keitha
Member of DD Central
2024, hopefully the year I get out of P2P
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Post by keitha on Jan 29, 2024 18:06:12 GMT
In one house we found live wires taped up with electricians tape in a cupboard, we assumed they were dead (obviously) until we fortunately tested them. Forewarned we then found others under floors and in various places, scary stuff. They had also taken light fittings leaving bare wires hanging. Some lovely people out there, this was a long time ago so I hope this doesn't happen too much nowadays. Yeh, we had the end of a wire just visible between plasterboard and beam. Turned out to be live when the lights were on. Oh, and for extra fun, it was just above the bath/shower! Then there was the recessed spot in the dining room - wedged so tight that it'd thoroughly melted the plastic choccy blocks pinned against the floorboards above. Or the double socket behind reflective foil behind a radiator. Or... One recently I know of went to move in and found no Kitchen sink or any taps anywhere in the house and not a single light fitting just bare wires ( apart from one at the top of the stairs ) and also most of the plants missing from the garden. they went back to the solicitors that had done the purchase and it was "well I can chase them for you as they were listed on the presale fixtures list, but it will cost you more than it will to just replace things " so making this super dupa what stays list pointless
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Post by crabbyoldgit on Jan 29, 2024 18:13:46 GMT
Sadly the truth is most gas engineers have few faulting skills or interest in repairing any boiler. They are boiler fitters and can make far more money with much less risk or hassle just replacing old for new. My boiler 7years old is starting to drop the hot water temp and its temp also fluctuates a bit, I live in a very hard water area and the odds are the plate heat exchanger is scaled up to a degree. Part is 30 quid maybe 2 hrs work. Three gas safe engineers asked for price , you need a new boiler mate is the price in every case. Diagnosed remotely over the phone no visit required.
Next door had a boiler replacement for a failed expansion tank, if they did not want to replace the one within the boiler they could have fitted an external one along side in the garage.
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angrysaveruk
Member of DD Central
Say No To T.D.S
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Post by angrysaveruk on Jan 29, 2024 18:38:06 GMT
I looked into it at the time and concluded it was a bit of a minefield. You say it is perfectly legal I would say you could easily fall foul of "The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998" especially if there is a fire/explosion and he insurer tries to get out of it after inspecting the boiler. If it blows up, you clearly fail the "competent" test, ergo it was not legal.
Given the value of the property and the amount I sold it for anyone with any level of common sense would not risk opening themselves up to a serious liability of this nature for a couple of hundred quid.
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michaelc
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Say No To T.D.S.
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Post by michaelc on Jan 29, 2024 19:09:16 GMT
Problem is that the people who most need to do it, wouldn't.
Do you restrict availability of components and cable to only those people who can prove they're certified?and I can think of electricians and others who would sell a bit of cable to Bill down the road cos he's only doing a little job so you'd end up with a black market in cable and components But that's exactly what they do for aircon. You're not supposed to be able to sell any item of equipment that contains FGas unless the person has paid a couple of grand for a 1 week course.
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adrianc
Member of DD Central
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Post by adrianc on Jan 29, 2024 19:21:35 GMT
Problem is that the people who most need to do it, wouldn't.
Do you restrict availability of components and cable to only those people who can prove they're certified?and I can think of electricians and others who would sell a bit of cable to Bill down the road cos he's only doing a little job so you'd end up with a black market in cable and components But that's exactly what they do for aircon. You're not supposed to be able to sell any item of equipment that contains FGas unless the person has paid a couple of grand for a 1 week course. Theory only goes so far. www.airconspares.com/ - "We supply to trade and retail customers"
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michaelc
Member of DD Central
Say No To T.D.S.
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Post by michaelc on Jan 29, 2024 20:26:28 GMT
But that's exactly what they do for aircon. You're not supposed to be able to sell any item of equipment that contains FGas unless the person has paid a couple of grand for a 1 week course. Theory only goes so far. www.airconspares.com/ - "We supply to trade and retail customers"Its funny how you appear knowledgeable on most subjects (!) They are allowed to sell anything that doesn't have F-gas within it. So all the tools and materials but not the outdoor unit itself. Try and buy a unit or any kind of heat pump from a UK supplier and some will sell and some will not. You won't know until you try to buy as most contain a disclaimer that they won't sell.
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jcb208
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Post by jcb208 on Jan 29, 2024 20:50:22 GMT
My Potterton Suprima is 23 years old had 2 PCB's replaced by me and never serviced and still going strong
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Post by overthehill on Jan 29, 2024 22:01:41 GMT
My Potterton Suprima is 23 years old had 2 PCB's replaced by me and never serviced and still going strong
Never serviced once ? Keep the CO detector nearby.
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michaelc
Member of DD Central
Say No To T.D.S.
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Post by michaelc on Jan 29, 2024 22:16:41 GMT
My Potterton Suprima is 23 years old had 2 PCB's replaced by me and never serviced and still going strong
Never serviced once ? Keep the CO detector nearby.
My boiler was serviced once 12 years ago. The guy that did it said "....there's nothing much to be done to be honest.....". I since found out it basically doesn't need servicing. The requirement depends on the boiler make and model.
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jontyab
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Post by jontyab on Jan 29, 2024 23:23:55 GMT
My Potterton Suprima is 23 years old had 2 PCB's replaced by me and never serviced and still going strong Similar story with my 21yr old Vokera. Replaced a thermocouple twice but they're only £3 on eBay. Otherwise happy for it to chug along until it dies or the CO alarm blares.
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jcb208
Member of DD Central
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Post by jcb208 on Jan 30, 2024 5:27:28 GMT
Never serviced once ? Keep the CO detector nearby.
There is one right next to it and never gone off
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Post by bracknellboy on Jan 30, 2024 7:39:45 GMT
There is one right next to it and never gone off have you tested it recently  (In all seriousness though - and I'm sure you already know this but in case not - pressing the button on it doesn't normally test them. It just tests that the battery is ok. )
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Post by bracknellboy on Jan 30, 2024 7:47:57 GMT
My Potterton Suprima is 23 years old had 2 PCB's replaced by me and never serviced and still going strong
Never serviced once ? Keep the CO detector nearby.
the old Potterton in my flat in London was there from the day I moved in 'till the day I moved out. 15 years. And I'd swear it had been there since the conversion to two flats, which I think put another 8 years on its lifespan. I think I had it serviced once 'cos I felt I ought to. TBF it was probably 3 times the size needed for the flat, so it wasn't working flat out (see what I did there). In this place the boiler had been replaced less than a year before we moved in. It was probably 10 years later we had to have it replaced. On a separate topic: at least our plumber is OK replacing parts in a boiler. He said it wasn't worth it on the last one as they were very difficult to do, but one of the reasons for getting the current one is he said they were much easier to replace parts on. They just don't make things like they used to.
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benaj
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Post by benaj on Jan 30, 2024 8:21:07 GMT
Can someone please enlighten me why we have to accept boiler needs to be replaced after 10-15 years when well maintained cars last longer for decades?
Is it because the manufacturers stop certain parts to increase sales?
Is there any part in the boiler can’t be fixed after certain time?
Or is it our gas engineers aint capable fixing a broken boilers?
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Post by bracknellboy on Jan 30, 2024 9:09:19 GMT
Can someone please enlighten me why we have to accept boiler needs to be replaced after 10-15 years when well maintained cars last longer for decades? Is it because the manufacturers stop certain parts to increase sales? Is there any part in the boiler can’t be fixed after certain time? Or is it our gas engineers aint capable fixing a broken boilers? my understanding - and this comes from my plumber not from any actual knowledge - is that many are simply not designed to be easily maintained, as in replacing failed parts. Not that the parts can't be brought just difficult to do the work. See my earlier post. Why they should fail more frequently than they used to - assuming that is true - is a different matter. But I imagine that modern condensing boilers are probably more complicated beasts than boilers of yesteryear. I'm sure others will confirm that. I think it is a reasonable observation that many things these days do not seem to be built for longevity in the same way they used to be. To that extent, I have some sympathy and support for the EU Right to Repair rules that were introduced. Oh wait, doesn't really matter as they don't apply to the UK.
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