Have I been Conned ?

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27 May 2010
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Location
Lanarkshire
Country
United Kingdom
Had a Worcester and Bosch Greenstar might have been a 24 or 28
The Boiler was about 14 years old and not coping to well. Sprung a leak about a month ago. Had a Guy come round last week to have a look. Pulled off the front and located the leak coming from behind the Pump little plastic chamber with a diaphragm in the Chamber appeared to have a hairline crack where the water was seeping out. Chap phoned up for a quote for the part came back with the Vat at around £400. That may be the price I’ve no idea. So due to the age of the Boiler I kind of put my foot in it. Asked for a price to supply and fit new boiler. Between £1000 and £1300. I know nothing about boilers or plumbing. I asked if he could recommend a particular boiler. The Answer was an Ideal Boiler which he assured me although cheapies had a great reputation. Now we get down to it. I asked what would be the output ? 30 kws. Sounded ok we have 2 bedrooms 1 bath and electric shower. More good news was coming my way. The manufacturers guarantee was 5 years. But the installer could do a 12 year guarantee under some scheme where they were the fitters. Also the service would be free. Felt like I’d one a Watch
So gave the guy £300 deposit on the Monday with the balance to be paid next day Tuesday when boiler was fitted. Next day came and went had a text around 2pm job they were on was running late. They would be round Wednesday morning between 9 am 9.30 guess what no show. I received a text about 10 am they were on the way to pick up the boiler. 12 pm get another Tex the depot are eating for stuff to be unloaded including my Boiler. Eventually he turns up around 2.30 pm, better late than never
Starts taking the old boiler out all going well. I’m just going out to the Van to get the new boiler which he did. When the Boiler was brought in all wrapped. I noticed on the side of the Box Ideal Atlantic 24 KW. ipointed out that wasn’t a to my mind a 30 KW boiler. The reply was all the boxes are marked with 24 but their really 30.
At that point I should have called it a day and told him to take it back and get the one promised. I’ve not been well recently Cancer OP etc couldn’t really be arsed with it. So he installed the Boiler and I have to admit did a really good job. Took the old one away tidied up. I paid the remaining balance. His last words were send him my email addresses , so he could send me copies of the Garauntee the Gas Safety Certificate the invoice. This was lest Wednesday. I’ve been chasing this guy for the Docs, told me he had emailed them more than once. Nothing came through. Told me on Friday he was going to print everything off and deliver them to me over the week end didn’t happen. Texted me Sunday evening he’s doing a fitting in my area today soon as he finishes at 3 pm he will drop them in Nothing. Contacted him this evening mentioned I was getting a bit tired of the run around. I have his Gas Safety Photo and I’d. Should I be taking this up with them ?
 
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Do you have anything in writing or was this all done by verbal agreement? You're right that it sounds like he's not fitted the boiler promised. I'd also be very surprised to find that he'd done a "really good job" in less than half a day. Sounds more like he launched it at the wall and ran away. Did he fill in the Benchmark commissioning log in the installation manual? Did he clean and flush your heating sustenance and balance the radiators? Did he provide you with a new thermostat in compliance with Boiler Plus regulations?

As far as I'm aware 5 years is the maximum warranty available on an Ideal Atlantic, but @shambolic will be able to confirm. Either way though the warranty is contingent on a good standard of installation, including ensuring the heating system has been properly cleaned and flushed in compliance with British Standards.
 
Sounds like a cheap deal you've got there.. many installers would charge up to 5x that amount

But out also sounds like the installer told a few fibs.Probably isn't 30kw.. you should be able to look up exactly which model you have
 
Will NOT be a 30 kw boiler. If it says 24, 24 it is.
 
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Thanks for the replies. Looks like I got what I paid for. Would have liked at least a Gas Certificate
Guess I’ll have to chalk it up to experience.
 
He's been fraudulent from the start...no part on that Worcester is anything like £400 except the main heat exchanger...Worcesters fixed price repair would have been considerably cheaper.

So he installed the Boiler and I have to admit did a really good job.

With respect customers are clueless (and why would they know) whether the boiler has been installed in full compliance with regulations and to a decent standard...going by everything else I'd suspect it's a shoddy job.
You would be shocked at the sheer volume of documents governing the gas trade.
A boiler thrown on the wall and hot water by the evening is enough to please most of the public.
You might want to consider a Gas-Safe inspection..it's free and at least you'll have a better idea.
 
More to the point, do you actually need a 30kW boiler for a 2 bed house? Might be doing you a favour... (If it can't modulate down low enough, it might short-cycle instead)

Nozzle
 
Thanks
24 seems to be doing all right at the moment. The Bosch had a couple of small problems before the leaking diaphragm. It wasn’t doing the job very well though it had been serviced every year. The New Boiler seems to be working well. Guess I’ll try and get a Gas safety check.
 
Thanks
24 seems to be doing all right at the moment. The Bosch had a couple of small problems before the leaking diaphragm. It wasn’t doing the job very well though it had been serviced every year. The New Boiler seems to be working well. Guess I’ll try and get a Gas safety check.
Gas Safe will attend for free to check out a new installation if you call them
 
If you give us a few pics of the boiler. It should say what KW rating it is on the front, it will have a 24/30/35 on the flap at the top of the control panel.

He doesn't get copies of the guarantee, he registers the boiler for the warranty and Ideal send you the warranty confirmation doc. The gas safe cert should be given to you straight away. As suggested check the manual that you should have, there is a section at the back called the benchmark, this needs to be filled in for the warranty to be valid, if it isn't then that needs sorted out. Did he fit a mag filter too?
 
Had a look at the manual when he put the Boiler in. Definitely a 24. I’m sure I went through the manual but didn’t see anything filled in though I will check it again. No idea if a mag filter was fitted. Could that be done after if needed ?
Thanks
Ian
 
Post a pic of the boiler and pipework.

A mag filter being installed is a pre requisite of the warranty, and extended warranty usually require the manufacturers own filter to be installed.
 
Here’s a couple of pics of the Boiler.
Nothing been filled in on the warranty page.
 

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