Advice re condemned work.

[BoilerWoes]

Earlier this year when it was freezing and snowing our boiler died.

We called a Checkatrade 100% recommended plumber (who was also the only one available within two weeks).

He drained and cleared the radiators, fitted a Grundfos pump and a new 3 way valve (the radiators got hot when the hot water only was on).

But couldn't get the boiler going again (a Potterton Kingfisher 2) and recommended a new boiler but he couldn't fit one and gave us some other names. He charged about £600 and was here for a couple of days. None of the those plumbers could see us for a month or so.

Also the mains kept tripping when he wired up the valve and pump and he took about 3 hours to figure out what was going on with a box full of spaghetti wiring next to the boiler (for the boiler, valve and timer - not mains fuse).

After all that he could not get the boiler restarted so we called a local reputable firm of plumbers again from Checkatrade who looked at the boiler and saw a switch was off. Flicked the switch and charged us the call out fee for £90.


The following week it all died again so we called the firm again who came out and took ages to find the fault. A mains wire for the installation was routed around a hot part of the boiler and melted! He was here for about 90 minutes and charged £10 over the call out fee so £100.

Now 4 months later the gas company are digging up the road and turned our gas off. When the gas went back on they sent a gas man round to turn on the boiler again.

He was livid and condemned the state of the wiring saying that there was live unshielded mains wiring open to a hand touch and touching the cabinet next to the boiler - the spaghetti wiring box mentioned above.

Both plumbers would have seen this as it is on the wall next to the boiler open for all to see.

I admit to seeing the wiring but thought that as it was open it must be low voltage for the timer etc. I am glad I or the kids didn't touch it.

We are apparently going to get a letter stating that it is unsafe.

Obviously it needs to be fixed but I don't want to use a plumber without a personal recommendation and can't find one at the moment. Any tips on getting a good plumber please?

Is there an official complaint channel to show how the wiring was left because it could have so easily killed?

Thanks!

 

[Scott_D]

Can you post some pictures

 

[BoilerWoes]

Can you post some pictures

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Just needs a 2g box lid on it

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/2-gang-blanking-plate-white/9920d

Don’t forget the 2 3.5mm screws eg for the lid

 

[Timmy D]

It looks like the main supply 2.5mm live wire is disconnected (next to the left side, 3rd down connector block port).

Have you got power to anything (boiler/programmer)?

 

[Ric2013]

This is an interesting one. Personally, I would have discussed the exposed terminals with you and suggested Shaun's remedy, but wouldn't particularly want to do it myself. Also bear in mind I have an electrical knowledge in excess of my level of qualification - many would not feel confident to say that box is unsafe as they might be wrong (and then get the hassle of being told they're ripping people off and creating work for themselves, work they aren't qualified to undertake, at that).

There is a slight problem in that a plumber is unlikely to be electrically qualified and may not want to modify the existing setup even to the extent of nt wanting to put a lid on the box which previously was open (which makes no sense as it's obvious the box originally had a lid, else why bother having a box at all?). Personally, I would have considered doing it on the grounds that it would have been making things safer - but there could be fear of liability issues (real or imagined). The difficulty is that many electricians seem to find heating control wiring too complicated (and so they leave it to heating installers who may not even be electrically qualified) as they do not understand it.

The reason I say it's an interesting one is that if I had to remedy EVERY installation I came across that breached a plumbing or electrical law, I'd be a week in every house I visited and would be charging every customer 100s to 1000s. Hard to know where to draw the line - I tend to advise (verbally only) on non compliances I have spotted and leave the decision to the customer who normally decides to do nothing - UNLESS the non-compliance is something I am actively working on, and if the non-compliance is something I feel strongly about that I wouldn't want it in my own house in which case I take the line that, as the last to touch it, I cannot possible leave it as it is.

 

[Timmy D]

If the mains kept tripping, I would have just disconnected it all and required it. Would have taken a lot less time than 3 hours.

 

[fronty]

That spaghetti is normal, you should see mine! However I would screw the back box to the wall, and stick a lid on it, then forget about it, job done!

 

[Ric2013]

That spaghetti is normal, you should see mine! However I would screw the back box to the wall, and stick a lid on it, then forget about it, job done!

This one's even more fun.

 

[Murdoch]

Unfortunately these pictures are far too common …. So if you can just put the bank over it properly that’s the best course of action to make it safer

what is actually going on with the heating / boiler is probably a different question all together

there are far too many so called trades people around who like to scare joe public unnecessarily ….

 

[fronty]

This one's even more fun.

That's actually very neat, this is mine...!

 

[Timmy D]

This one's even more fun.

Pfft, it’s all labelled!

 

[Deleted member 120897]

That's actually very neat, this is mine...!
View attachment 62747

Yeah, but yours is labelled up 😉

 

[Ric2013]

Yeah, but yours is labelled up 😉

True. Would have been fun otherwise - 5 zone system...