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Gas Works

Problems after gas boiler installation.

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.13 PM

I had a glowworm boiler installed by a corgi registered plumber who was a friend of a friend. As far as I knew the job was complete. I am not a plumber and therefore trusted this person to do a job properly and to completion .How ever the pipes had been run along the wall instead of under the floorboards which meant that my cooker would not stay flush against the wall. I asked the friend to get me the gas certificate on several occasions but it was never forthcoming. this was back in September and I still have had nothing. I was under the impression that this job was complete as the boiler works fine. The installer lived several hundred miles away and I had to wait several weeks for him to do the installation. I decided to use this installer as he was highly recommended rather than get someone local who I did not know. The months were passing and I needed to have my kitchen fitted and therefore decided to Employ a local gas registered plumber to move the pipes to under the floorboards, believing that everything else was aboveboard. On seeing the boiler he told me that the discharge pipe was illegal and had been left in a precarious position. He also told me that I should have had a magnetic filter put a new boiler which was not the case. He also told me that the compliance form had not been filled in and therefore my warranty would be invalid. This was all new to me I had no idea of this procedure. I sent the original installer an email explaining that I had to get another plumber in to complete his work. I have not had a reply but have heard on the grapevine that he cannot sign off the job as another plumber has been involved. I paid the original installer, the going rate for a boiler installation, no favours and therefore expected a complete job which I have not had. Can anybody advise me as to what I can do next? Is there ombudsman I could go to regarding this installer?

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2 Answers

Boiler Homecare

Rating: 5 out of 5

Honiton

You have to accept some partial responsibility for heating pipework obstructing the cooker if you were their whilst the work was being under taken, therefore that would of been the time to inform him of your concerns of the deviation from the agreed installation route. Concerning the boiler installation itself, if the second gas engineer had any concerns about the unsafe installation he should of issued you with a 'Warning Notice' stating the defects and advised you accordingly and also taken appropriate action too. As for the magnetic filter, if you accepted his quote for one to be fitted, which he did not, then this is a clear breach of contract. Your next course of action should be to obtain a written report from the second gas engineer, stating any unsafe situations regarding the installation, forwarding the first installer a copy of his report and also IF the installation was unsafe, Gas Safe should be advised. As for claiming back any recompense for financial losses this would have to be dealt with as a civil matter through your solicitors. But make sure you have all the facts first and you have given the first installer every opportunity to rectify his alleged mistakes or offer you a cost reduction from his bill for your financial losses!

Answered3 December 2014

Anonymous user

Hi The installer does not seem to be gas safe, failing to complete the benchmark form is a sign. As for the discharge pipe being in a precarious position, this my mean various things. A discharge pipe needs to travel outside and have a u bend with the open end pointing towards the wall, this is not the worst thing that can happen here as Viessmann boilers allow condense and discharge to go into the same pipe. The magnetic filter offers protection to the boiler in the long term but its not mandatory, I wait to be corrected on this. So in overall the installation is not that bad and my view is that the second engineer was overacting a little. Not sure weather you checked the installers Gas card, but this may be the starting point as he maybe putting people at risk if he is not qualified. Your installation needs someone to check it over and report to you any shortfalls within the manufacturers instructions and Gas Safe regulations. once these requirements have been satisfied then there is a necessary list and a nice to have list. magna cleans, power flushes, descales, wireless room stats, app heating controls via your phone etc etc. hope this helps.

Answered5 December 2014