Pete, and so you too would let her freeze.
The original installers installed in summer, the hot water worked because the system had not yet clogged up, no need for the lady to use the central heating. From first use it gradually got worse and worse to the point where no heat in rads. Called back installers. They charged her to renew all copper piping to cure it. No joy. They then charged her to powerflush it 3 times at 350 per. No joy. They then charged her to replace two rads.
( all the rads fitted by them were seriously undersized for the room and user needs, and I changed 3 x 800 singles for 1100 double convectors, at rad cost only when I looked at the system for her.)
So of course by now she gave up on the installers, and being of an age and an era, did not like to complain, and believed them when they insisted they had done everything right and it must be " Just one of those things"
Still freezing. A fresh engineer from yellow pages. Inspection... bleeds rads. spends a while inspecting boiler. Declares expansion vessel kaput and fits another. Charged of course. No difference.
Another engineer found and attended. This one suspects flue fan (?) says they are plastic and only the old metal types work really, so gets one and replaces fan unit. adjusts burner rate and checks out other bits.
Charged, paid , left. No difference.
Need I go on? This was repeated in one form or another for engineers...................I could not believe it. I was furious..............and yes, I know all about how criminal it is and how dangerous it might be for untrained people to work on boilers. That is why I called the manufacturer to get their approved engineers....One called twice, 3 hours and 6 hours, replaced numerous parts and seals, asked me to keep an eye on a dripping leak left on the boiler Friday night until another engineer more experienced could call on Monday. A top specification bucket was my permitted access to heating technology.
Fresh manufacturers engineer Monday........Host of major components replaced leading to £1100 bill. No difference.
When queried says it is not his fault, system is clogged, so use such and such that he recommends, ( Tells me I am OK to carry out this procedure by the way, he has had enough of this boiler) to clean out the system.
Problem is, he says to leave it in the system for 6 weeks................Then repeat treatment..If it is no better then call him. This is midwinter, a house with a single elderly infirm occupant.
and you would have me join in and quote the law at her and leave her to her fate?
It must be the way people are brought up that gives them such a fear of authority that it denies them common humanity and decency.
If you read my post again nowhere have I stated the customer should freeze or even feel a chill.
The rules, regulations and laws were introduced to stop people who don't understand what they are doing from literally playing with fire.
In my opinion if you were being a good neighbour you would have contacted Gas Safe and told them what amounts to nothing less than a horror story, the original installers should have been brought back and made to stay until the problem was resolved if not by them by someone competent at their expence.
As soon as the customer's system was working as it should that installer should have had their Gas Safe status revoked and made to re-sit the exams as it is obvious through the actions you have described they proved themselves to be incompetent.
The same should happen to each of the Gas Safe engineers who attended and accepted money from the customer for a job that was clearly not completed to any standard in that the boiler did not work as it is supposed to.
Instead of providing some electric heaters or similar source of heating for your neighbour what you have done from your description is ensured that a number of persons with Gas Safe status are free to continue providing a questionable service to members of the public unless of course you are willing to take your chances that a Judge will agree that you were the only person who could fix that boiler.
I would have to read your original post again but from memory you have taken a boiler apart and may have left your neighbour with C0 escaping into her home because nowhere do you state that you have the knowledge or equipment to test the boiler is working safely.
My post regarding this topic / thread or another which I will copy and paste here for you will certainly not make me the most popular RGI posting on this site, as far as I'm concerned individual popularity is not what this site is about, it's certainly not about condoning breaking the law instead of using the many consumer laws there are in force to protect people like your neighbour.
I firmly believe that anyone who provides Goods and Services to consumers be it Gas, Oil, Solid Fuel or renewables such as Wood Pellet or Solar has a duty of care to ensure their customer receives a system fit for purpose, I believe that you will find similar wording in consumer law.
Posted earlier on another thread:
I believe the person responsible to ensure this boiler is working properly should be the original installer.
Passing responsibility in the manner described is in my view not acceptable, by all means call the manufacturers tech support in to rectify the problem but stay to make sure they get it right or provide a replacement boiler.
I believe the more Gas Safe / RGI's appear to be allowed to walk away from faulty appliances passing the responsibility to others will only cause further damage to the industry.
I also believe if the fault is found to in the boiler not the installation the manufacturer should be forced to compensate the RGI for all the time they must spend overseeing the manufacturers representatives or installing the replacement boiler.
Consequences appear to have flown out the window just as fast as part qualified RGI's were coming in the door, the manufacturers are equally responsible by introducing appliances that are supposed to be almost self installing where the gas side is concerned.
