Is a single 15 litre water heater sufficient for a flat?

[windyboy]

The background to this is that I have a close friend who runs a charity helping to homeless people into work and accommodation. Needless to say the accommodation is usually right at the bottom end of the range. This weekend she asked me to take a look at a studio flat in Reading where a tenant is having trouble with the landlord.

There were varioius issues, but the plumbing part of this is that the flat has a sink in the kitchen and a basin and a bath in the bathroom. Over the bath there's an electric shower. All three of the hot taps are connected to a single Ariston 15 litre electric water heater under the kitchen sink. I looked at the the approved guidance to G3 and it wasn't clear to me that the landlord is obliged to provide any more than this. I guess that 15 litres is sufficient to feed the kitchen sink and the basin. It wouldn't be enough for the bath, but in theory I suppose the electric shower over the bath could be used to provide a continual supply of hot water into the bath.

I've never seen a flat as poorly equipped as this, but I'm not sure that the tenant really has any grounds to get it improved. I hope that I'm missing something. If I am, I'd be very pleased to hear what it is.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Unfortunately I do not think you are missing anything. The heater clearly will not fill a bath as you have stated. But they have an electric shower. The heater is more than enough for the basin and sink. Someone else maybe more clues up on this than me. But as I see he has done what he needs to. Unless the shower is broken.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Look at it this way, what if the bath was removed, its not a requirement to bath , unless for medical reasons, so they can wash using the shower, just look on the bath as a big shower tray,

 

[windyboy]

Thanks to both of you for replying so quickly. As you say, I think this is a dead end.

 

[windyboy]

But it doesn't get him off the hook for not piping up the PRV outlet...

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Hahaha

 

[S.P.S.]

I hope he’s capped off that prv, you wouldn’t want a leak ruining the cupboard.

 

[Darren Jackson]

He has met his legal obligations as to providing hot water, but you're correct as to the PRV not terminating correctly and needs rectifying. Also this is unvented and should be installed by a G3 qualified engineer. I don't like the push fit joints either!

 

[S.P.S.]

Don’t need to be G3 quelled for them as 15 litter or under. But the install is crap and still has to comply the regs....

 

[Harvest Fields]

Don’t need to be G3 quelled for them as 15 litter or under. But the install is crap and still has to comply the regs..

I’m sure we had this before and they changed it about 3 years ago that you DO have to be G3. Sure @ShaunCorbs put a link on to the rules. Might not have been him though.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Don’t need to be G3 quelled for them as 15 litter or under. But the install is crap and still has to comply the regs..

Wrong G3 a few years ago changed to include all hot water items eg cylinders undersink water heaters (over and under 15l)

 

[Darren Jackson]

As I understand it any unvented under 15l is not notifiable to building control, but still should be G3 qualified as far as I am aware, Could be wrong though. Perhaps someone could clarify this?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

As I understand it any unvented under 15l is not notifiable to building control, but still should be G3 qualified as far as I am aware, Could be wrong though. Perhaps someone could clarify this?

Correct

 

[S.P.S.]

I stand corrected! Never personally needed to worry about that is I’m qualled, just remembered being told this explicitly on my course! I guess times have moved on!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I stand corrected! Never personally needed to worry about that is I’m qualled, just remembered being told this explicitly on my course! I guess times have moved on!

Yea think it was changed 3 or 4 years ago