Hi all,
I am in the process of refurbishing a storey semi-detached house in London, UK. This is a complete refurb, including new pipes chased into walls, under the floors, installing a new boiler and new unvented cylinder.
When I started the work, my builder assured me that he has a gas engineer & a plumber and that I will get the certificate in the end. I asked for the gas engineer's registration, which I was given and I looked up his name (let's say "Steve") on the internet and found that he is registered so I thought all was well.
Half way through the project, I realised that the guy who was doing the piping was not Steve but instead a guy called John. Not a problem. No registration required for installing the pipes and radiators. He was going to install the unvented cylinder as well. I asked for his G3 certificate and he said he just passed the exam, so all is good so far (though I realised later that he installed the new gas pipe running from the meter to the boiler. Not sure whether he actually connected it to the boiler though)
The problem started when I saw John taking the boiler out of the packaging and putting it on the wall. I asked whether he was a Gas Safe registered engineer, and he said he was not but the work would be checked by Steve. But at this stage, nothing was connected to the boiler (no power, no pipes), so I didn't raise an issue.
The next day, Steve (the Gas Safe registered engineer) came around but what I saw was that he was just standing in the back and supervising not but actually doing any work. I had to leave the house so I didn't see anything that happened while the actual connection of the boiler was done.
When I came back, Steve gave me "Homeowner Gas Safety Record". I asked whether he would register the boiler installation with the Local Authority, he said it is not required so he usually does not do it and if he were to do it, it would cost me £200.
After he left, I realised he hadn't filled in the "boiler commissioning checklist" either.
So here are my questions.
1. How would a registered gas engineer not know about having to register a new boiler installation with LA?
2. Why did he give me a homeowner gas safety record? I thought this was only for checking an existing installation.
3. Is he required to complete the "boiler commissioning checklist"?
4. John (the plumber) installed the new gas pipe running from the gas meter to the boiler. (not sure who actually connected it to the meter and the boiler though) Is he allow to do this?
5. John admitted he connected hot water pipes to the boiler. As far as I know, this is not allowed and I told him. He said Steve was supervising behind him and he checked it afterwards. Is this ok?
Is my gas safety engineer a quack? If so, what should I do? Get another gas engineer? Or call local building control to come and check the boiler installation out?
Thanks.
[automerge]1571750583[/automerge]
Just noticed a small typo. I meant a "two storey semi-detached" in the first paragraph.
I am in the process of refurbishing a storey semi-detached house in London, UK. This is a complete refurb, including new pipes chased into walls, under the floors, installing a new boiler and new unvented cylinder.
When I started the work, my builder assured me that he has a gas engineer & a plumber and that I will get the certificate in the end. I asked for the gas engineer's registration, which I was given and I looked up his name (let's say "Steve") on the internet and found that he is registered so I thought all was well.
Half way through the project, I realised that the guy who was doing the piping was not Steve but instead a guy called John. Not a problem. No registration required for installing the pipes and radiators. He was going to install the unvented cylinder as well. I asked for his G3 certificate and he said he just passed the exam, so all is good so far (though I realised later that he installed the new gas pipe running from the meter to the boiler. Not sure whether he actually connected it to the boiler though)
The problem started when I saw John taking the boiler out of the packaging and putting it on the wall. I asked whether he was a Gas Safe registered engineer, and he said he was not but the work would be checked by Steve. But at this stage, nothing was connected to the boiler (no power, no pipes), so I didn't raise an issue.
The next day, Steve (the Gas Safe registered engineer) came around but what I saw was that he was just standing in the back and supervising not but actually doing any work. I had to leave the house so I didn't see anything that happened while the actual connection of the boiler was done.
When I came back, Steve gave me "Homeowner Gas Safety Record". I asked whether he would register the boiler installation with the Local Authority, he said it is not required so he usually does not do it and if he were to do it, it would cost me £200.
After he left, I realised he hadn't filled in the "boiler commissioning checklist" either.
So here are my questions.
1. How would a registered gas engineer not know about having to register a new boiler installation with LA?
2. Why did he give me a homeowner gas safety record? I thought this was only for checking an existing installation.
3. Is he required to complete the "boiler commissioning checklist"?
4. John (the plumber) installed the new gas pipe running from the gas meter to the boiler. (not sure who actually connected it to the meter and the boiler though) Is he allow to do this?
5. John admitted he connected hot water pipes to the boiler. As far as I know, this is not allowed and I told him. He said Steve was supervising behind him and he checked it afterwards. Is this ok?
Is my gas safety engineer a quack? If so, what should I do? Get another gas engineer? Or call local building control to come and check the boiler installation out?
Thanks.
[automerge]1571750583[/automerge]
Just noticed a small typo. I meant a "two storey semi-detached" in the first paragraph.
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