Thank you

[Luther]

Hello,

I posted last weekend about a boiler problem we had. The swift and accurate advice we had from many on here has saved us having an out of date boiler illegally fitted by an unregistered installer. And we've saved several hundred pounds as well.

So thanks - this forum is doubtless a great resource for professionals but it's also brilliant for us luddites!

Luther

 

[Corgigrouch]

Hanged, drawn and quartered eh?

 

[Estrella]

Can you tell us what the outcome was ? i.e. Did he remove the boiler , did you report him etc etc

 

[picbits]

I was following that thread as well - would be interested in the outcome.

 

[Luther]

Genuine corgi (we've checked!) is coming to take the old boiler out and put in a proper one next week. In the meantime, he reckons it's safe enough to have the heating and water on with our illegal combi!

Told cowboy man I'll call him to tell him when he can pick up his old boiler. Probably won't pay him a penny, which will doubtless cause a ruck.

Cost of original conversion from back boiler to condensing combi was 1600. Corgi bloke has quoted us just under 1000 now, because much of the pipework is done by our cowboy and he actually thinks it looks OK. Bizarre really - a cowboy who's standard of work is obviously OK... makes me wonder why he isn't corgi registered - something must have happened.

So on one hand I think maybe I'll pay dodgy geezer a few quid for doing the pipes and then report him, on the other I think tell him to **** off, report him to corgi and just enjoy getting the job done for less than we had originally planned.

Either way, I'm not telling corgi until after matey has picked up his old boiler from here, because I'm a coward and I don't want a big row on the doorstep!

The thing that made me lose the last vestiges of "benefit of the doubt" with him was the point, 10 minutes after he said he didn't bother with corgi because it was too expensive, that he started telling us about his £35,000 boat in Swansea marina and his plans to upgrade to a bigger one! Rub our faces in it, why don't you.

 

[Paul Barker]

If it were me, and you don't have to follow my moral code. I would pay him a fair price for the work he has done except in relation to the actual boiler.

i would also report him afterwards. Not sure that corgi is the right body as it isn't strictly their remit. You could copy them your letter to trading standards.

 

[seco services]

personally i would take the boiler back myself and hand deliver it through the lounge window. then see if he wants to discuss any owed money

 

[Agile]

That cowboy clearly took advantage of your lack of knowledge of whats what. Very luckily we managed to put you back on track.

He certainly did some useful work in converting from a conventional system and I would like to see him compensated.

I do not have a vendictive approach to life and I would suggest that when he has picked up his boiler, and only then, that you offer him say £300, towards the cost of that work.

But before paying him anything at all, make sure that he is going to accept that he is wrong, and then only pay him by a forward dated cheque so that you have a few days to cancel if anything goes wrong.

Whilst he is clearly totally wrong as he was taking advantage of you and not registered, I still dont think its right for you to take advantage of him by not paying for the work he has done which is allowable by law, that is the pipework modifications to convert to a combi.

If you decide to ignore my advice, and I agree that I am a softee and too willing to consider the individual, then if you reported him to trading standards, paid him nothing, and he was fined £2000 for purporting to be CORGI registered, then I would not be offended!

Tony

 

[Fluffster]

I agree you should pay him for the competent work he has carried out.

Pete

 

[Luther]

Thanks. Like you Tony, I'm a 'softee' in that I don't want to rip him off over his obviously reasonable pipework, despite the fact that he tried to rip us off! I kind of think that makes us as bad as him in some ways and I don't like doing that. But then I think of him swanning off in the Bristol channel in his power boat, paid for no doubt by ripped off customers throughout the area, and I think "B******** to him - let him have a taste of his own medicine!".

In many ways, it would be easier if he'd made a mess of the pipes!

Ultimately, I think we'll pay him something (I had considered £200), and then I'll probably pass his details to corgi.

 

[Paul Barker]

£200 would be an insult, the pipework and fittings will have cost nearly that give him £150 materials and £150 labour and that is skimping.

Jelousy isn't the right motive for how you conduct your reltionships with people. Do right by him inspight of what he has done to you or what he may have achieved out of his imoral life. it should not hurt you to think of it because you are better than that.

 

[mickyg]

I'm sorry I have to disagree of this opinion to give this guy money. He has worked illegally, he is taking work away form genuine qualified law abiding installers. He tried to fob you off with an old cheap combi that no one wants because they are not allowed to install it, probably got it for peanuts. Fitting any Halstead should be considered a crime anyway! He should be punished, by the power of law ideally, but I know its incredibly hard to get illegal gas workers punished. So the next best thing is to punish him in the pocket. If he does a few days work and loses money, maybe he will think twice about doing it to his next victim. Give him nothing and hope he learns his lesson.

 

[Corgigrouch]

I am inclined to agree with mickyg... You would never have received an installation cert and if you had come to sell your house, then you would have been left in the lurch... I'll bet he wouldn't have bee quite so fair minded with you. you would have paid him for the job, have had an illegal installation and would have had to pay to have the work put right..... He played the game and on this one occasion he lost.... He'll get his money back on the next poor punter he rips off

 

[spacethegas]

slightly off topic.

Corgigrouch do you really think there would be a problem selling the house.

i don't think so.

its a load of ball hooks.

 

[BOB D.O.L.E]

Pay money to someone who tried to con you err you wanna take off that pink thong and those stilettoes and sort this gizzer out who wears the trousers in your family.