What to charge customers...

[Millsy 82]

I charge £85 for a CP12. I recently had a conversation with an estate agents and they wanted me to price match a CP12 at £35/each....

And you didnt hear them hang up as you were too busy rolling round on the floor laughing?

 

[Mastermixlee]

Buckinghamshire here.

£85 for the 1st hour, any additional hour (or part of) is £60. Any materials supplied at trade cost +20% carriage. All +VAT

If you have too much work, put your prices up.
If you have too little work, put your prices down.

I charge £85 for a CP12. I recently had a conversation with an estate agents and they wanted me to price match a CP12 at £35/each....

Question about Your rate for the cp12 - do you include the boiler service for that? Or do you charge an additional fee to add boiler service on, gas hob, fire etc.

 

[Millsy 82]

Question about Your rate for the cp12 - do you include the boiler service for that? Or do you charge an additional fee to add boiler service on, gas hob, fire etc.

Most companies that I've worked for do not carry out a boiler service at the same time that is an extra and gets charged.

 

[Jerry]

Question about Your rate for the cp12 - do you include the boiler service for that? Or do you charge an additional fee to add boiler service on, gas hob, fire etc.

CP12 with 2 Appliances is £85+VAT. Additional Appliance is £25/each
CP12 and Boiler Service is £120+VAT

Usually, when an estate agent tells me they can get it cheaper, I try and inform and educate them. I try to explain the time it takes including travel time and then get them to understand they will be getting a rushed botched job. I always try to leave the conversation along the lines of "when it all goes wrong, you will get in trouble".

Some listen, some don't.

Some want to do their jobs to the letter of the law (yay!). Some are trying to make the most money (understandable). Some are afraid to tell landlords that stuff is expensive and costs money.

 

[SlimD]

CP12 with 2 Appliances is £85+VAT. Additional Appliance is £25/each
CP12 and Boiler Service is £120+VAT

Usually, when an estate agent tells me they can get it cheaper, I try and inform and educate them. I try to explain the time it takes including travel time and then get them to understand they will be getting a rushed botched job. I always try to leave the conversation along the lines of "when it all goes wrong, you will get in trouble".

Some listen, some don't.

Some want to do their jobs to the letter of the law (yay!). Some are trying to make the most money (understandable). Some are afraid to tell landlords that stuff is expensive and costs money.

...and some are just greedy bastards!

 

[Millsy 82]

CP12 with 2 Appliances is £85+VAT. Additional Appliance is £25/each
CP12 and Boiler Service is £120+VAT

Usually, when an estate agent tells me they can get it cheaper, I try and inform and educate them. I try to explain the time it takes including travel time and then get them to understand they will be getting a rushed botched job. I always try to leave the conversation along the lines of "when it all goes wrong, you will get in trouble".

Some listen, some don't.

Some want to do their jobs to the letter of the law (yay!). Some are trying to make the most money (understandable). Some are afraid to tell landlords that stuff is expensive and costs money.

I worked for a company years ago that did gas checks cheaper the more the estate agents had. They used it as a way in and to get the remedial work.

 

[Mastermixlee]

CP12 with 2 Appliances is £85+VAT. Additional Appliance is £25/each
CP12 and Boiler Service is £120+VAT

Usually, when an estate agent tells me they can get it cheaper, I try and inform and educate them. I try to explain the time it takes including travel time and then get them to understand they will be getting a rushed botched job. I always try to leave the conversation along the lines of "when it all goes wrong, you will get in trouble".

Some listen, some don't.

Some want to do their jobs to the letter of the law (yay!). Some are trying to make the most money (understandable). Some are afraid to tell landlords that stuff is expensive and costs money.

I've only ever done cp12's with appliance servicing at the same time (both when employed and sub contracted to firms).

What would a cp12 exactly entail if not servicing the appliances as well?

As Ive always thought the safety checks required for cp12 were virtually the same as required in a boiler service?

 

[Jerry]

I've only ever done cp12's with appliance servicing at the same time (both when employed and sub contracted to firms).

What would a cp12 exactly entail if not servicing the appliances as well?

As I've always thought the safety checks required for cp12 were virtually the same as required in a boiler service?

They are fairly similar but there are a number of differences. I think the main one is that with a CP12 you are checking that the appliance is within government standards and that's it. With a service, you are making sure the appliance is within the manufacturer's standards and then fixing them if they are not (within reason).
Somehow, I bet I get my head chewed off here...

 

[Scott_D]

Tightness test on CP12
Checking all appliances in property - not just boiler

 

[Jerry]

Bonding!
Ventilation!
Smoke and CO alarms!

 

[Mastermixlee]

Tightness test on CP12
Checking all appliances in property - not just boiler

Yep know that but meant what would you do on the checks on the boiler itself for a cp12 Vs the checks you'd do on a boiler?

E.g. would you adjust the ratios if need be on a cp12 without a service added onto cost? Or would you advise that a service is required and quote/charge for adjustments etc.

 

[mfgs]

A landlords check is similar to a MOT for a car just an overall check of the safety of the gas installation and appliances. You fill out the boxes with your findings and that’s it. Any additional work it chargeable. When your car goes in for a MOT they don’t do little fixes included in the price. They give you the paperwork stating what needs to be done.

 

[Mastermixlee]

A landlords check is similar to a MOT for a car just an overall check of the safety of the gas installation and appliances. You fill out the boxes with your findings and that’s it. Any additional work it chargeable. When your car goes in for a MOT they don’t do little fixes included in the price. They give you the paperwork stating what needs to be done.

Thought that's what people would be thinking along the lines of.

I've just never done a cp12 without doing a full service on every appliance.

Eg. Always done full strip and clean of gas fires and bbus etc on every cp12 I've done for near 15 years.

Just when people posted they offer standalone cp12 it got me thinking lol.

 

[Jerry]

I always treated the CP12 as a 'snapshot' of the state of the installation at that exact moment in time. It will be used only for insurance purposes if something bad happens.

The MOT analogy is also good. You don't expect the test centre to pop the hood and fiddle with the engine, if the vehicle fails an emissions test? Nope. It gets sent away to have the problem fixed (or scrapped) and then you pay to have the MOT done again!

 

[Harvest Fields]

I’m quite sure that it isn’t a legal requirement to complete a tightness on a CP12.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Cheers for the like @Riley this comment always stirs up a good conversation.

 

[Riley]

I’m sure it’s not obligatory but why wouldn’t you

 

[Harvest Fields]

I’m sure it’s not obligatory but why wouldn’t you

That’s not the point mate

 

[Millsy 82]

I’m quite sure that it isn’t a legal requirement to complete a tightness on a CP12.

You are correct. Although it asks for it on the form so just always do it.

 

[Jerry]

I’m quite sure that it isn’t a legal requirement to complete a tightness on a CP12.

Really? I don't understand how it cannot be the most important requirement.

You are undertaking a series of tests to show that the whole gas system is safe etc. Surely the most fundamental test is to check that the gas is not leaking??? That has to be more important than CO emissions and expiry dates on smoke alarms etc

 

[Mastermixlee]

Interesting.
Sure it'd cause a right fuss if you weren't to so one and something did go wrong due to a gas leak though.

Really? I don't understand how it cannot be the most important requirement.

You are undertaking a series of tests to show that the whole gas system is safe etc. Surely the most fundamental test is to check that the gas is not leaking??? That has to be more important than CO emissions and expiry dates on smoke alarms etc

Sounds odd to me also, but for the sake of a 2 minute test (plus 15 minutes gaining access to the sodding meters sometimes lol) I'd always do one.

I'd if you did a cp12 and didn't do a tightness test and something did to wrong you'd be on the firing line regardless of law.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Interesting.
Sure it'd cause a right fuss if you weren't to so one and something did go wrong due to a gas leak though.


Sounds odd to me also, but for the sake of a 2 minute test (plus 15 minutes gaining access to the sodding meters sometimes lol) I'd always do one.

I'd if you did a cp12 and didn't do a tightness test and something did to wrong you'd be on the firing line regardless of law.

Surely you mean a total of 4 minutes and 15 getting access to it.

 

[Harvest Fields]

How can they fire you for something that isn’t a legal requirement? Unless it is company policy.

 

[Jerry]

Hmmmm.

I use the Sprint Mobile App for my FGA and issuing CP12.

There are 3 options on the Tightness Test - PASS - FAIL - NA

If I select NA, then the cert passes. If I select FAIl, then it fails.

So, Sprint thinks the tightness test is not mandatory. But failing it will cause the cert to fail.


Can someone less lazy than me call GS and settle this?
J

 

[Mastermixlee]

How can they fire you for something that isn’t a legal requirement? Unless it is company policy.

I didn't mean firing as in from your job. More from a having to defend your actions (or lack of) for not performing a tightness test.

Wouldn't take the risk of not doing one personally. I know someone who used to do all the investigations following any gas explosions, co poisoning cases etc. And not having performed a tightness test on a cp12 I'm sure would stick out on the reports and earn a thorough questioning if you were the last one to work at the property.