Landlord dispute gas boiler

[Niall Mcnamee]

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

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Hi. I have moved out of a house a week ago. Check out went fairly well but now a week later the landlord has claimed we have tampered with our gas boiler and said the valves have been blocked with silicone between feb 7th when british gas done a service and august. Claiming it will cost £312 to replace. Any advice as to why anybody would have done this would be greatly appreciated and does anybody have a estinate it would cost to truly repair

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yea the service engineer either the last one or the few before as they've snapped the head off the gas valve screw and was probably leaking so that's why the added silicon

Big nono, needs a new gas valve

 

[townfanjon]

cant understand why hes having a go at you , its BG he needs to contact

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Reminds me of a testpoint i rocked up to and i only looked at it and it sheared off. These two holes are the testpoints gas engineers use when servicing. It looks like a Potterton Suprima. It may be just possible to get them out and replace them, otherwise new gas valve as mentioned. The silicon is, well, not good and as it stands, if it is leaking, it should be isolated.

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

Hi. I have moved out of a house a week ago. Check out went fairly well but now a week later the landlord has claimed we have tampered with our gas boiler and said the valves have been blocked with silicone between feb 7th when british gas done a service and august. Claiming it will cost £312 to replace. Any advice as to why anybody would have done this would be greatly appreciated and does anybody have a estinate it would cost to truly repair

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Thanks so much for your replies. My issue is the landlord is claiming i have done this. They are basically saying i have put my family and neighbours lives at risk. Would british gas not have picked up on this at the february service?
In the two years i have been at the property not once have i accessed the boiler and have never needed to

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

If damage was done to the system should i be seeking legal advice as to the risk my family could have been under when i wasnt informed? Surely british gas would have noticed this

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Ask them why you would need to undo the pressure test points on a boiler answer you wouldn't push it back to British gas there problem, nothing to do with you

And tbh no they don't care (British gas)

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

Ask them why you would need to undo the pressure test points on a boiler answer you wouldn't push it back to British gas there problem, nothing to do with you

And tbh no they don't care (British gas)

Thanks mate. This has been really bothering me since i found out

 

[Ric2013]

If you didn't tamper with the boiler, argue your case. Basically, the L must refund the amount of money not in dispute, but due to new (2007) requirements on tenancy deposits, (s)he doesn't get the disputed money either until it has been through arbitration or court. And I'd like to see how They are going to prove you did this.

Tenancy deposit protection: Overview - GOV.UK

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

If you didn't tamper with the boiler, argue your case. Basically, the L must refund the amount of money not in dispute, but due to new (2007) requirements on tenancy deposits, (s)he doesn't get the disputed money either until it has been through arbitration or court. And I'd like to see how They are going to prove you did this.

Tenancy deposit protection: Overview - GOV.UK

They are basically saying the british gas service was done in february and i have tampered with it since then.
They now have a report from their plumber which they are using as evidence so its up to me to prove i did not tamper

 

[ShaunCorbs]

They are basically saying the british gas service was done in february and i have tampered with it since then.
They now have a report from their plumber which they are using as evidence so its up to me to prove i did not tamper

What's he saying and is he gas safe if he's not doesn't mean the paper it's written on

 

[bacon_sandwich]

See if you can get the last service sheet done on the boiler or even the one before, if there are figures for boiler gas pressures then it helps to understand who touched it last, if fact any gas pressure test could really have been done from there. If the sheet states cannot be done as sheared off or any other comment, again it will help. It is a bit bizarre the landlord is pointing the finger at you but i suspect he wont know who has done what and i expect the service companies would be saying they would never do anything like that.....

 

[ShaunCorbs]

See if you can get the last service sheet done on the boiler or even the one before, if there are figures for boiler gas pressures then it helps to understand who touched it last, if fact any gas pressure test could really have been done from there. If the sheet states cannot be done as sheared off or any other comment, again it will help. It is a bit bizarre the landlord is pointing the finger at you but i suspect he wont know who has done what and i expect the service companies would be saying they would never do anything like that...

Doesn't want to pay for a new gas valve so passing the book (Rubbish rolls down hill)

 

[Ric2013]

Yeah they'll say that (viz. that it's up to you to prove your innocence). But if you google the other side of the story you'll find plenty of landlords moaning about how unfair the arbitration services used by the TDS/DPS etc are and how they nearly always side with the tenant.

Your landlord has my sympathy because it seems like a bodge done by a gas installer and the gas installer is saying 'not me, honest gov'.

But you're innocent until proven guilty, and I see no motive for you fiddling with these screws so I doubt it was you and I suspect any arbitrator would see it in the same way.

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

What's he saying and is he gas safe if he's not doesn't mean the paper it's written on

I havent a clue. It wasnt done in my presence and have no idea who he is
To be honest i think its linked to the estate agent and theyre scamming me

 

[Ric2013]

Having been on the other side of the fence, I have experience of an idiot letting agency saying I could charge the tenants for xyz but then having no evidence of condition as the inventory was done so badly. I realised I didn't have a leg to stand on so I didn't even attempt to charge the tenants. Sound like your landlord is trying it... but how does s/he prove you did this unless there is photographic evidence of the parts of the boiler that cannot possibly be on the inventory because no one normally is able to access them? I agree: estate agents and Conservatives...

But just as the Conservatives got a kicking in the General, I think you'll win this if you just dispute your case and don't roll over and say okay, yes I'll pay it because you've scared me into thinking I can't win.

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

Having been on the other side of the fence, I have experience of an idiot letting agency saying I could charge the tenants for xyz but then having no evidence of condition as the inventory was done so badly. I realised I didn't have a leg to stand on so I didn't even attempt to charge the tenants. Sound like your landlord is trying it... but how does s/he prove you did this unless there is photographic evidence of the parts of the boiler that cannot possibly be on the inventory because no one normally is able to access them? I agree: estate agents and Conservatives...

But just as the Conservatives got a kicking in the General, I think you'll win this if you just dispute your case and don't roll over and say okay, yes I'll pay it because you've scared me into thinking I can't win.

Thanks. You have made me more confident with my dispute claim

 

[Best]

Interesting your landlord has claimed you must have tampered with the gas boiler and that you put your families lives in danger.
I would put those exact words straight back to your landlord as a quote, then further reply with your own words stating that only BG has worked on the gas boiler and since the landlord has said it has endangered you and your family, you now will be seeking compensation for the false allegations against you of damage to his property, of doing illegal gas work (to a gas appliance of which you are not Gas Safe qualified and have no reason or knowledge of to tamper with), and the danger he confirmed from the gas boiler that must be due to his service engineers faulty work.

 

[plumbgaspaul]

Niall, if you have any emails etc of contact with your landlord or letting agent when anything has gone wrong or required repair in this property and you can show you have been a good tenant - e.g. letting BG in to conduct the gas safe checks etc then your landlord will find it impossible to hold you responsible. I would inform him that you understand that only a gas safe engineer can look at gas appliances such as the boiler / gas hob etc and therefore you would not touch it, especially as it would not cost you as a tenant to repair and this would be their responsibility and cost to pay. He is just trying to recoup the costs as there is no was he is going to get BG to cover the costs. If he cannot prove they are responsible it is even less likely he can do this to you. Was your deposit held in the legal deposit scheme?

 

[Chuck]

To be honest i think its linked to the estate agent and theyre scamming me

Probably not just you.

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

Niall, if you have any emails etc of contact with your landlord or letting agent when anything has gone wrong or required repair in this property and you can show you have been a good tenant - e.g. letting BG in to conduct the gas safe checks etc then your landlord will find it impossible to hold you responsible. I would inform him that you understand that only a gas safe engineer can look at gas appliances such as the boiler / gas hob etc and therefore you would not touch it, especially as it would not cost you as a tenant to repair and this would be their responsibility and cost to pay. He is just trying to recoup the costs as there is no was he is going to get BG to cover the costs. If he cannot prove they are responsible it is even less likely he can do this to you. Was your deposit held in the legal deposit scheme?

It was yes. Thank you for your reply and advice mate

 

[Niall Mcnamee]

Niall, if you have any emails etc of contact with your landlord or letting agent when anything has gone wrong or required repair in this property and you can show you have been a good tenant - e.g. letting BG in to conduct the gas safe checks etc then your landlord will find it impossible to hold you responsible. I would inform him that you understand that only a gas safe engineer can look at gas appliances such as the boiler / gas hob etc and therefore you would not touch it, especially as it would not cost you as a tenant to repair and this would be their responsibility and cost to pay. He is just trying to recoup the costs as there is no was he is going to get BG to cover the costs. If he cannot prove they are responsible it is even less likely he can do this to you. Was your deposit held in the legal deposit scheme?

I have numerous texts informing them when the washing machine belt broke and shower packed up which they repaired. Why would they think i would mess around with a gas appliance is beyond me. I will seek legal advice when undisputed deposit amount clears

 

[kozak1968]

What gives your landlord reason to suspect that you have tampered with the boiler?
Having disputes with a landlord can make them find any excuse to blame you.

 

[plumberpete]

why would you tamper with any boiler when the landlord would get it repaired.call his bluff and contact gas safe no way are you responsible for this.