Gas Engineer Call out charge?

Ralphy101

Hi guys

We recently thought we smelt gas coming from the cooker.

We called the national gas call out - they came out and inspected, they couldnt trace a gas leak.

However they said they cannot inspect individual appliances - so i would have to get in touch with my landlord.

I called the letting agency - who supplied an engineer to inspect our cooker. They found no fault - we just need to open windows when hobs are on.

I have just opened the post to find a £60 call out charge - invoiced to us.... can they do this? I find it a bit harsh considering we were acting on advice from the gas people.

Any help apprieciated.

Thanks

poppysarah

Did you see the gas safe card of the person who came?

windows open when hobs on sounds ........ well a bit dodgy imo.

I'm not a registered gas person though and it might be perfectly acceptable advice.

There are gas leak detector alarms available.


I don't have a gas hob but don't think I have ever smelt gas whilst friends have been cooking on gas.

theartfullodger

Is the invoice from the engineer /company or from the letting agent?

Ralphy101

an invoice from the engineer company... forwarded to us from the letting agency

theartfullodger

Hmmnnnn ... you probably wouldn't want to fall out with agent/landlord over this (and get Section21 then eviction if they feel vindictive..) but I reckon they should be paying, not you.

You contacted agent being concerned about gas (quite right..). They call out engineer (sensible..) but appear to have instructed the engineer company to produce an invoice charging you: [It does show you the person who will be paying, not just the address called out to??]. Unless you gave your authority to agent to bill yourself I think they are wrong.. [?? the address of the "company" ain't the letting agency is it??].

The agent is just that, Agent-of-Landlord: He works for Landlord not tenant (and thus usually has authority to pay some bills and sign documents as/for landlord but not as/for you-the-tenant)

I really really don't like the "open the windows" bit - I'd never take that approach.

Think I'd write [maybe email also but WRITE..} a calm polite letter to agent asking for two things:
- copy of engineers "Gas Safe" card...
- Document where you agreed to pay any call-out fees: [It is just possible you signed something when getting the house in the first place].

PS #1...We cook on gas and have just had boiler replaced .. {arrrgghhhh £2.5k+...} ..: Only time I've ever smelt gas was when the hob wasn't lit...

PS #2... I take it it is the Landlord's gas cooker not yours??

PS #3... If anyone ever comes to do stuff in a rented property to gas pipes/appliances, ask to see Gas Safe card: The registered engineers will be quite happy to show, the unregistered ones should be locked up...

Annisele

I'm wondering if the "open windows when hobs are on" advice was given with the idea of preventing condensation? If that's the case it's not so bad - but if it was given to try to prevent gas smells, it sounds seriously dodgy.

For my own peace of mind, I'd be highly tempted to arrange (and pay for myself) a second engineer to come and check that the cooker really is safe.

As to the existing £60 charge, I'd go with artful's suggestions.

roger196

Detecting gas leaks can be very difficult and frustrating. Some happen only at cerstain times of the day or even from outside the premises but can be smelt inside.
Did the engineer use a gas sniffer...goes bleep bleep when it detects gas. Did he check ALL gas appliances in the premises and re-commision them after the gas was turned off. Did the engineer do a drop test ( soundness test) on the meter. When there is a smell of gas, NO ALLOWANCE can be given for loss of pressure during the test. Normally an allowance or pressure drop of 4mb on a U6 or G4 meter is acceptable. ( If this figure has changed, someone will be along to correct).
Gas pipework which is downstream of control taps, flame supervision devices should have been checked with leak detection fluid.
If the cooker is connected with a flexible pipe, when was that last replaced ( they have a life of about five years).

katejo

The idea of opening the windows whenever you use the hob sounds dodgy. I have a gas hob and have never needed to do that.
Has your landlord had a gas safety check done in the past 12 months? He should have given you a copy. It is a legal requirement.