advice on gas safety regulations?

riceraider

Hi,

Looking for some advice.
We've currently undergoing a part exchange deal with a new build. However, as a condition of the part exchange we need to get some form of gas safety report on our existing central heating system. The contract specifically says it should comply with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 or such regulations in relation to gas safety.

Our existing property for part exchange is a new build flat contructed in 2004. The flue for our boiler goes thru a concealed void i.e. concealed in the ceiling.
We have annual service contract on the boiler and only in the recent few years we've been notified of the recommendation of getting inspection hatches to be installed.
As this was not a mandatory requirement, we've not done so. Last year we were issued a report that states our boiler/flue setup is "At Risk".

As part of our part exchange, we are required to provide some form of gas safety report/certificate. Am I right to say that ours would fail a gas safety check as it now does not meet current regulations?
Therefore causing an issue for our part exchange.

Any idea would be most helpful please..

Regards,
Rice

molerat

Your system is "at risk" and "should not be used" as it was last year. Inspection hatches should have been fitted by 31 Dec 2012. This will definitely cause problems as no one in their right mind will buy a property with a defective and possibly lethal heating system. In a block of flats the lives of other occupants is being put at risk with the current situation. You or the builders buying the property will have to fix it, how much they need to sell you the new property will influence their view on this, they may just take it on and fix it. A private buyer's solicitor or mortgage surveyor would insist on it being done before purchase.

Ruski

Interesting reading here.

Nothing in it says you can't sell your house just because you don't have inspection hatches.

HTH

Russ

scottishblondie

You don't have to have them legally speaking, but you won't get a gas safety certificate without one. So I would guess that the builder might ask you to get the work done as a condition of the part exchange.

However, I'm going to disagree with molerat and say that plenty of people must be buying properties which have concealed flues without insisting on the installation of an inspection hatch! A lot of people seem to buy without getting a gas safety certificate done, and this is really the point at which the lack of inspection hatches would be picked up.

However, if it is a condition of the exchange I wouldn't worry too much it's a fairly simple job. I had a hatch fitted in my flat when a new boiler went in last year. Your gas safe engineer should be able to do it himself. He'll just follow the path of the flue and fit the hatches as appropriate.

riceraider

Hi,

Yeah I saw that link before. For private owners there's no legal requirement to get these fitted...based on the info.

We've been in this new build flat from day one back in 2004. When the boiler was commissioned back then there was no risk with the system based on the current regulations at the time. We've had an annual service on this from the beginning and there's certainly no evidence of defects in the system, the issue is that regulations have now changed over the recent years which now require hatches to inspect the full length of the flue.

At this stage I'm not sure if the developer would just accept the property in its current state? baring in mind the heating system was acceptable back in 2004 when it was commissioned as there was no such regulations back then.

As part of the conditions with the developer will be to provide some form of report / certificate on the system. Based on the setup would any gas engineer likely to provide me with a report on our system I.e all elements of the system passing but declare the flue is in a void which deems it at risk due to current regulations.

If I can get this at least it would be up to the developer on the acceptance of this as it would depend on if the expect older boiler setups to also meet current changes in regulation.
Would would agree?

southcoastrgi

errrrrr no, your boiler is at risk, which means it should be turned off a label attached & not used, that is exactly what you will get from an RGI, if you need a CP12 then get the hatches fitted

Ruski

southcoastrgi wrote: »

errrrrr no, your boiler is at risk, which means it should be turned off a label attached & not used, that is exactly what you will get from an RGI, if you need a CP12 then get the hatches fitted

Which means your RGI should ASK you if they can turn it off. If you say no then the RGI will complete the inspection as 'at risk'.

HTH

Russ

riceraider

Ruski wrote: »

Which means your RGI should ASK you if they can turn it off. If you say no then the RGI will complete the inspection as 'at risk'.

HTH

Russ

So you saying the remaining inspection checks will still be carried out and once complete the report will detail checks done and the observation I.e flue in void. And class the system as at risk due to flue in void.

southcoastrgi

Ruski wrote: »

Which means your RGI should ASK you if they can turn it off. If you say no then the RGI will complete the inspection as 'at risk'.

HTH

Russ

the RGI will still class it as AR whether the OP gives permission or not to turn it off & they will issue a warning notice, this is of no use whatsoever to the OP because the installation has failed

southcoastrgi

riceraider wrote: »

So you saying the remaining inspection checks will still be carried out and once complete the report will detail checks done and the observation I.e flue in void. And class the system as at risk due to flue in void.

they may test other things & AR it on the FIV it really depends on the RGI, but even if the rest passes it will still be failed, so all you will be doing is paying the RGI for something you already know is gonna fail, so tbh you will be just throwing your money away

riceraider

southcoastrgi wrote: »

they may test other things & AR it on the FIV it really depends on the RGI, but even if the rest passes it will still be failed, so all you will be doing is paying the RGI for something you already know is gonna fail, so tbh you will be just throwing your money away

Thanks, I do see what your saying.

The developer doing our part exchange has requested an inspection; obviously a gas saftey certificate obtained ideally. I believe this is just a standard thing for many part exchanges these days?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I guess many developers doing part exchanges will be aware that heating systems may not neccessary be compliant to current standards for the likes of old properties and for the situation of flat properties from 2000 many may have this similar heating setup (i.e. FIV with no hatches).

Yes I do know theres going to be an issue i.e. FIV.
But I guess I'm trying to take the approach of an assessment of the other aspects of the system for the benefit of the developer.
I wonder if money better spent, would I be best to get a general service done than a gas safety check?

Provided we can provide a report of the other aspects of the system (and they record as pass) with exception of the known FIV issue, then it'll be a view on how the developer wish to proceed if they want the sale to go thru or not?

The end result may be we'll need to spend more to get the work done (hatches), followed by another inspection to obtain gas safety certificate. Or alternatively, they accept the system as it is (again correct me if i'm wrong) whereby the system was compliant back in 2004. As these regulations were not previously enforced.

Rice