HELP! dispute over boiler flue.

chumbasmum

Hi

I am asking for some help/advice quite urgently. The story...

I have had a 2-storey extension done and had a builder and agreed a set price. Work included turning an existing flat roof into pitched roof. Our existing boiler is upstairs and is vented out through the roof. When the new roof was put on the flue had to be altered to go out through the new roof.

Initially our builder said that he would get the plumber to do the work, he then couldn't get the plumber to come so said he would do the work himself and get the plumber to check his work BUT I'm sure you can guess that the flue was never checked by anyone.

Our builder wants final payment but there are some jobs still outstanding and so we are meeting on Monday (tomorrow) and I am going to propose that the final payment should be minus the outstanding smallish jobs (we will have to agree on those when we meet).

My questions (finally...) is should I retain an amount to have the boiler flue checked by someone qualified and if so what would a ball-park amount be reasonable. I am in the midlands (ish) to give rough guide. My builder is probably going to refuse as he said 'that we had a carbon monoxide alarm in there, and that should be enough'

Any advice welcome ahead of showdown tomorrow!

keystone

Don't know why you are calling it a dispute - it hasn't escalated into that yet from your description or has it?

If there is a snagging list then he should undertake the work at no additional cost to you in a specified timescale and a retention is frequently agreed on a percentage basis.

What does your contract / agreement say?

What? Oh? You haven't got one? Oh dear then its time to have an agreeable conversation with your builder and come to a solution thats to the benefit of both of you.

Showdown tomorrow? Hmm - either you are actually spoiling for a fight or the situation is worse than or certainly different from that which you have so far described. The first seems counterproductive. In the latter case I'm not sure how you can expect to rely on advice given in good faith when the person giving the advice has been given an incomplete story.

Cheers

chumbasmum

No it is a bit tricky. He hasn't been around for 3/4 weeks and I thought that he wasn't coming back as the job was supposed to take 6 weeks (which was never going to happen but I was very niave and it has been over a year this month!). He then said that he was coming on Friday. I told him that he thought that he wasn't coming back and that we were in the process to get someone else to complete the items left...
He said that he was coming round that instant (about 7pm) and wanted his money there and then and if not he was collecting goods/items to the value of the amount outsanding... and finished the message with 'i hope you're joking because I'm not'.

I did ring him and explained that nobody wanted not to pay him what he was owed but the work isn't finished and the small amount of money (about £1500) would have to pay someone to finish the work off.
He thought that we owed him more like £3200 which explains his reaction.

I have always paid up front for the majority of this build and did feel cross that he was trying to accuse us of trying not to pay our bills. I did explain that once any outstanding work was finished he would have any from the £1500.
He did calm down and I feel that we can agree on outstanding jobs BUT the flue check is going to be our problem as he has already refused to have anyone to check it.

chumbasmum

I'm also not intending to be antagonistic at all...in fact I am quite intimidated by this situation and have had a tricky weekend. One comment from him was to ask if i wanted my husband to be around rather than meet with him on my own. Not sure why this becomes an issue as he has been in our house with just me for most of last year and I have dealt with all the financial issues with him. i suppose i am just trying to get information from people who might know more than I do about the safety of our boiler flue.

If people say, there's no problem and a CO detector is sufficient and that I am worrying over nothing then I can just discuss the few outstanding jobs and we will come to agreement quite easily I think but...... if people think that something like this should be checked by someone qualified then I will need to tackle this with him and I know he is going to get angry.

I have 2 small children and safety issues can give me sleepless nights as all parents can appreciate.

Le73Uq86Uv

This is so easy to fix.

Ask your builder for his gas safety card and if he does not have one tell him to run and jump as he broke the law and has put your lives at risk.

Get a registered gas plumber to check the work and take it off the bill from the builder.

The builder could go to prison if not registered as this is a criminal matter.

Canucklehead

Good morning: unless your builder is Gas Safe registered he shouldn't have touched the boiler flue....lots of info on the link.

Canucklehead

garethgas

The previous two posts are correct.
In fact, I would go further and advise you not to use the boiler at all.
He is not Gas Safe registered and you have no idea whether he's connected the flue correctly or indeed commissioned the boiler.
You hold on to as much money as you see fit and have a qualified Engineer to check the work and sign it off.
You just watch his attitude change when you mention the Gas Safe Register!

chumbasmum

Thank you so much as this was how I felt but didn't really feel that I had a leg to stand on as he had made me feel silly for making a fuss. He isn't registered and we only got into this mess because he initially said he would get it checked and so I let it continue.
I feel a but silly and weak and should have stopped it then... our other fault was paying too much up front as we then were worried about him not coming back and us not having enough money to finish things.
Thank you again...I feel so relieved that I'm not being silly.
Tomorrow I would like to agree to hold back enough to get a proper inspection... Another ask... How much would be an appropriate amount?
I want tomorrow to be the last contact we have and so would like figures to present to him. I could just hold back all payment until inspected but have found this really stressful, don't like the menace in his messages and would like this all sorted tomorrow.
If an inspector found faults I would take the hit to get it fixed.
As you are all so well informed, does anyone know what other gases apart from CO are given off. Carbon dioxide? Any others that could be harmful.
Thank you again

muskoka

I'm also darned sure that building control wouldn't sign the job off unless you can confirm you used a gas safe engineer

Alias_Omega

Contact building control in the morning and ask them. This is why you are paying them.

If you pay this guy i have no doubt that you will not see any form of gas safe certificate.

chumbasmum

We have already had the building control certificate!! I'm not sure that they realised that the flue had been altered as they insisted on an electrical safety certificate but not gas. I had a look at a local boiler installer/plumber and they offer a gas safety certificate for £66 & vat. I will ring them in the morning to check if that would cover flue or just boiler.

The boiler itself is serviced regularly by BG so my issues are really regarding the flue.