combi boiler

[marco_c]

Hello everybody,
I have a terraces house with 2 bedrooms let through a letting agency. On the ground floor there is the kitchen bathroom and living room and upstairs there are 2 bedrooms. The combi-boiler is in the cupboard in one of the bedrooms.
I got a mail from the letting agency because the combi boiled had to be replaced and the quote with their plumber was around 1100 vat included
I decided to ask to another plumber who did a good job a few years ago and I asked him to move the combi boiler from the cupboard in the bedroom upstair to the kitchen downstair
The quote of my plumber was around 1400 + 300 to move the combi boiler to the kitchen
Total amount around 1700
I decided to proceed with “my plumber” because I really wanted to move the combi boiler away from the bedroom
He completed the work and he wrote an email:
The boiler was not moved into the kitchen area as there was not a suitable position for it to go where it would not break regulations. The boiler has been fitted with a control which means it’s operated from the living room so the person in that bedroom does not have to be disturbed to put the heating on or off.
I replied saying that he the work agreed was to put the combi boiler in the kitchen,

This is his next mail:
the boiler can not go in the kitchen as I stated. There is no available wall to allow it to fit in there that does not break regulations. That's why originally it was put in the cupboard upstairs. It either has to be upstairs or nowhere
mine:
i trusted you because we had a business before
i carried on with the works because we agreed to move the combi boiler
you carried on with the work without keeping me updated
if i knew i would go for the plumber of the letting agency
i hope we will find an agreement
his reply:
I don't understand your reaction. We have not kidded you and been very fair. The regulations state the boiler can not go in any position where it is close to a water outlet. The sink in your kitchen is too close to the only available wall.
I went out of my way to make time and disrupt other jobs as your tenants had no heating or hot water and the job was urgent.
If you had gone with the letting agents plumber and they had put it in the kitchen position then it would have been incorrect and not certificate would have been issued.
I don't know what else to say to you on the matter as I can not put it in the kitchen and break building regulations.
The only other option is for me to remove all the works carried out and you can let the letting agents plumber fit a new one in the kitchen
My last mail
i am trying to fix everything so we will both be happy
i believe we can move the sink so we can have more space to fix the combi-boiler in the kitchen as i agreed in the first place so we will not break any regulation
it seems fair
please let me know
any advice?
Many thanks
marco

[mariner]

marco
As we are not privy to what was discussed/agreed prior to completion it is difficult to advise. Re-designing kitchen and re-locating boiler is expensive and within regs. Pay your man for replacing the boiler in situ and labour £1400?). Whilst it has cost you more, it may be a better boiler and he is conscientious. LA plumbers may have been cowboys, lower quality boiler moved to illegal position. First you would know would be failure at next GSC inspection. You have lost a good plumber/gch engineer.
I assume both plumbers were Gas Safe registered?

[marco_c]

hello Mariner,
thanks for your reply
yes i know what you mean
i have enclosed the chat we had in a few mails to give the idea regarding what we agreed
I hope for the letting agency’s sake that they have a certified plumber
The plumber who made this mess is certified but unfortunately he left the combi-boiler in the same place even if I asked to move it
Here the mails…

1 plumber:
Your quote is attached.
We have quoted you for a Potterton Gold boiler, it is a good 'middle of the road' boiler.
Also none of the radiators have thermostatic valves fitted which are now required on all heating systems and there is also no room thermostat which again is now required on all systems. As we have to register the boiler with the local council and the gas safe register there is no way around not doing this.
With regards to moving the boiler to the kitchen I have included an additional cost in the quote for you, although i don’t see much benefit in this as where the boiler is currently located is not a hindrance to the tenants
2 me:
please proceed with the Potterton Gold 24HE , thermostatic valves, certificate and to move the boiler to the kitchen area
if i got it right it should be 14xx+3xx= 17xx
3 me:
Hello,
i hope you are well
have you already started the work in the property in xxxxxxxx?
Please keep me updated
Many thanks
4 plumber:
The job is starting tomorrow and will be finished Tuesday evening. Have spike with the tenants and this is ok.
I will keep you updated on how it goes.

Kind regards






any advice?

many thanks :)