Technically Not Building Reg Compliant....

wintergirl

Hi all.

Have recently posted on here regarding our twin wall install for our solid fuel stove. (Thanks for all your informative answers by the way!)

Thought we'd finally reached the end of this story, until the weekend, when we found out (by chance) that even though we have a Completion Certificate from the Hetas installer, its not actually Building Reg compliant, as they have put in a 5 inch twin walled flue, when it should be a 6 inch one. (5 inch is only allowed with Defra stoves)
We have just sent off a letter to the installers to inform then of their mistake, and await their response...
Spoke to Hetas, and was surprised by their reply :
Said technically, yes, it is incorrect, but not dangerous if swept regularly, and perhaps we'd like to inform the installers, so they don't make the same mistake again!:huh:
I said that insurances companies get out of paying claims on technicalities....

Ahh well, and so the sage continues.....:eek:

Swipe

Why bother? You have your certificate, you are covered. No one is going to go around measuring flue diameters if it has been signed off by a hetas installer.

Cardew

Swipe wrote: »

Why bother? You have your certificate, you are covered. No one is going to go around measuring flue diameters if it has been signed off by a hetas installer.

Whilst I agree with your sentiments, IMO it is not that simple if you come to sell the property.

If you ever come to sell your house, copies of all documents relating to
planning permission and building regulations will be requested as part of the
legal process. You may also need this information for your Home Information
Packs.


If you've made major changes to a property and can't produce the relevant
paperwork, or haven't adhered to the building regulations, then a buyer may not
even be able to get a mortgage to buy your property. So unless you keep
this information safe, you may find it difficult to sell your home.

A._Badger

As has been said on this forum before- so much for HETAS!

It is a scandal that this company has been allowed a near monopoly of stove installation.

PaulF81

Agreed with badger. Complete scam

muckybutt

Hetas eff it up again and dont give a monkeys

wintergirl

Latest on this saga :

Well Hetas themselves might not give a s#'% about the customer when one of their installers makes a mistake, but at least our installer has some integrity!:T
He's just come round, and it is the BEST possible outcome. They have agreed that they made a mistake and should have put in a 6 inch twin flue. Technically the Completion Certificate is nul and void as it would fail a building reg inspection. Therefore, they will change the 5 inch flue to a 6 inch one. No further cost to us, and the flue brand will be the same. (Its Poujoulat, which is one of the best around.)

Faith restored! :beer: (Not in Hetas though )
Many thanks.

Man_Overboard_2

A few years ago, when CORGI still existed, I had an unvented water tank installed as part of a new gas heating system. I checked with Corgi that the gas fitters were properly registered, and I received categorical assurances from the fitters that they would be able to self-certify not only the gas installation, but also the unvented water tank installation.

But when the paperwork arrived, it specified only the gas installation. I made enquiries, and it transpired that the fitters were fully paid up members of the Corgi Gas Scheme, but not the Plumbing Scheme.

I had conversations with all sorts of people, including the Council Building Regs people, and nobody really knew the best way forward. Eventually, after a Solicitor's letter, the fitters joined the Corgi Plumbing Scheme at a cost of around £400 (one of the guys had 'done the course', and genuinely didn't know that he also had to 'join the scheme'), and issued a self-certification for the water tank.

Since the new heating system involved new electrical work, I also needed Part P certification for the new wiring. Needless to say, the gas fitters lacked the necessary, but luckily I had an electrician doing a complete re-wire, and he included the gas fitters' work on his own certification.

I called the Council to tell them that all was well, but about 15 minutes later they called me back to say that, after a discussion in the office, it seemed likely that the Corgi Plumbing Scheme was not properly constituted, and that they would still need to check out the work themselves. I told them that they needed to contact every other local authority in the land, as well as Corgi, in order to relay the bad news.

I heard no more, and sold the house last year complete with the relevant self-certification documents.

I am a bit intrigued by your use of imperial measures (5" flue, 6" flue) - the 130mm flue and the 150mm flue both fall in between 5 and 6 inches

wintergirl

Man_Overboard wrote: »

I am a bit intrigued by your use of imperial measures (5" flue, 6" flue) - the 130mm flue and the 150mm flue both fall in between 5 and 6 inches

Building Regs Part J state the minimum flue size for a twin walled flue connecting to a non Defra stove must be 150mm (or 15cm, or 6 inches), however you want to put it. Either way, anything less than that, whether regarded as 130mm or 125mm is non compliant with Building Regs unless the stove is listed as Defra Approved.