Removing gas cooker legalities.

My daughter rented a house off a housing agency and when she first moved in they arranged for one of their people to install her gas cooker. He used a fitting which was tightened up using a spanner rather than what I call a 'bayonet' fitting. The type that shuts its self off when you push/twist and pull the pipe away.
Now she is moving out she has asked for them to disconnect the cooker but they say they can't as its against the new laws that have come out. They say the 'bayonet' type fitting is illegal so she has to pay for a 'plumber', (their words), to come out and disconnect.
Where does she stand on this? Its not a 'bayonet' type its a swivelling union nut type of fitting. The housing agency worker installed it about 6 months ago, (don't know if he is 'Gas-safe' registered), so surely they should arrange for it to be disconnected safely as well?
Any help much appreciated. If she does get her own registered fitter what kind of cost to undo the union fitting and fit a blanking plug?

 

I am not aware of any laws which would have any relevance.

As far as I am aware, the non-bayonet hose is still permitted but not considered as the best solution.

Some HAs make up their own rules.

I fit quite a lot of cookers for HA tenants and normally that has to include fitting a bayonet socket as well. I usually charge about £75 including all the parts.

To disconnect and plug the gas supply I would usually charge about £65.

Tony

 

Thanks Tony.
I know you are in London but £65 to undo a nut and then tighten a plug nut seems a hell of a price for two minutes work? Is there more involved such as writing out a certificate or report?
Don't worry, I have absolutely no intention of DIYing it.

 

I fit quite a lot of cookers for HA tenants and normally that has to include fitting a bayonet socket as well. I usually charge about £75 including all the parts.

To disconnect and plug the gas supply I would usually charge about £65.

£75 to fit INCLUDING parts - £65 to cap? Doesn't make sense.

 

My thoughts exactly.
In the time it takes to cap a pipe I can whip out 4 retaining bolts, knock off an endshield and pull a rotor out of a medium sized electric motor!
And I wouldn't get paid more than 20% of that price for the whole hour!

 

If the customer brought the flat to me then I would do it for about £20.

I dont think some of you live in the real world!

To get to a customer takes about one hour, the job takes about 25 minutes, to get back another 45 minutes.

Then there is about £5 of travelling and often parking costs as well and then if you make any mistake a parking ticket at £80.

Then overheads!

British Gas would probably charge about £120.

Solicitors charge £300 an hour at their own office!

 

I dont think some of you live in the real world!


Tony, I didn't say you were too expensive, I was merely pointing out that for the difference in work, a tener does not add up. !

Having said that, do you return to basxe after EVERY job, and make your way to the next one from there? Or do you not have enough work to plan a route? I sometimes read your posts and wonder if you are in the real world

Connie, I assume that you ar employed? You receive a wage, along, possibly, with benefits such as a heavily subsidised pension. you would cetainly receive holiday pay, and probably sick pay. You will not be responsible for meeting the extensive overheads that the self employed have to account for.

 

Quite true gentlemen.
I apologise for my ignorance in failing to take in those type of expenses.

 

The tightness test alone takes longer than that.

Mr. W.

 

Obviously the housing agency think your daughter is just going to leave the gas cooker in situ. Thieving barstewards.

 

The tenner difference is to cover the supply of the cooker hose which are about £12 in B&Q.

Travelling in London and finding somewhere to park always seems to take about an hour. The return is shorter as we dont have to find the property or parking. Even paying for telephone parking can take five minutes. Going on public transport also takes about the same time.

When I do any job I also do a visual check of the safety aspects of the other gas appliances. I dont want anyone killed by an obvious safety issue anywhere that I have visited. Even so I could not save a wife who was later killed by her husband but there was no evidence of the risk and she seemed quite sweet.

Few employees get much pension contribution from the employer any more. Even the best rarely give more than about 3% compared with the employee's 7-8%.

Tony

 

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Namsag, thank you for your interest like some on here who by their condescending attitude to others are lucky to get any work if that is the way they speak to people.
Yes pedantic I'm talking about you, thats one hell of a chip you are carrying there son, you need to learn some people skills with an attitude like that.

 

This is totally illegal anmd rather unsafe! So be warned! I am NOT encouraging you to do this!

Many vacating tenants turn off the gas at the meter and then unscrew the connection from the wall end of the hose and then leave it OPEN! Thats very dangerous but many tenants still do it to save £65.

I cannot say that I agree with that attitude because its both dangerous and irresponsible. But if they did the same thing and fitted a plug then I could sympathise.

In this case its the FIRST time that I have ever heard of anyone in HA housing having their cooker connected free!

I am not frightened to say that many people who have always worked to pay their way in the world and rented or bought privately have a very negative attitude to people who live in social housing and in most cases live in far better housing than those who pay their way without any assistance!

When I see single mothers who have never worked, and never will, getting a nice flat and free income that makes me very sad when I compare them with those who work very hard for long hours on low wages and have to live in very poor quality privately rented housing.

I even met a 21 y.o. tenant in her own flat with her lovely mother visiting. The 21 y.o. was rubbish but the mother was nice. They were THREE generations of single mothers who had NEVER worked ( well not as employees ) in their life! They spent the day filing their nails and dressing "nicely" and whilst young going out to dance in clubs most evenings. The mother would cuddle me when I left but the daughter could not even thank me!

Tony

 

Unbelievable advice from a half wit to suggest leaving an open end.