Are British Gas mistaken or is it me??

[missplumb]

Questions first : when BG replace a meter with a card meter (card not present), do they carry a "skeleton" card that allows them to test for soundness and relight and test appliances before shutting it back down to wait for the card?

And would the BG engineers that changed the meter issue paperwork saying that the appliances in the property are safe to use?



My issue is depending on the answers to the questions. i was asked to carry out a cp12 for a landlord. when i get there there was no gas on as they were waiting for the card. When the card came we called back did the necessary checks and tests etc. The gas fire is a inset fire, it looks like it hasnt been serviced for quite a while, the coals had been removed by the landlord who had tried to clean them, but the burner tray and the rest of the fire hadnt been touched. The tennant asked for it to be disconnected as he was going to take it out and fit an electric one. i did this and noted it on my cp12.
I have had the LL on the phone tonight playing merry hell about me disconnecting it. i told him at best it needs a very good service. He informed me that when BG changed the meter they said the fire was fine and have give him some sort of paperwork to say as much.
unless they have the ability to test gas without a card and the super ability to carry out a safety inspection visually and then issue a safety certificate, i dont know how they can do this!!
AM I Wrong

 

[Barry98]

i belive they do carry cards and reset the meter when there done , but ive also been told the meter shouldnt be changed unless the card is present , i would of rang supllier up and got them to come out and put some credit on

and please dont start me on BG lol who are to question the all knowing all mighty

 

[Dan]

Borderline thread title there. Try not to post that sort of thing in public forums.

 

[Barry98]

can u edit the title missplumb ?

 

[tamz]

The meter fitters will have spare blank cards or a jist card where they can put some temporary credit on the meter (which will be taken back) if there is no card present. Usually a couple of quids worth.
There is only a requirement to do a visual check and relight of appliances the same as we "should" do when working on any appliance.

You should have cancelled the visit until they had gas and never do anything on the tennents instruction. If the fire appeared unsafe fill out your paperwork and act accordingly (cap or label as required).

 

[missplumb]

Borderline thread title there. Try not to post that sort of thing in public forums.

my apologies, but dont know how to change the thread title now - sorry.- but it appears its me the muppett lol

 

[Barry98]

none of us know everything missplumb

 

[midge]

If the prepay meter is a new install, the set up process allows the fitter to open the meter valve for testing and purging. Normally, a blank card is then used to enable (usually £10) emergency credit to be added until the customers card arrives. Some of the lazy ones just leave the valve shut though.

Meter fitters wouldn't issue anything that says appliances ARE safe, only the usual NCS, AR or ID if a visual inspection suggested not. A lot of their fitters are very new to the game though and unfortunately sometimes things get missed.

 

[diamondgas]

Hi missplumb,

When BG split and TRANSCO were formed was around the time of the first ACS. As far as I remember TRANSCO engineers were never qualified in appliances. Hence their nick of TOFO engineers! I believe they now have limited training in appliances? Not sure. They're job is to replace gas meters end of day so won't get to involved in what's in the home! maybe a meter installer will know better what they can or cannot do these days *shrug*
I think you'll probably find your landlord is mistaken regards what he belives he was given! Be interesting to know what they can and cannot do these days, those meter installers?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

tofo remember that saying well turn off and sod off

 

[diamondgas]

Yep the Turn Off Firkirk Off engineers! The BiG boys! lol

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

tbf i know most of the lads on transco or wales and west as its now called,tidy lads except one whos a prat but i eat people like that for breakfast they now have a few issues repairing plant this ones owned by that supplier swalec eon etc

 

[diamondgas]

Well Gas man before demarcation and ACS we were all as one! When BG split the engineers were given the choice of emergency, meter and standby work or the domestic market. Still quite a lot of the lads I new before the split working for the current lot. So are the guys your neck of the woods now GS qualified appliances and all? Not sure what you mean by "repairing plant."?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

no all of w+w are meters and plant only by plant i mean meters governors incoming pipework ecvs that sort of thing

 

[diamondgas]

no all of w+w are meters and plant only by plant i mean meters governors incoming pipework ecvs that sort of thing

Gotchya ... The big stuff! :yesnod:

 

[AWheating]

Meter fitters will only purge and visual check appliances, so the landlord is full of it. Alot of meter fitters now dont even have any appliance ACS qualifications.

 

[diamondgas]

Meter fitters will only purge and visual check appliances, so the landlord is full of it. Alot of meter fitters now dont even have any appliance ACS qualifications.

That's what i thought too! Their management decided they didn't need appliances if they were just relighting! I'd have thought they'd need a minimum amount of skills training though even if it was just to notice signs of spillage?

 

[tamz]

Emergency guys need CESP1 and they also have additional upstream training. The CESP acs covers the basics of combustion flues and vents. Like a watered down version of CCN1.
Domestic meter fitters can get away with CMA1 and MET2 which also cover the basics.

 

[Pssst]

With regard to DiamondGas comment re TOFOs it must be remembered that all the now defunct Transco engineers were all recruited from the ranks of the ex British Gas Corporation ranks of trained and time served engineers. I know one with more than thrity years experience covering the full range of domestic appliances install/fault finding/servicing/repairing/Gas distribution and transmission /high pressure regulation and control i.e 7bar and up/domestic and I&C metering /appliances.emergency response i.e everything from Nil found to the street has blown away and people are dead or injured. Not having a tick on a card doesnt mean that you are not trained/experienced/competent. The only things that have changed these days are that central heating boilers have had their natural draught burners swapped for forced draughts burners with a secondary heat exchanger and a sump. A good engineer can easily learn new tricks.

Of course the newest crop of Emergency response engineers are at a disadvantage as its true,the companies teach them almost nothing about appliances.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

With regard to DiamondGas comment re TOFOs it must be remembered that all the now defunct Transco engineers were all recruited from the ranks of the ex British Gas Corporation ranks of trained and time served engineers. I know one with more than thrity years experience covering the full range of domestic appliances install/fault finding/servicing/repairing/Gas distribution and transmission /high pressure regulation and control i.e 7bar and up/domestic and I&C metering /appliances.emergency response i.e everything from Nil found to the street has blown away and people are dead or injured. Not having a tick on a card doesnt mean that you are not trained/experienced/competent. The only things that have changed these days are that central heating boilers have had their natural draught burners swapped for forced draughts burners with a secondary heat exchanger and a sump. A good engineer can easily learn new tricks.

Of course the newest crop of Emergency response engineers are at a disadvantage as its true,the companies teach them almost nothing about appliances.

i also know a few who are competent to work on most things,some have told me a fatality's some of the things they have seen not nice,but as one of the transco lads put it i dont mind the dead ones its the living ones that cause all the trouble thats one way of dealing with it i suppose

 

[turnpin]

none of us know everything missplumb

Sorry bod I`ll have to correct you right there you obviously haven`t met my Mrs yet regards turnpin

 

[Barry98]

Sorry bod I`ll have to correct you right there you obviously haven`t met my Mrs yet regards turnpin

turnpin i am so so sorry , it was the beer

 

[turnpin]

turnpin i am so so sorry , it was the beer

No problem these simple mistakes happen from time to time