complain.

There are so many things you can do. A county court case for inconvenience and loss of amenity will be bound to win you a few hundred particularly when you tell the court he told you he was CORGI registered!

You can only get the correct documentation by having the boiler removed and refitted by a CORGI!!!

Tony