help with water problem

goblet_2

Hi I dont know if this is the right place but we need need help.

My DD bought a new build appartment (3 years in March) Anyway the hot water bolier stopped working (all electic) so she rang her homeserve out.

The repair man said that the boiler has been wrongly wired up,and he cant touch it. It seems it was installed wrongly form the beginning. My GG did ask for it to be checked out when she moved in but was told it was ok.

Is there anything we can do? The NHBC said there is nothing they can do to help, surely as this has been installed wrongly from the beginning some one should take the blaim.

Can anyone ofer any advice please.

Many thanks in advance

G_M

If you can get written confimation that it was wrongly installed NHBC might look again. However they are renowned for wriggling out of these things where they can, and they also have minimum cost clauses (£1000?). So even if they accept it was an original error, they might cost it the repair (yes, they'll use their own contractor to quote!) as below the limit so they'll use this to avoid taking responsibility.

You could try the builders, but they'll probobly refer your to NHBC as its over 2 years old.

Frankly a re-wire can't be that costly. Just get a sparky in to fix it.

edit: Just found this on the NHBC site. No mention of water heating and yes, min of £1000 !

What NHBC will do

1) We will pay you the full Cost, if it is more than £1,000
Indexed, of putting right any Damage in any of the
following parts of the house, bungalow, maisonette or
flat and its garage or other permanent outbuildings or
its Common Parts:
a) foundations;
b) load-bearing walls;
c) non load-bearing partition walls;
d) wet-applied wall plaster;
e) external render and external vertical tile hanging;
f) load-bearing parts of the roof;
g) roof coverings;
h) ceilings;
i) load-bearing parts of the floors;
j) staircases and internal floor decking and screeds
where these fail to support normal loads;
k) retaining walls necessary for the structural stability
of the house, bungalow, flat or maisonette, its garage
or other permanent outbuilding;
l) double-glazing or triple-glazing panes to external
windows and doors;
m) below-ground drainage for which you are responsible.
Alternatively, we may at our option arrange to get the
necessary work done at our expense.
2) We will pay you the Cost of putting right any Defect in a
flue or chimney that serves your Home and causes a
present or imminent danger to the physical health and
safety of anyone normally living in your Home.
Alternatively, we may at our option arrange to get the
necessary work done at our expense.
3) We will pay you any reasonable costs that you incur by
prior agreement with us for removal, storage and
appropriate alternative accommodation if it is necessary
for anyone normally living in your Home to move out so

that work can be done.

goblet_2

Hi and thanks, we just had a homeserve engineer out and he refused to touch it. So would a "normal" sparky do it would you think.

F_T_Buyer

On a new build house the first owner should have received an independent electrical inspection certifying all electrics. So I find it difficult to believe it was installed incorrectly and then passed.

It maybe worth taking some really detailed pics and putting on the 'sparky' building forums around the net.

goblet_2

It seems the off peak and on peak are wired the wrong way round, and has been from the day it was fitted. Thanks for your help x

Edited to add, she was the first owner.

G_M

F_T_Buyer wrote: »

On a new build house the first owner should have received an independent electrical inspection certifying all electrics. So I find it difficult to believe it was installed incorrectly and then passed.

It maybe worth taking some really detailed pics and putting on the 'sparky' building forums around the net.

Try DIYNOT forum here.

If "The repair man said that the boiler has been wrongly wired up" then surely it's a sparky job!

G_M

goblet wrote: »

It seems the off peak and on peak are wired the wrong way round, andhas been from the day it wasfitted. Thanks for your help x

Surely you can tell this from your bills?! What's your day-time/night-time consumption and what are you being billed?

Can't believe you haven't noticed in 3 years!!

goblet_2

This is a young girl who is out at work all day and bills just get paid by DD. Its her first home and its been a learning curve.

goblet_2

Thanks everyone for your help my DD bless her has solved the problem with the help of a site (thanks G-M) looks like the timer needs repacing, one ordered. Again many thanks x