HETAS am I liable?

[djharrybo]

We moved to a property 2 years ago and within the first few months we had a HETAS registered installer come and start a job for us which was to install a stainless steel flue liner on the outside of our property and hook up to our new solid fuel stove in the dining room.

At the time the floor in our dining room was unfinished so the HETAS installer could not finish the job all in one go. So he did what he could on the outside and poked part of the flue through the wall into the dining room and roughly filled the holes around to finish on his next visit. On his departure we paid him in full and we were to contact him to return and finish off and commission etc.

Unfortunately it took some time for us to finish the floor in our dining room due to money being spent else where but once it was done we were excited to get our new stove up and running. So me and the wife hooked the stove up to the flue ourselves, it just slipped right into place. We lit it and things seemed fine! Weeks passed, months and then years in-fact and we thought nothing of it, apart from on windy nights we got some smoke blowing back into the room but just lived with it as it was so infrequent.

18 months on we had a HETAS chimney sweep come to service the stove and sweep the flue. He did this but informed us that the installation had not been fitted correctly nor signed off with HETAS.

We have been in touch with the installer he says we didn't ask him to return and finish the job, connect the stove and commission so the install was never signed off. He informed us that we are liable for the installation as we fitted the stove ourselves.

I know some time has passed and we have used the stove but is the HETAS installer correct? Are we liable?

Any speedy information on where we stand would be greatly appreciated. Even if its now what we want to hear we will have to ask him to return and re-install the stove for us.

 

[Tibbot]

You've stated that you never called the flue fitter back and installed the appliance yourself. So how can any problems be the responsibility of anyone else?

 

[Dan Robinson]

I would say you are stuffed. And quite rightly too.

 

[spareshunter]

+ 1,

You fitted it yourself which you can do but don't expect to pass the buck to someone else.

 

[Agile]

I will take a slightly different view from my learned friends.

You placed a contract for the stove to be installed and commissioned and notified.

For certain reasons this was not possible to be completed at the same time and you paid the installer in full on the basis that he was to return to complete the flue connection.

Time went by and instead of calling him you chose to connect it yourself.

But in my view that makes no difference to your original contract and the installer, who has already been paid, still has an obligation to return to complete his work in accordance with the original contract.

However, as some time has passed, his charges may have increased and there is a small point in his favour that he originally planned the work to be completed within a reasonable timescale. Therefore a small additional charge could be argued for on the basis that he was slightly inconvenienced.

So my conclusion is that nothing has materially changed and he still has a duty to complete the original contract. Although he is entitled to a small additional payment to cover any increased charges and slight inconvenience. Probably only about £35.

But, short of taking him to court, there is probably little you can do to force him to complete the work.

Getting someone else to complete the work could easily cost say £100 to £200 as most people rather overcharge to correct others work.

Let us know what you plan to do and how you get on.

Tony

 

[TeaTime]

So, you went to the trouble of getting a registered installer round to carry out the work correctly, then decided to carry out the rest of the work yourself?

Unfortunately the flue is now your problem, unless you can get him back to rectify?

When you contacted the installer, did he offer an alternative at all?
Is he prepared to disconnect the flue where you connected and go back to how he left it and start again from there?

 

[Biggles..]

The original installer has no obligation to return as soon as the stove was took out the box and bodged on to the flue.

No judge will sit and listen to any case where someone is trying to shift blame having done a bodge job themselves.

As for cost, tony you wouldn't have the faintest idea of what's involved with hetas works/reg or qualification.

OP-best bet, phone hetas, book an inspection with them, they ll send out an indoor dent who will issue a full report and you can get prices from there.

 

[Norcon]

I wouldn't have hetas involved with my home for a pension.
They have managed to persuade building control to insist on fitting very expensive tin liners to new build chimneys which last a few years.

Seen them recently on a site of new builds and just thought idiots.
Instead of relying on the class 1 refractory fired flue which will last hundreds of years.

 

[Tibbot]

When did this happen? Metal lining only allowed on existing chimneys. New builds are permanent lined.

 

[Norcon]

That's the case here in the province. Mebbe different in England.
Stove manufacturers are also calling for it too.
It was on the MI's when I fitted my own stove.
Which of course I ignored.

For the OP his hand being laid on the fitting doesn't excuse the original installer who didn't finish his work.
Doesn't matter how badly it was bodged. They needed heat in their home and had no other choice after being abandoned by their installer.

The OP should demand their money back or take him to court where he cannot hide behind a rule book.

 

[Corgigrouch]

HETAS will not permit the use of stainless flue liners in newbuilds...

The builders are in for a nasty surprise.

 

[Norcon]

All new build chimneys for solid fuel appliances in Northern Ireland must have liners fitted.
At least that's what I was told by a building contractor about 6 months ago.

And about a month ago I seen installers pulling liners down chimneys on a new build site.
The builders are in for no surprise. Their complying with the daft regulations.

It wasn't santa claus I seen on those rooftops. And the building contractor just happens to be my BiL.
Google the regulations if you want. I've no need as I'm well informed by those in the know.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Norc, you have to leart to distinguish between the real world and the voices in your head...

 

[Norcon]

Norc, you have to leart to distinguish between the real world and the voices in your head...

You posted nonsense. Get over it.

 

[Tibbot]

It is covered in ADJ of Building Regulations though J only applies to us and Wales. But then you lot have the 6 Nations trophy as consolation.