James Anderson of Depher (Disabled & Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair) Doesn't Charge Customer

[SimonG]

I think most of us have done it to some extent. Called in and topped a boiler up, changed times on a programmer, nipped up a slight drop etc etc etc.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I think most of us have done it to some extent. Called in and topped a boiler up, changed times on a programmer, nipped up a slight drop etc etc etc.

bled a few rads had a nice piece of cake etc

unstuck an erp pump

 

[centralheatking]

Quite so, maybe this fellas taken it to a new level...we will
wait and see...aww years ago we had two transits in Bristol
on a council refurb. The fellas rolled up ready to go. Inside
was a mother with a couple of young sprogs ...her fella had
dumped her a few days before..so by Monday she was out of everything....so my lot put her in the tranny and went to Asda
whilst rest carried on ..they bought nappies all sorts of stuff
baby gear and grub ....while Bristol council got her sorted
that was years ago ....chking

 

[SimonG]

bled a few rads had a nice piece of cake etc

unstuck an erp pump

Exactly. 2 3 4 5

 

[Harvest Fields]

I think most of us have done it to some extent. Called in and topped a boiler up, changed times on a programmer, nipped up a slight drop etc etc etc.

Agree with you there mate

 

[firemant]

I hope he is genuine.
From what I can gather so far:
He says he is £8000 in debt because of this. Remember, he says he closed his ltd company. How is that possibly sustainable?
He raises funds via crowdfunding etc. and started his NFC, to receive the funds.
He doesn't do every job free - some have "discounts" applied.

Excerpts from ITV.com:

went round on Sunday September 8th and it was clear that the expansion vessel in the boiler had gone," Mr Anderson said. "I ordered the part so that I could make the repair.
"But for the next few days, I popped into her house every morning and sometimes in the afternoon and evening to check on the boiler so that her house would be kept warm."


He visited her again on the 9th, 10th and 11th of September at least twice a day to check that the boiler was working and that she was warm.
The part was fitted on the 12th of September and then it was shared on social media and went viral at the weekend.

Mr Anderson, who is originally from Liverpool, runs Depher Community Interest Company - similar to a charity - which has offered discounted (and sometimes free) plumbing work to more than 2,300 elderly and disabled people since it was established in 2017.
"We do the work for free when funding is available," he explained. "If funding isn't available, I try to do it for a discount of around 25% to 50%." The organisation recently had a £2,000 grant from the Duchy of Lancaster to boost its work.
"When I was visiting the lady, it was just like going back to my Nana when she was alive," he said.
Mr Anderson reckons that it would have cost around £468 had he invoiced the family for the work.

So he called on Sunday, had the time to keep popping back, but did not change the EV until the Thursday? Obviously have no idea what boiler, but most EV's are available next day, or OTC.?

If he had charged, it would have been £468. How much is your typical EV swap? He did not mention recharging the vessel, just depressurising the system

Routinely, he doesn't do the work free. He charges the charity. Which he started, and is the sole Director. His company, which he says he closed down, was actually dissolved on 6th August (started process on 8th May) this year. He is wearing a tee shirt bearing the name of the dissolved company, which is probably an offence, but he may just have overlooked the rules.

I am not saying that he is necessarily anything other than a good man, but I am always a bit cynical. It would be interesting to know if he invoiced the charity.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I don’t know why he didn’t just drain one rad and shut the trv there’s your expansion vessel for a couple of days etc no need to keep going back there

If I remember correctly he was on a Facebook group around a year ago asking for donations to keep it going

 

[firemant]

I don’t know why he didn’t just drain one rad and shut the trv there’s your expansion vessel for a couple of days etc no need to keep going back there

If I remember correctly he was on a Facebook group around a year ago asking for donations to keep it going

Why would you close a TRV, Shaun. I would leave a largish one half full of air, so there is still a bot of heat, or do you find your way works better?

I was going to add that to my post, but thought I was already critical/cynical enough.

I do not know what to think, TBH. No one can work for free on a regular basis, unless you have a large bank balance, or private income. And he claims to be £8K in debt.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Why would you close a TRV, Shaun. I would leave a largish one half full of air, so there is still a bot of heat, or do you find your way works better?

I was going to add that to my post, but thought I was already critical/cynical enough.

I’ve found if you leave both open eventually the air will move with the flow can’t explain why it moves

Close one the air stays and leaves a nice pocket

 

[Dan]

Dudette.

I'd posted about this too: James Anderson of Depher (Disabled & Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair) Doesn't Charge Customer