Gas/Boiler Certificate

blackfive

Hello123 wrote: »

He was recommended by our builder, so we thought it would be better to use a recommendation especially from a tradesperson.

Anyway he came out to give us a quote, looked around the property etc, asked us what sort of rad sizes we wanted & advised us to get this particular Vaillant boiler.

I 100% asked if we would get a certificate and he said yes.

I presumed he was all registered etc as he turned up in a company van and was speaking to my OH about some of the courses he had been on! I know I'm an idiot before people start asking why I didn't check - the reason is because I had no idea about gas safe lists and forms that needed filling in - I trusted him.

When I filled in the warranty card, he said he would send it off and we would receive a cert in about 6 weeks.

I'm so angry with my self as I'm always so careful. I'm just looking as to how to overcome this problem now.

If recommended by a tradesperson then you always assume that they've got all the standard certificates and qualifications. I bit of a strange one with him asking you to get the boiler as didn't he want anyone tracing him. I purchsed part of a boiler flue once and got the third degree from the supplier as to who was going to fit it, which impressed me.

It isn't actually illegal for anyone to fit a central heating system, or even a gas boiler, but it IS illegal for a non-registered person to commision the gas boiler. In the case of someone installing it who isn't registered they then need to get a registered person to commission it and ensure it complies with all the regulations.

If a new system all the radiators (apart from the one in the room with the room thermostat require to have thermostatic valves fitted. Another certificate you'll need is one from the electrician who wired it up. That's assuming he got an electrician in?

Have no hesitation in reporting the matter to both Gas Safe and Building Control and also to trading Standards if you have good grounds for doubting him being registered or you haven't obtained the required certificates for both the installation of the gas boiler and the wiring to it.

Hello123_2

Just a quick update - we called him & he said he thought he had filled in the commisioning form - so he is going to pop in over the weekend to complete it (supposedly).

Our electrician connected it/earthed/bonded etc & we have an electrical cert.

I didnt mention him not being on the gas safe register, going to see what he says at the weekend.

I presume if he does turn up & fill it in we can just call vaillant ourselves to activate the 5 yr warranty?

Still not sure where we stand re building regs - this is the first boiler & central heating system in the property, if someone could explain what I should do?

Thanks for everyones help..fingers crossed it will be sorted at weekend!

Hello123_2

Johnandabby wrote: »

Give the installer a call first - when we got our boiler replaced last year we found the search function on the GSR website to be useless, and only found our installer on the register by having the ID number, even knowing company name and address!

We registered the boiler warranty with Vaillant ourselves over the phone, so you should be able to do this knowing the GSR ID number, and the model and serial numbers from the front of the boiler. Our GSR certificate also took a couple of months to come through - apparently they get behind during winter months, given large number of boiler replacements.

Obviously if the installer isn't registered then he deserves to get the book thrown at him, but worth calling him first

Hoping our situation turns out like this (im such a worrier!)

Thanks v much

Canucklehead

Hello123 wrote: »

Just a quick update - we called him & he said he thought he had filled in the commisioning form - so he is going to pop in over the weekend to complete it (supposedly).

Our electrician connected it/earthed/bonded etc & we have an electrical cert.

I didnt mention him not being on the gas safe register, going to see what he says at the weekend.

I presume if he does turn up & fill it in we can just call vaillant ourselves to activate the 5 yr warranty?

Still not sure where we stand re building regs - this is the first boiler & central heating system in the property, if someone could explain what I should do?

Thanks for everyones help..fingers crossed it will be sorted at weekend!

Hi...ask to see his GSR ID card before you let him touch the boiler (and touch it he will need to do in order to complete the tests necessary for the completion of the Benchmark Commissioning form).

The installation can be notified to Building Control via GSR by the installer if he is a RGI.

See here for Vaillant guarantee terms & conditions.

P.S. V. difficult to believe he forgot.

Good luck.

Canucklehead

arfurrrr

canucklehead wrote: »

do us all a favour if he is illegal and report him.

ditto......

arfurrrr

Hello123 wrote: »

Just a quick update - we called him & he said he thought he had filled in the commisioning form - so he is going to pop in over the weekend to complete it (supposedly).

If I fitted a boiler over two months ago I could not remember the results required to be entered into the bench mark logo . Unless I had wrote them down for my own records .

I would have to retest/commission .

Report back after the visit . please .

unclebulgaria

Hello123 wrote: »

Hi,

I really hope someone can help me as I'm worried sick about this...

We had a brand new central heating system and boiler fitted a couple of months ago. The property never had heating before.

We used someone recommended by our builder. We have his name, company name and full address.

We thought he did a great job, paid him and that was the end of it. I asked him about certificates (eg for when we sell) & he asked me to fill in a card which he would send off to Vaillant to activate our warranty & get our certificate.

Yesterday I called Vaillant as we have not received anything from them. They advised me my boiler has not been registered and therefore no warranty exists. I explained a few months have passed etc and they asked me to check the back of the installation book & check the benchmark/commission page had been completed...turned to the page and it is blank.

I have since been frantically searching the internet & gas safe website but cannot seem to find anything linked to his name or business name. After reading all the things I should have checked on the Gas Safe website I feel an absolute idiot.

I could call him and ask why he hasn't completed the book but I'm worried I'll scare him off/won't answer phone to us again. My OH has suggested we get him to come to our house to look at another job & then whilst he is here approach him about it.

Or perhap's I'm being paranoid & he genuinely forgot? As I said, I have his name etc if anyone could help me?

If we discover it is illegal what the hell can we do to get it all certified & safe?? Please help!!

You're not the first person to be caught out so don't knock yourself.
Firstly do the sensible thing and ring Gas Safe and ask for local GSR engineer, do this soon as if he isn't registered he may have got things wrong that need attention.
I doubt you will find a RGI who will be prepared to re-commission the boiler & register it as he will have to take full responsibility for everything the other guy has done. What he should be able to do is put your mind at rest as to its safety.
DON'T be taken in by him giving you just his registration, its a 6 digit number usually, 5 digit for older companies, ask for his I.D card number. This number is embossed on his I.D and is 7 digits long right in the middle of his card and you can't miss it. His picture should also be on the card. Its a white card with Gas Safe logo.
Don't allow him back into the property until he's given these details!
You are breaking the Gas Regs the moment you work on anything linked with combustion, Gas, Gas Meter, anything that could alter the boilers operation on the combustion side. If you use a spanner to open a compression fitting carrying gas and you're not registered you're breaking the law.
No gas man worth his salt will touch an illegals work to commission it. Gas Safe will also come down on RGI's registering others work now, so anyone thinking of it should think twice!
Please report him if he is illegally trading as a gas engineer. You may not suffer more than stress from him misleading you, the next person may lose their life.

Just for anyone who's wondering. You can check what scope of work a RGI can do with Gas Safe. Just because he/she has an I.D doesn't mean he can work on all natural gas appliances!!

You may, I said may, find the odd RGI who will commission the boiler after checking everything over thoroughly but, be prepared to pay through the nose for him to do it as afterwards its his shoulders the responsibility lies.

macman

There is no chance he 'forgot'. The Benchmark is supposed to be completed at the time and signed by you.
You will not get a warranty, as he is not GSR and not qualified to do the work.

Hello123_2

Just an update for everyone!.. The installer called in today & completed the commissioning benchmark checklist, including name, address, ID no & signature so it was a false alarm after all :-).

He said he genuinely thought he'd completed it.

I've just got to call Vaillant to register the warranty (he said he sent the card off but obv never got there or theyre running behind) & I've got to ring LA to notify them of it.

So false alarm after all that worry! Thanks for everyones help though it just reminds me (and hopefully others) how careful to be before handing over cash.

shegar

Hello123 wrote: »

Just an update for everyone!.. The installer called in today & completed the commissioning benchmark checklist, including name, address, ID no & signature so it was a false alarm after all :-).

He said he genuinely thought he'd completed it.

I've just got to call Vaillant to register the warranty (he said he sent the card off but obv never got there or theyre running behind) & I've got to ring LA to notify them of it.

So false alarm after all that worry! Thanks for everyones help though it just reminds me (and hopefully others) how careful to be before handing over cash.

Did you ask him if he is gas safe reg.?..Why wasnt he on it when you tried to find him?...Im not doubting you , also have you now checked the gas safe reg number to see if he actually is on it.?but I some how still dont feel re assured by his explainations.........I wish you luck ....