British Gas Issue

[cr0ft]

Hi all.

Bit of a long story so please bear with me.

A new customer of mine called me a few months back wanting me to take a look at his shower in his en-suite. Basically the plumber who had installed the shower was an idiot as he'd connected a thermostatic mixer shower to tank fed hot and mains fed cold. To make matters worse, the tank was around 1 metre above the shower, resulting in the shower not working at all basically.

Around 2 months earlier, the customer told me that British Gas had fitted a nice new condensing boiler in his property. He had called them for advice re the shower and they had suggested a whole house pump to fix the issue. This is the point when he called me.

On looking around his central heating install (being nosy I guess) I could see a lot of radiators without TRVs. I did a flow rate test on the kitchen tap and got 12L/m. I then checked the cold isolation valve underneath and noticed it was only half open. Opened it fully and got 20L/m from the kitchen tap (cold only). Next I opened the garden tap and ran both on full and still obtained 20L/m at the kitchen tap. I figured incoming mains flow rate was at least 30L/m as a result. Mains pressure was around 4.5 bars.

I told him that I could fit him a whole-house pump but it would be better to just fit the right boiler for his situation in the first place, i.e. a powerful combi-boiler.

British Gas had apparently told him he couldn't have a combi-boiler (his preferred choice) as they had measured the flow rate at 5L/m and 8L/m entering his property. Bear in mind that these flow rates are below the minimum acceptable allowed by the water supplier.

I think that they did an incorrect flow rate test and also didn't notice that the isolation valve on the kitchen tap was only half open. I finally installed a Broag 39KW combi-boiler for him and fitted TRVs to the rest of the radiators. His gas bill has (unsurprisingly) dropped dramatically without having a hot water cylinder. He is in dispute with BG to try and get his money back and I want to help him as much as I can (they were great customers to be honest).

Does anyone else have any thoughts or ideas on this? I've never experienced flow rates below 10L/m in any property and I think he was totally mis-advised by a fairly incompetent engineer. It also worries me that they broke the law by not fitting TRVs as part of the install.

 

[AWheating]

why on a boiler change is it a must that they fitted trv's rather then just recommended good practice?

i have come across a few house's with low water pressure/flow rates and fitted open vented systems. It did supprise me how many quotes these customers had been given to have a combi fitted

sounds like the engineer made some mistakes when testing the pressure/flow, i think your customer should request BG to attend and retest and compare to the original findings and request the results in writing.

 

[gaspastemania]

The trvs on boiler install is NOT A REQUIREMAENT, Have been told this by gsr and building control is is entirely upto cust if they want trv's .
I wouldnt moan to much if Bg made an initial mistake on flow rates as to be honest we all make or miss the odd thing here and there on pricing jobs.
Also in my opinion combi's are nothing more than problematic nuisance .

 

[dontknowitall]

I'm no legal eagle but the Sales of Goods Act (1948, 1972, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007(1), 2007 (2), 2008, 2009, 2010 (Jan), 2010 (Feb), etc, etc ... I digress ...)

says something to the effect that goods must be sold in accordance with their perceived conditions and must be fit for purpose. Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help out.

 

[cr0ft]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_PTL_DOMHEAT.pdf

I think this document makes the legal position very clear. Page 10 states that a 'replacment system' is defined as 'the specification of a replacement central heating system and/or component in existing dwellings were central heating is installed - this situation is referred to in this section as a replacement system'. To me that is very clear that a boiler replacement falls under a replacement component in an existing dwelling were central heating is installed and is thus classed as a replacement system.

Page 15 is equally as clear: -

Temperature control of space heating - replacement system requirements are identical to new systems. I.E there is a legal requirement for TRVs to be installed on all radiators except in room with room thermostat.

GSR have also told me that this is not a legal requirement but I believe they are talking out of there rear on this, as the official documentation clearly shows.

Re combis, We only fit decent ones with Magnacleans in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. If the house only has 2 occupants and they only really want a shower then there's no sense in storing a large hot water cylinder which (to be blunt) is wasting energy surely?
If anyone interprets that any differently then please shout up but those are the legal requirements straight from the Planning Portal website.