CH/HW Install not commissioned, should I report?

[biriyaniboy]

Hello folks,

we had ch/hw installed in a house in feb last year. The system was a vailant ecotec and a megaflo. The house is alot bigger than 150sqm but the installer never zoned any of it, just put trv's and a roomstat/timer. At the time I didn't know there was a rule meaning the house had to be zoned.

Once the work was done, the gas safe installer never commissioned it and doesn't answer my calls even now. I catch him sometimes using a withheld number but he blags his way out of coming down and commissioning. Not 100% sure why, but I have an inkling it's because he didn't follow regs on this zoning issue. He's not given me my warrantee docs or any certificate either. If I report him to gas safe, would my ch/hw be deemed illegal and shut off (I wouldn't be able to handle that)? What should I do?

Thanks

 

[ChrisR]

I would suggest that the ordering of your priorities here, may be sub-optimal.

If he didn't do the job right, the system could without any exaggeration, blow your house apart, and distribute your family rather untidily about your neighbourhood.

You are quite correct in thinking that your claim against him would then be reinforced. However the claim stands as things already are, and you probably have a greater chance of getting personal satisfaction before the event outlined above, than after it.

You are further correct - you must not use uncommissoned appliances.

You are within your rights to issue him a notice to put things right, in reference to the Gas Safety Regulations and the Building Regulations, which are entirely separate. If he fails to do so within a reasonable time than you are entitled to have the work done to make yourself safe, and bill him for it, and consequential losses etc.

Gas Safe Register will not be intrested in the zoning (BR) issue.
Building control will be little interested in the zoning issue, though they could prosecute and he could be fined very heavily every day the transgression persists. Areas vary, in their resources and entusiasm.

GSR should pursue him for allowing uncommissioned appliances to go into service, IF that is what they are. He may have simply failed to fill in forms? They would probably ask for proof that he didnt't simply fail in the beaurocracy.

So - nobody is going to do this for you. Write letters, keep records, and go after him through GSRT and the Building Control dept of your council offices.
You will probably get no satisfaction from anyone.
But if you make it safe asap, you might keep yourselves alive.