Was I right to Turn off this boiler?

[Ryster]

Hello everyone,

A bit of clarification needed on this one.
Basically another boiler breakdown on an old Ideal. I got there, the pilot wouldnt stay on, so was 90% it was the Thermocouple, however upon getting an MV reading from the Thermocouple I noticed that the pilotlight-Sightglass was cracked, I have attached a picture.

So the guy comes upto me and says can I fix it, to which I replied yes, however I cant turn it back on as the pilot sightglass is cracked and could be allowing POC out into the room.
He wasnt happy about this, and said that he just wanted me to replace the thermocouple and get it going again, and if I wouldnt then he would go out and get one himself and fit it himself.
By this time, I had gone beyond the stage of worrying about his family and more about myself and my freedom. So I told him I wasnt prepared to fix the thermocoulple without replacing the sightglass (which is now an obsolete part according to Ideal parts, its a stupidly old boiler!) because he would then just turn it on himself.

So I issued him with an ID notice, removed the gas supply to the boiler and turned off the electrical supply. He wasnt happy, but I told him I wasnt prepared to do just fix the Thermocouple without replacing the sightglass. I informed him if he wanted to get another GSR engineer in to do it then thats no problem, but I was giving him the notice and slapping a sticker on his boiler.

He then informed me that the boiler had been signed off as safe in January, now this boiler is in the corner of the room, inside a casing inside a cupboard so how on earth the sightglass has been cracked in 3 months I dont know. I was also told the guy who signed it off was retiring 2 weeks after that job, so im thinking he has just totally blagged it.

Anyway, have I gone well over the top here? Or have I done exactly what I should to protect both this guy, and myself. I only ask as I have never had to issue an ID notice before, nor had to deal with such an arrogant bloke.

Replies welcome, and also any idea where to get a sightglass for a very old ideal boiler?




Here is a picture of the cracked sightglass for everyone!

 

[CES]

Last one I turned off, the old lady was fine about it, her son on the other hand was calling me all the names under the sun. He asked if I was proud of turning an old ladys heat and hot water off, to which I replied, atleast she would still be breathing in the morning. It turns out he didn't even live in the house but he was quite prepared to let his mother put up with an open flued mexico spilling, setting off the CO alarm (but it isn't really an alarm because the red led was not flashing ?!?.. ).The convincer was when I carried out a Flue flow test to get my point across and filled the hall with smoke, he kind of shut up after that.

 

[CMairiD]

Couldn't agree more there GM. I don't get a tinge of guilt these days either.

My favourite Croppie ID story is: Who guards the guards?.

Gives me a wee chuckle each time I think about it.

 

[Dotty]

Thank you CMairiD

I found out today that the Strabane job I ID'd was originally worked on by the very same guy responsible for the Castlerock deaths last year. Incidently, he and another fitter are currently on bail after having been arrested for questioning.

I couldn't help thinking of this thread and having a wry smile to myself as I thought "Bloody glad I did shut it down now!"

I'll keep you all informed of the outcome.