Boiler Installation Nightmare.. Help Please!

icompcr

Apologies for my first thread on this forum being a negative one but hopefully it can serve as advice and a reference for anyone trying to get a reliable trader for a boiler installation.

I will try to be brief and stick to the facts..

Contacted Boilerguide.co.uk ,they supplied me with 3 firms who I had round to give me quotes

Selected the company which had the most completive price and offered an 8 year parts and labour warranty on a Worcester Bosch boiler and a Magnaclean filter

Went to Checkatrade.com, looked them up, all references where good and feedback ok

Contacted Worcester Bosch to double check the accreditation to ensure I was entitled to the full 8 year warranty.After they initially could no not find the company on their database I was contacted by their area manager by telephone who assured me all was well

Paid a deposit of £100 and arranged the install date

Company turned up very late the first day (2pm) citing problems sourcing the boiler, not a good start but give them the benefit of the doubt I thought.

Company late again the second day (citing traffic problems) install appeared to going fine until late in the afternoon the announced the there was blockage in the system to due corrosion or debris and advised me that in needed to change all the pipework, radiators, tank etc.. at and estimated cost of over £2000 as this was the only way to complete the install and commission the boiler.

Needless to say I was flabbergasted but as a lay person I took them at their word and paid them for the work (via Debit card as I do not have a Credit card. my first big mistake I know) after they said it that payment was "In the terms and conditions on the back of the quote" and I said would contact a local plumber to get a quote to sort the pipework etc..

Plumber arrived 2 days later, removed the blockage from the system and had it all full of water within ! hour.He then pointed out numerous faults with the installation and advised me to contact the company that installed the boiler to rectify these faults and come back to commission the boiler and finish the job

Using the information and template on this site as a guide I e-mailed the company pointing out the faults including photographs and stated the under the sale of goods act I thought the boiler had not been installed with reasonable care and skill and asked them to contact me to discuss the situation.

I received back from them an e-mail and a long letter via recorded delivery accusing me a trying to disparage their work, threatened me with legal action and also accused me a making a malicious and unfounded claim in order to get the work done for free.

At this point I am really not a happy customer..

Contacted consumer advice, registered a complaint, contacted gas safe to arrange an inspection.

In the meantime I moved out of the property as I had no heating or hot water to stay with a friend

When I returned to meet the Gas safe inspector I found that the company had trespassed on my property while I was away and capped off a gas pipe to cover up the fact they had left an non commissioned boiler connected to a live gas supply

Gas safe inspector confirmed numerous problems with installation and is contacting the company in question.

So the bottom line is one week later having paid for a boiler I still have no heating and now I now feel bullied and intimidated by a company who mislead me, did a substandard job and then later came to my house without my consent and damaged my property to cover their tracks

Now at my wit`s end I would appreciate and advice from forum members on the best way to proceed as I feel I have tried to do the right thing and the company in question has behaved appallingly and show no sign of retuning to complete the work that I have paid for. Pointing out my statutory rights to them only seems aggravate them further!

Thanks for taking the time to read through all this..

cyclonebri1

icompcr wrote: »

Contacted Boilerguide.co.uk ,they supplied me with 3 firms who I had round to give me quotes

Selected the company which had the most completive price and offered an 8 year parts and labour warranty on a Worcester Bosch boiler and a Magnaclean filter

Went to Checkatrade.com, looked them up, all references where good and feedback ok
.

And thereupon lies your problem, never a better advert for check a winker, got wan-ker through eventually, . Trouble is they don't check for them.

JohnB47

I do sympathise really but how come they managed to trespass on your property. Did they break in?

squeekswhenwalking

Get report in writing from gas safe, then go down small claims court route. Don't think it sounds like you'd lose your case.

Frugal_Granny

Try trading standards for advice. They'll probably know if other folks had problems with that company too, and the history of those may help plan your strategy for best way forward. Good luck!

southcoastrgi

if a gas safe inspector has visited & agreed the install is sub-standard, the co in question will be served with an improvement notice, meaning they will have to sort the defects to the satisfaction of the inspector