neighbour capped my gas flue

carolinejones64

what should i do?
i have a back boiler and on our street of terraced houses all the flues go into the next houses up in the street, next door down has theirs in my roof and mine is in next door up.
i have just has my gas serviced all working well, but when they did a smoke test it went into next doors attic, someone had cut the flue and changed the vented roof tiles next door so, the fumes have not been able to exit safely.
i have approached next doors landlord who is not prepared to correct the problem, he insists its illegal to have our flue to exit his roof.
what can i do i have no hot water and no heating, as i cant get a gas safety certificate unles he put it back as it should be

Alias_Omega

Can you not have the flu moved to exit your own roof?

ian_duncan_smith

Is the house that his flue goes into owned by friends of yours? Get them to block his flue then inform the council that he is running an unsafe bolier. They will issue hefty fines plus his tenants will be able to sue him for providing unsafe accommodation. Then let him know that he will be stuck with an unlettable, unsaleable property until he cooperates.
If they are not friends then wind them up to charge him for the access to the roof by his flue. Drop a hint that you get a hefty sum and that you feel sorry for them that he is ripping them off by taking advantage of their ignorance. Then sit back and watch him come begging for help.

heretohelp

I would go to see cab who will probaly say to see a solicitor. He has no right to cut your flue and endangering your life. Plenty of street houses have next doors pipes/cables running through them.
Before he had even touched the flue he should have gave you the option to reroute it. If you do decide to take him to court (he will probaly say it wasnt him but so and so but he still give them permission to do the work so he is still stuffed) ask the people who did the service for you to be a witness of how dangerous the flue was.
The solicitor will love you for this as i am 99.9% sure you will win. Also im not sure you can do this but keep the receipts of any heaters you buy etc you might be able to claim them of him.
As for your flue i think you might have to get it rerouted on to your own roof.

rustyjemma

Have you told his tenents what the content of there attic is??
That may give him a barge pole up the bum!

Cant have been safe for them??

Norman_Castle

i have approached next doors landlord who is not prepared to correct the problem, he insists its illegal to have our flue to exit his roof.

Where does his flue exit?

happybiker

I'm a little out of date with the regulations but am sure it is an offence under the gas safety regulations 1998 to compromise the safety of a gas appliance. Flue work must be carried out by a registered engineer.
Contact Gassafe or the HSE for advice. Don't use the appliance. It sounds like a criminal offence has been committed. Don't argue with the landlord, let the authorities deal with it, they have just a little more power than you.

Leif

happybiker wrote: »

I'm a little out of date with the regulations but am sure it is an offence under the gas safety regulations 1998 to compromise the safety of a gas appliance. Flue work must be carried out by a registered engineer.
Contact Gassafe or the HSE for advice. Don't use the appliance. It sounds like a criminal offence has been committed. Don't argue with the landlord, let the authorities deal with it, they have just a little more power than you.

This does sound sensible. If there is a flue, it is there for a reason, and cutting it off could endanger you, and the neighbours. It might be worth contacting the council and asking advice. They might even be able to take action on your behalf given that he is a landlord, and has endangered his tenants, as well as you.

Also, you can go to a solicitor, and the first consultation is usually (always?) free. However, they do charge a lot for subsequent work, but a simple letter from a solicitor telling him to allow it to be reconnected might suffice.

I hope you get it sorted soon.

Le73Uq86Uv

It will be a criminal offence, report it to Gas Safe and the police.

Who ever did it has put your life at risk.

DO NOT TURN BOILER BACK ON.

Gas Safe Register
PO BOX 6804
Basingstoke
RG24 4NB
0800 408 5500

garethgas

It seems you have two issues here:
1. The illegal interfereing if your existing flue by a 3rd party.
2. Getting your boiler working safely again.

1. The Engineer that serviced your boiler will have isolated the boiler and given you a warning notice. He will also have raised what's called a R.I.D.D.O.R. This will involve the HSE and GSR and they will investigate further.

2. Once the investigation is carried out, they will recommend a course of action ie, re fit flue as before or possibly re route it.

Also, I think Karl123 has been drinking something so please ignore his ramblings, its not very helpful in this situation.

DVardysShadow

carolinejones64 wrote: »

what should i do?
i have a back boiler and on our street of terraced houses all the flues go into the next houses up in the street, next door down has theirs in my roof and mine is in next door up.

I am assuming that the houses were built this way and are relatively modern. In which case the rights for your flue should be written into your deeds. If this is the case, you can have it put back at the neighbours' landlord's expense. If you decide to go with this idea, then the best expertise on these forums is on the housing forum,