Vaillant engineer needed in SW London

[KeyboardControl]

Hi All,
Could anyone please recommend an experienced gas engineer to service my lovely old Vaillant VCW-sine 18T combi boiler in South West London (Tooting). It used to get serviced regularly, but unfortunately our gas engineer passed away recently.
Thanks for your help.
KeyboardControl

 

[45yearsagasman]

Tony, where are you?

 

[Agile]

I am here!

Tony

 

[45yearsagasman]

One of your favourite boilers needs attention.

 

[KeyboardControl]

I have previously been in touch with Tony about servicing our Vaillant boiler, but I got the impression that Tooting is maybe too far for him to come.

There has got to be a gas engineer in south west London who still knows those machines and loves them as much as I do!

 

[David937]

I have previously been in touch with Tony about servicing our Vaillant boiler, but I got the impression that Tooting is maybe too far for him to come.

There has got to be a gas engineer in south west London who still knows those machines and loves them as much as I do!

Here you go:

http://www.vaillantservice.co.uk/VAILLANT/Vailliant_Home_Boiler_Repairs_Servicing_Faults.html

Relative in Tooting uses them for servicing.

 

[Agile]

It is not too far to come, but like all servicing, it has to be fitted in between any repairs.

Also because I would go on public transport, it would need to be a nice weather day so I dont get too wet!

Of course all servicing should normally be done during the summer months when we are not very busy. Immediately the weather gets cold we have lots of calls from those who find ( although many already knew ) that their heating is not working!

Tony

 

[DP]

What a reply Tony. I wonder what a casual reader would make of your post. I take it if the day is overcast with a light drizzle, you will mosty likely be travelling to Tooting, but if the sun breaks out while you are oin the bus, you will alight and make your way to a park, beach even with tool kit under one arm and ice cream cone in the other. If the phone rings Gas, gas, gas, you will don the ocher cap and rush to perform miracles.

Fail to see the difference between breakdown/ repair or service. I would have thought service would be a better task as NO PARTS likely to be needed as opposed to breakdown when parts sourcing and punblic transport make it a PIA.

Know of a local HiFi dealer who use to be very expensive. He soon folded claiming Japanese HiFi as the reason for failure. Perhaps us up here have a different approach to work- some months ago I traveled 120 miles round trip to fix/ service a boiler.

 

[seco services]

Also because I would go on public transport

Have you not got a reliable van ?

 

[gaswizzard]

Wouldn't the customer take a dim view when turning up via london transport? , can't see how a RGI can carry everything he needs to service/repair in a holdall , what about henry the hoover? , does he make his own way there?

 

[Agile]

The traffic problems in London make long journeys uneconomic by road for servicing/repairs. A recent hold up on the M25 caused 5 hour delays!

However, using the tube, most locations can be reached in about 75 minutes or less. Parking costs in much of London make public transport cheaper as long as you can carry what is needed.

I have always taken the view that our charging should as far as possible be of little consequence to the customer.

Priority is always given to those without hotwater/heating and routine servicing is fitted in when possible. Suppose you called and said your hot water is not working and I replied that you will have to wait until tomorrow because I am doing routine services today!

A few months ago I even went to Gravesend in Kent to repair a Sine 18. Although it was a bit further than I had anticipated. I took normal stuff and a spare PCB, diaphragm and stuffing box and managed to repair it. Had I needed to return another day with a part, the customer would not have paid any extra apart from the cost of the part.

Tony

 

[DP]

Tony, I believe a tool kit often reflects technical qualities of the engineer. In your travel by public transport, what would your tool kit include and let us say a sine 18 fires and maximises at 65 degrees for hot water and heating too with stat at maximum. Following that call you have another next door where a boiler is not working.

Reason for asking is ( you may well have good working practice whilst using minimalist toolkit) I drive VW Caddy that has spares for single visit repairs, whilst you travel by bus with what you can carry. I often struggle but you succeed when I have what I consider a good stock of items in the van. What is your secret?

 

[Agile]

I dont go blind to a boiler repair. I ask about the symptoms and sometimes get the customer to do simple tests.

Then armed with that information and experience of the model, I take with me whatever parts I conclude may be required.

The reality is that most boiler faults are common to each model and we see them repeatedly.

The Sine 18 is a little different and apart from the PCB, microswitches, NTC, diaphragm, wax element and stuffing box, most other faults are those which dont need replacement parts.

Tony

 

[DP]

Tony no competent heating engineer goes to a fault blind. Let us say I am an enduser and my Sine 18 will not go above 65 degrees for hot water or heating, with stat at maximum. What part if any, would you take with you?

Will you not say what kit you carry while doing your rounds or is that a trade secret.

 

[SShar]

Hi there,

Not sure if this is still a problem for you, but i found this on the Vaillant site, might be useful?

http://www.vaillant.co.uk/homeowners/find-local-installer/