Advice regarding boiler installation dispute

rjh35

Hi there, just after a bit of advice.

We had our traditional boiler removed and a new combi boiler installed in September last year. All went fine and no issues with the boiler so far. Paid for the boiler and installation on credit card. Naively we did this prior to the Gas Safe paperwork coming through (this was detailed on the quote he gave). Spent 2 months constantly chasing this and no response from the company. I then said I would do a claim off the credit card for not completing the work...still no response. Did the reclaim with barclaycard....45 day period passed and money was refunded to me.

Two weeks later, surprise surprise, the company called threatening to get Debt collectors in becasue we had boiler installed and had not paid. After heated conversations I said I just wanted my Gas Safe Paperwork and he could then invoice me again and I would pay.

Gas safe paperwork turned up a couple of days later with the wrong installation date on!! So...I tried calling the guy (his company is one guy as far as I can tell), I emailed him and text him stating the gas safe paperwork was incorrect. I also asked about the invoice. Absalutely no response from him for the last 10 days.

I am just unsure what to do next? I am worried he will get the debt collection agency in even though he has not invoiced again. Any advice?

jayyar66

If you want to appear to be the good, 'reasonable', guy in this dispute then I think the fair thing to do would be to pay his bill but this time withhold a percentage of it, say 20%, until the paperwork it to your satisfaction. It is, after all, the only aspect you're not happy with. I'm assuming that the rest of the job is fine, so it seems unfair to not pay at least something.
As for a debt collector, well, it is my understanding that a debt collector has absolutely NO legal powers to recover debt! A bailiff, on the other hand, does. But a bailiff would be court appointed in the event of you losing a court case. And the chance of you losing, given that you've been completely 'reasonable' about the whole affair, are slim I would have thought. Hope this helps. . . .

macman

Did he complete the Benchmark paperwork at the time of commissioning though (in the back of the manual)? If not, your manufacturer's warranty is invalid-though I doubt if this cowboy has even bothered to register it for you anyway.
As above, I'd withold say 10% until all the above has been completed properly.
I'm amazed that you managed to get your CC company to do a chargeback in this instance, as the ''goods' were technically supplied?

AquaJen

I would withhold a percentage, its not really fair to claim all the money back just because you haven't received the Gas Safe paperwork. The installer has had to pay for that boiler and all the materials, he could have done the registration with Gas Safe but they are taking ages at the moment to do their bit. I have had customers chasing who have been waiting 4 weeks so far and I registered their boiler the day after installation. As long as your benchmark certificate has been filled out, maybe get the RGI to send you a screen shot of his Gas Safe page to show the registration as complete and paid for? He has no say over how long Gas Safe take to get thir bit done and they are really slow at the moment.

ValHaller

AquaJen wrote: »

I would withhold a percentage, its not really fair to claim all the money back just because you haven't received the Gas Safe paperwork. The installer has had to pay for that boiler and all the materials, he could have done the registration with Gas Safe but they are taking ages at the moment to do their bit. I have had customers chasing who have been waiting 4 weeks so far and I registered their boiler the day after installation. As long as your benchmark certificate has been filled out, maybe get the RGI to send you a screen shot of his Gas Safe page to show the registration as complete and paid for? He has no say over how long Gas Safe take to get thir bit done and they are really slow at the moment.

The rest I agree with, but I suggest withholding in full until either the paperwork is delivered or the cost to get this put right is established. Potentially with the loss of guarantee, the job may need to be started from scratch to put things right - you would hope not, but with this kind of problem, unless the paperwork is forthcoming, there seems to be no way forward apart form starting from scratch.

rjh35, for your own protection, you need to have written to the installer stating the problem and the required resolution. And you need to have a copy of this letter. If he does call the debt collectors in, you do not need to worry - you can tell them that the matter is in dispute and if they want the money they will have to get the problem fixed.

If it does not head to a solution quickly, I suggest that you contact the boiler manufacturer and ask for their advice on how to get the installation completed satisfactorily with paperwork - and get quotes for that solution. This sets the level of the amount you should with hold. My feeling is that 10% or 20% may not be sufficient.

rjh35

Thanks for ther response.
THe work was fine and I was more than happy with it. I was getting nowehre with the paperwork (which is a shame because there would have been no issue). The credit card company did the refund surprisingly easy - it was meant to give him some encouragement to get the paperwork sorted.

The benchmark information was all filled in on the day of installation - so I persume the warranty will be in place? I registered the boiler information it myself on the Worcester Bosch Website? Does that make any difference? I will check with them them anyway.
The issue is with the Gas Safe Paperwork. It is not dated correctly so I am not sure if that will be an issue. I am certainly not happy that the date of installation and the benchmark information are different. But still, he has not even invoiced me yet to pay for the work again.

I will also put it in writing to him, covers me a bit as well. I just want it sorted tbh, and have no issues in doing so. It is reassuring about the debt collectors though.

Many Thanks

macman

Why would he 'invoice you again'? He hasn't been paid for the original invoice. Contact the manufacturer to find out if the warranty is in place or not..

rjh35

Well I have contacted Worcester Bosch and the boiler does have the warranty and is registered with them....for 2 years and not the 7 the installer has quoted and invoiced for!! Argh its never ending!
Asked bout the cost and it is £188.40 per year for the extra cover (does include servicing).

I have drafted a letter...any comments?

Installation of Worcester Bosch Boiler

I am writing to inform you that we have received the Gas Safe Paperwork. However, this records an install date of xx November 2012, rather than the xx September 2012 when it was actually installed. This is incorrect and I would like this rectifying.

Secondly, I have contacted Worcester Bosch today (21st February 2013)who have stated that the boiler installed with serial number xxxxxx has only a two year guarantee that ends on xx September 2014. This does not correspond with your quotation dated xxx(attatched) and invoice dated xxx(attatched).

Speaking to Worcester Bosch the annual cost for an extended Warranty on the boiler installed will be £188.40 per annum. For the 5 years extended warranty that you have quoted for and invoiced for, but have not provided, the total cost from Worcester Bosch is £942.00 (£188.40 x 5 years).
I am therefore disputing the work undertaken by yourselves and would like you to resolve the bove mentioned issues prior to payment.

phuthu

I was going to create a new thread but saw yours and it's actually very similar to my issue with a boiler installation.

I had a new boiler installed and it was all fine except for the condensate pipe which had not been installed correctly which caused water to leak onto the internal wall whenever the boiler was on.

I told the gas company that I would dispute the transaction with the credit card company and after 3 months of (non)-correspondence, I've been told that I wasn't successful in my claim and could not have a chargeback because I had paid for another gas company to rectify the faulty condensate pipe.

The CC company agreed with me about my having to fix the condensate pipe because the water was causing damage to the plaster but the Mastercard rules would not reimburse the work that had been carried out.

They suggested taking legal action and pursuing through a small claims court. I'm not sure I want to do this as it's been a bit of a headache to say the least and I know that it would take ages to get it resolved.

southcoastrgi

what model WB is it ?

rjh35

southcoastrgi wrote: »

what model WB is it ?

It's a green star 28i junior combi mk 4