Gas fitting not right?

[ailmc]

Hi, I'm new here but would be very grateful for some advice.
I had a restaurant kitchen completely refitted in 2006, the company supplied and fitted, amongst other items, 2 gas cookers, gas grill, canopy and fan - all reconditioned. The engineer was Corgi registered. We have since found out that the installation does not comply to the Gas Safe, then Corgi, standards which had been in place since 2001. It should have had an automatic gas shut off system fitted to the fan and gas supply.

We didn't know it should have had a gas shut off valve fitted. We paid this expert, who had the right registration with Corgi, to do the work expecting it to meet the right requirements.

My query is - who should be liable for the cost of getting this rectified?

I would be very grateful for any help.
Many thanks

 

[FiremanT]

How did the errors come to your notice ?

Was the fiters contract with you, or was he a subby to a fitting comany?

Are those involved still registered (now with Gas Safe)?

 

[ailmc]

It came to light during a conversation with another gas engineer. He had always assumed our kitchen was fitted prior to 2001 as all the gas equipment was old. He thought we had taken over the restaurant and the kitchen as it was. We just happened to mention that we had had it refitted in 2006 - thats when he said we needed shut off valve etc. And also the canopy does not cover the cooker properly - it is too short, there is no overhang over the cooker.

The gas fitters contract was with us - they supplied and fitted all the equipment for us. We took their advice as they were the 'experts' but the gas shut off system, was never mentioned.

Yes they are still registered with Gas Safe.

Thanks.

 

[mattylad]

6 years later, I think that your going to be extremely lucky to get them back to do anything about this.

Just get one fitted now.

 

[plumbswe]

Why did you go for reconditioned equipment?

 

[ailmc]

They sorted it at the end of last year, fitted the interlock etc to bring it up to the right standard. They were given a set time by Gas Safe to put it right or they would lose their registration. They have now issued us with a bill (£2,000!) and I was wondering what thoughts were on who should be liable for the cost of putting it right.

 

[ailmc]

We went for reconditioned because that's what they, the company that fitted it, recommended. We hadn't fitted a commercial kitchen before and accepted the advice. Also it was a lot cheaper for some of the commercial goods, eg cooker.

 

[FiremanT]

This is a tricky question. Generally clients expct there rights to be all encompassing. In a domestic situation, for example we could replace a pump and charge for it, oky to find a few days later another problem occurs. The client often expects that a mal repair somehow give a years guarantee on the system or appliance!

In your case, you seem to have a genuine greivance. The fact that they have been instructed to remedy adds weight to your argument. But is there any paperwork from the original work? Can there be a suggestion that you aimed for as cheap a job as possible?

Did they give you a quote/estimate before starting the remedials? Did you expect it to be FOC?

Would you have accepted their ORIGINAL quote,if £2k had been added to it. If you think about it,had they doe it correctly, the job would have been more expensive 6 years ago. Maybe a fair compromise would be to agree to pay for the materials, but not labour, as, almost certainly, most of the labour would not have been required if it had been done properly first time around.

BTW, you may have got a better response had you posted in plumbing. I can see why you didn't, but that section is much more active

 

[cajar]

Another question is, would that company have won the job IF there had been another 2k on top of their quote?

They quoted reconditioned for their own interests not the customer. The customer paid for a safe installation, why should he have to pay any additional money?

FWIW I think the invoice is a 'stick it in the post and see what happens' type thing that will go into their christmas fund if you pay it. Can't see them having a leg to stand on as I'm sure they know.

 

[r.bartlett]

They sorted it at the end of last year, fitted the interlock etc to bring it up to the right standard. They were given a set time by Gas Safe to put it right or they would lose their registration. They have now issued us with a bill (£2,000!) and I was wondering what thoughts were on who should be liable for the cost of putting it right.

Latent defect

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/37

 

[gasbanni]

What was agreed before the work was started ?

surely prices must have been discussed ?

Who told them to do the work ? tell them to send the bill to gas safe !
sorry that's a joke.

Personally I'd pay for the equipment because you needed it anyway, the fact that it wasn't fitted originally is their fault so I wouldn't pay any labor.

AND i'd expect to see the receipts for the equipment !

 

[captaincaveman1]

If they really were gas safe then they have an obligation to install to the correct reg's and their qoute should of reflected this. The fact that they cut corners is their probelm and is really reportable to RIDDOR . I wouldnt give them a penny more