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Discuss Struggling with Landlord certs in the Gas Engineers Forum area at PlumbersForums.net

kasser

Gas Engineer
Messages
235
A LL cert costs around £50 in my area for 2 appliances.
I find that I am really struggling to complete it in an hour to make it worthwhile for me.
At the same time, I don't want to be cutting corners like those charging £30 and in and out in 15 min.
I just did one recently that took me 2 hours - only boiler, hob and oven.
Gas meter was fitted deep in a corner cupboard in the kitchen, with the test point just behind the middle shelf.
Of course, the cupboard was packed full; nobody had thought of emptying it beforehand.
Boiler had a cupboard built around it and part of it had to be removed to be able to remove the boiler cover.
I had to park far away and then come back to get my step ladder.
All the previous gas engineers apparently missed the air vent that was too close to the flue outside. They probably didn't have time to step outside.
Looking through the window, I could see that the neighbour's flue was even closer to their own air vent and the flue looked more like a bird perch.
No isolation valve to hob and didn't see this mentioned on previous certs. Probably no one bothered to remove the oven in front.
Then spent more time trying to find the boiler manual online. Boiler was only 4 years old but it was too much to keep the manual lying around.
Add having to follow safe electrical isolation procedure every time, testing multimeter (not even allowed to be used) before and after, locking the FCU if beyond 1m (?) away...
I tried the digital cert to save time but it takes even longer to fill on a phone than old-fashioned pen and paper, so I quickly dropped that.

I had to AR the boiler but didn't want to leave them without heating so agreed that I wasn't given permission to isolate it and filled in the forms accordingly.
This is another negative aspect of doing LL certs. If you go around capping appliances, customers are not happy at all that you are literally saving their lives.
Whereas if you fit or repair a boiler, they are well pleased.

I don't do many LL certs to start with as I'm not the £30 guy but I'm considering increasing my fee even more to make it worthwhile and if it prices me out of the market, then no big loss for me.
How much do you guys charge and how long do you take? Do you do everything by the book? I doubt anyone will admit getting it done in 30 min?
 
To far away from me in the midlands to comment really about price. But if you cannot make a profit then put your prices up.
 
Should be pricing the works to suit you and not what others are charging.
Honestly cant understand why you are doing work that's not cost effective for you.
 
I'm in Manchester and charge £60+. Never bothers me if they say too much as, like you have identified, it can take some time to do them properly. Just charge what you want to be paid, don't worry about anymore else.
 
I think you may be going above and beyond. My certs dont have any electrical check boxes.
Its basic safety check, flues in loft, tightness test
I allow 1 hours for a boiler and hob/cooker, an extra hour if there is a fire. If I know the property i complete most of the paperwork the night before and enter any readigs taken on the day.
 
That's nearly £80 and same as what a PP is charging in London. I'm surprised you're getting these stingy landlords to pay that. But good for you. 😀
We don’t do any for letting agents, just private landlords.

Tbh we were considering putting our prices up to £70+VAT. They aren’t worth the hassle, trying to gain access etc. and you get little work in return too.
 
What about the other aspect of the job, having to cap off appliances? I doubt it makes anybody happy and will most likely kill off any repeat business.

I did a cert on a rental once where there were gaping holes around the flue. I was just going to blame the previous engineer for allowing it to remain like this but then realised I did the same thing and the next engineer will blame me too. I did AR but wasn't allowed to turn off, so LL probably carried on as usual.
 
I used to charge £50.00 for up to 2 appliances then £15.00 for each extra one. I have always been of a mind that what I charge is correct if the customer ( landlord ) doesn’t agree then crack on and get someone else.
 
£85+VAT for 2 appliances. Additional appliance are £25+VAT.

I sue the Anton Sprint software (Free!) and have a big phone (with stylus). This allows me to fill the forms pretty quickly. You can even scan barcodes too!

But saying that, my prices have been the same for the last 5 years.

And I should charge more for gas fires as an additional appliance....
 
At the end of the day it is your name on the paper that says it is safe!
Take your time and do the job correctly.

We only have private landlords and tend to combine an annual service with the certificate.

Estate agents etc are all about the paperwork. No use to me!

If the work doesn't pay, don't do it.

Only my opinion.
 
Thank you, I thought so, we have letting agent who says bill-to tenant when tenant forgot agreed appointment
That's a cop-out. The letting agent has a contract with the tenant. You don't and could not possibly legally enforce this charge if disputed.

If the tenant needs to pay, then letting agent should charge tenant and pay you.
 
That's a cop-out. The letting agent has a contract with the tenant. You don't and could not possibly legally enforce this charge if disputed.

If the tenant needs to pay, then letting agent should charge tenant and pay you.
Thank you, letting agent says the the tenants fees act 2019 stops them charging the tenants
 

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