What paperwork should a boiler installation come with?

[Ric2013]

Hi gents and ladies,

Making the probable mistake of buying a house at present : bit of a fixer with a shoddy but recent boiler installation. Have a bit of a question for our resident gas people, if you can possibly help me out here.

The vendors seem to have lost the installation invoice, but obviously have something somewhere, as they had major repairs allegedly carried out under warranty by Baxi itself about two months ago. My solicitors keep throwing me various invoices and Landlord Certificates from last autumn. I didn't ask for this : I just wanted the owners to confirm that the boiler is basically functional, but they seem to be supplying what they can as they find it.

I think my solicitor is asking for this to make it look like they are asking the right questions, but I frankly doubt the value of having a recent gas safety certificate issued by a cowboy firm in the first place, especially when the boiler has since been ripped apart and rebuilt since the certificate was issued.

Vendors are a bit clueless about everything concerning the house. I don't really get it, but we are all different.

All I care about at this point is whether the boiler, when installed, was actually installed and commissioned by a registered gas installer, however shoddy, and that the relevant paperwork was completed at that time. Because I will want the thing checked out by someone half decent when I finally get the house regardless, but if turns out the installation was by a non-qualified person, then a whole new swapout will probably be cheaper, whereas a couple of hours going over a shoddy installation by a competent person to check for any obvious dangerous issues is another matter.

I know there should be a Benchmark Certificate somewhere, but is that a register, or just some information that is written in the back of IOMs? Because if it's just something written in the instructions, I actually saw it when I had the place surveyed, so I know that it exists, or used to exist anyway!

What do I need to ask to see, paperwork wise to prove that the installation is officially pucker (on paper anyway)? Specifically, what is it all called? If there is a warranty registered with Baxi, which they say there is, Baxi should also have a record of the installation, right? Does Gas Safe keep a register of installations?

Feeling a bit clueless myself now. Any pointers?

 

[Ric2013]

Update : I just checked the page on the Gas Safe website where you search for a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. None was found for that address.

I am assuming there should have been one for a replacement boiler installed in 2020?

 

[fowlerboi]

The installation manual should have been left at the address with the benchmark in the back of it, or with it.

Just because the boiler hasn't been registered with gas safe doesn't mean they weren't qualified or it is unsafe, it just means the installer is an idiot.

It's probably worth checking with Baxi about it being registered for warranty if its not been registered with GS and that the benchmark is filled out in full including GS number and names

 

[Chuck]

Your solicitor should ask for proof that "All gas appliances have been registered with the Local Authority Building Control Dept". Gas Safe certificates are usual way the vendor can evidence this. In my area you can ring the LABC up and ask nicely and they'll tell you over the phone what certificates they have on file for your property. If it's not registered you deduct the cost of re-installation from your offer. Invoices from the installer aren't proof the installation was registered just that they asked to be paid for something.

The second thing you want is evidence that the installation is currently safe and working correctly. For this you might be given be given a copy of service records and/or a safety certificate and/or a statement along the lines that you should employ your own GSR engineer to inspect the installation and rely on their appraisal. Again, adjust your offer according to how happy you are with the information given.

Finally, you probably want copies of any applicable warranties. Once again, if you aren't provided with evidence that these exist and are valid, adjust your offer accordingly.

It is quite common for vendors not to have this paperwork, or not to understand its significance. Reducing the offer sometimes causes them to look a bit harder and find it at the bottom of a drawer!

 

[Ric2013]

The installation manual should have been left at the address with the benchmark in the back of it, or with it.

Just because the boiler hasn't been registered with gas safe doesn't mean they weren't qualified or it is unsafe, it just means the installer is an idiot.

The crap workmanship is obvious throughout, but I'm aware there is a difference between a shoddy installation and a dangerous one. The Benchmark also says there is a programmer installed, because it has to say that... but there actually are no controls fitted at all. That is the level we are at. I'm convinced the installation was by a qualified (cowboy) person, I'm just wondering whether the lack of paperwork may be a problem should I later decide to rent or sell the house for some reason.

It's probably worth checking with Baxi about it being registered for warranty if its not been registered with GS and that the benchmark is filled out in full including GS number and names

Yes, will check that. Ta.

Your solicitor should ask for proof that "All gas appliances have been registered with the Local Authority Building Control Dept". Gas Safe certificates are usual way the vendor can evidence this. In my area you can ring the LABC up and ask nicely and they'll tell you over the phone what certificates they have on file for your property. If it's not registered you deduct the cost of re-installation from your offer. Invoices from the installer aren't proof the installation was registered just that they asked to be paid for something.

It isn't registered. It would have come up on the local search otherwise. Nothing presumably to stop the original installer registering the installation if I ask for it, though, is there?

Finally, you probably want copies of any applicable warranties. Once again, if you aren't provided with evidence that these exist and are valid, adjust your offer accordingly.

Given the poor standard of work, I think the warranty is a must.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Ric, at the starting post, you mentioned several landlord certificates, so it might be that the building regulations certificate might be registered under their address?

 

[Ric2013]

Ric, at the starting post, you mentioned several landlord certificates, so it might be that the building regulations certificate might be registered under their address?

Not sure I follow you. Building regs certificates would be for the address at which the building work is carried out. When you check the Gas-Safe register, it asks where the boiler is, not where the owner of that boiler lives.

The landlord's certificates were made out to the owners at the address of the boiler installation even though, as you imply, they actually lived elsewhere, but that doesn't really bother me: many RGIs just want to have to write as little as possible.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Not sure I follow you. Building regs certificates would be for the address at which the building work is carried out. When you check the Gas-Safe register, it asks where the boiler is, not where the owner of that boiler lives.

The landlord's certificates were made out to the owners at the address of the boiler installation even though, as you imply, they actually lived elsewhere, but that doesn't really bother me: many RGIs just want to have to write as little as possible.

I wasn’t sure if they were registered with the landlord and then against the address, but probably just against the address, it’s not something I’ve ever been involved in.

 

[Ric2013]

I wasn’t sure if they were registered with the landlord and then against the address, but probably just against the address, it’s not something I’ve ever been involved in.

No they just do the address, thank goodness. Now, if it were Italy, they probably would do the landlord's address and when you sold, you'd have to pay a notary to transfer the records... (which is why I mostly live in England).