HETAS registered installer not HETAS registered after all

arachne

Hi. I'm really stressing about this and would really appreciate some advice.

We had an open solid fuel fire fitted yesterday, which we bought from a shop which is HETAS registered for installations, listed on the HETAS website and who charge the going rate for a HETAS registered fitter (twice what a non-registered fitter quoted me). I am fairly certain we also asked about it and they confirmed their fitter was HETAS registered.

Fireplace was fitted yesterday and the fitter said we didn't need a vent because our room was big enough and he could use his discretion. I paid because the job was done. Today it popped in my head that he hadn't mentioned when we'd receive the HETAS certificate so I rang to ask.

He claimed that the installation was fine as it was but if we want a certificate, we need a vent installed in our wall, which is annoying but there you are, so he's coming back to do that. Then he said the manager of the shop will need to inspect it to issue the HETAS certificate.

I'm feeling really wobbly about all this. Can anyone please give me some advice?
a) Is it even legal for someone HETAS registered to sign off the work of someone who clearly isn't?
b) Should I report it to someone because this means he must be doing installations for other people which aren't registered, which I understand means that house insurance is invalidated. If I hadn't chased, I'd have just assumed it was all properly registered and thought nothing more of it.
c) I don't think the fitter did a smoke test (but we did have a sweep round a few months ago who checked and said it didn't need a liner) however I'm now panicking the manager will find some problem with the installation which means something major needs doing - am I stressing over nothing??
d) What if the manager doesn't come within the 7 days it's supposed to be registered?
e) Do I have any redress if there are further problems/costs with getting it signed off?

Thanks for reading

Dognobs

Todays lesson DON'T PAY UNTIL YOU ARE HAPPY! However he is correct in saying anyone can do the work and it can be inspected and signed off. Room vent is a tricky one. UPTo 5kw I did not think you needed one. Over 5kw is a diffrent ball game. For mine I keep the window in the vent latch just to be sure http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/stove_building_regulations.html is a good read

Dognobs

The regulations covering ventilation for stoves have been updated as of 1st Oct 2010
Stoves need a supply of air for combustion, and to evacuate the flue gases otherwise they will not work. Without an air supply the stove will not light and smoke is likely to pour out into the house. The smoke will not be able to be drawn up the chimney as this requires air movement up through the chimney which is not possible if there is no source of air. If your stove smokes or does not burn very keenly, but this improves when you open a window then this is a sign that you need to install some ventilation. Read more about this on our smoking stoves page. Sometimes sufficient air can come through the building itself and no dedicated ventilation is necessary.

arachne

Thanks Dognobs. Ordinarily I wouldn't pay if I wasn't happy but I wasn't expecting the certificate yesterday (assumed it was like FENSA/building regs, both of which arrived weeks after installation/inspection) so it was just a matter of forgetting to ask when I could expect it.

I think you're right on the 5kw thing but apparently they can't guarantee my fire is under 5kw because it depends how much fuel I put on it. I have no idea if that's true or not but I'm not that bothered about having the vent - more about the lying and leaving me with an installation that invalidated my house insurance without telling me and that it wasn't what I paid for ie. HETAS certified.

doningtonphil

Your stove should have a nominal Kw rating in its paperwork, obviously you can vary the output considerably depending on amount/type of fuel, door open/closed. The requirement for ventilation will be based on the rating in the documentation.

What is the make/model of your stove?

Ectophile

I had a wood burning stove installed in December last year. Once he'd done all the smoke tests, the installer filled in a HETAS form on the spot and gave me two copies - one to keep and one to post off to HETAS. I never got anything back in the post.

In addition to what has been mentioned so far, you should have had a carbon monoxide sensor installed. This is now a requirement for new installs.

savemoney

I got a certificate 4 years ago for log burner. Had a ventilation grill fitted and also he fastened to side of chimney Hetas metal plate

Ectophile wrote: »

I had a wood burning stove installed in December last year. Once he'd done all the smoke tests, the installer filled in a HETAS form on the spot and gave me two copies - one to keep and one to post off to HETAS. I never got anything back in the post.

In addition to what has been mentioned so far, you should have had a carbon monoxide sensor installed. This is now a requirement for new installs.

arachne

Thanks for all the comments. It's an open fire rather than a stove and the instruction leaflet that came with it doesn't mention the output. I tried contacting the fireplace manufacturer but haven't heard back. Thanks for letting me know your experiences to have an idea what to expect when it is properly signed off.