O
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I live in rented accomodation (but am also myself a landlord elsewhere and wouldn't treat my tenants like this!). Since I moved in 3 months ago, there has been an issue with condensate leaking from the flue above the boiler (a Baxi Maxflow WM). The flue is approx 5-6 metres long, and therefore a twin-flue, using what looks like standard Baxi parts.
The condensate has then been dripping into the boiler, causing electrical issues, and appears to be a cause of 'flame failure' lockout if the boiler is left on too long (ie/ 24/7 in the cold winter months), requiring waiting 6hrs plus before the boiler would successfully start (though the flame was always lighting, so presumably an issue with detection?).
The landlord has been saying he was going to change the boiler, though I'm not really convinced that was the issue, as I believe it was more to do with the flue not being correctly sealed, and condensate drainage? Anyway, finally and after a few cold and worrying months (worried of water/electrical issues, and if condensate can leak out the flue, presumably so can CO?), having to keep the boiler on only a few hours per day to stop it locking out, he finally showed up yesterday and changed the boiler. Or rather his Polish non Gas Safe Registered mates turned up and did it.
I found this out part way through the work and asked the landlord how it was going to be approved and comissioned, that a Gas Safe Registered person was going to do this. Whilst he said 'he'd sort it', it seemed like he wasn't really going to. Anyway, the 'installers' did a very basic and bad job, tested nothing (flue nor gas pressure or leaks), didn't follow any of the commissioning procedure, didn't flush or protect the system in any way, left two heavy leaks in the condensate pipes, power cables unprotected where they pass into the boiler, there's now no time control as the new (Keston C36 Combi) boiler doesn't incorporate one, and connected it to the old flue in a horrendous looking way (with rubber gaskets secured by jubilee clips over the join). Oh yes, and hilariously the flue *still* leaked in exactly the same place as before!! But as the new boiler is smaller, the leak just drips on the carpet now... joy!
In my concern, and with the landlord being as uncontactable as ever, I called a recommended GS engineer this morning, who took a look, issued an ID notice principally because of the flue, and having checked there were no gas leaks, disconnected the boiler and capped the supply. Happy days becuase at least I'm safe, if cold!
So what should I do? I've obviously contacted the landlord and told him about the ID, and therefore I have no heating. On my return home from work tonight, he's sent people into the flat (without any notice or authorisation from me) who have started taking down the covering of the flue, but from video evidence (😉) it was the same muppets who came yesterday.
I plan to not allow anyone not GS Registered in any more (I have to take tomorrow off work, as I did yesterday afternoon, to check what happens I guess)... but thoughts please! I have no confidence in what the landlord is doing now, as he's left a pile of ABS pipe in the flat, and the flue, which I presume he's going ahead and changing, looks to me (from reading the manual and websites!) like it needs to be in muPVC. The engineer I had out today said something like this too, though I didn't note exactly what. It seems like he's reacting to things I say need doing using his plumbers, still not getting a qualified person to correctly design the system and install it professionally and safely. Argh!
The condensate has then been dripping into the boiler, causing electrical issues, and appears to be a cause of 'flame failure' lockout if the boiler is left on too long (ie/ 24/7 in the cold winter months), requiring waiting 6hrs plus before the boiler would successfully start (though the flame was always lighting, so presumably an issue with detection?).
The landlord has been saying he was going to change the boiler, though I'm not really convinced that was the issue, as I believe it was more to do with the flue not being correctly sealed, and condensate drainage? Anyway, finally and after a few cold and worrying months (worried of water/electrical issues, and if condensate can leak out the flue, presumably so can CO?), having to keep the boiler on only a few hours per day to stop it locking out, he finally showed up yesterday and changed the boiler. Or rather his Polish non Gas Safe Registered mates turned up and did it.
I found this out part way through the work and asked the landlord how it was going to be approved and comissioned, that a Gas Safe Registered person was going to do this. Whilst he said 'he'd sort it', it seemed like he wasn't really going to. Anyway, the 'installers' did a very basic and bad job, tested nothing (flue nor gas pressure or leaks), didn't follow any of the commissioning procedure, didn't flush or protect the system in any way, left two heavy leaks in the condensate pipes, power cables unprotected where they pass into the boiler, there's now no time control as the new (Keston C36 Combi) boiler doesn't incorporate one, and connected it to the old flue in a horrendous looking way (with rubber gaskets secured by jubilee clips over the join). Oh yes, and hilariously the flue *still* leaked in exactly the same place as before!! But as the new boiler is smaller, the leak just drips on the carpet now... joy!
In my concern, and with the landlord being as uncontactable as ever, I called a recommended GS engineer this morning, who took a look, issued an ID notice principally because of the flue, and having checked there were no gas leaks, disconnected the boiler and capped the supply. Happy days becuase at least I'm safe, if cold!
So what should I do? I've obviously contacted the landlord and told him about the ID, and therefore I have no heating. On my return home from work tonight, he's sent people into the flat (without any notice or authorisation from me) who have started taking down the covering of the flue, but from video evidence (😉) it was the same muppets who came yesterday.
I plan to not allow anyone not GS Registered in any more (I have to take tomorrow off work, as I did yesterday afternoon, to check what happens I guess)... but thoughts please! I have no confidence in what the landlord is doing now, as he's left a pile of ABS pipe in the flat, and the flue, which I presume he's going ahead and changing, looks to me (from reading the manual and websites!) like it needs to be in muPVC. The engineer I had out today said something like this too, though I didn't note exactly what. It seems like he's reacting to things I say need doing using his plumbers, still not getting a qualified person to correctly design the system and install it professionally and safely. Argh!
