Gas Safety Certificate 'problem' after 3 years of being OK...?

silvermum

Any advice gratefully received please...

I've bought a modern (7 year-old) house which was previously rented out, and I am going to be letting it out too.

Copies of the 3 years previous Gas Safety Certs were left in the file, without any issues identified, so I assumed it would all be straightforward when I called in the guy to check the boiler and hob. They were both fine HOWEVER he has said there is a 'potential problem' for the future in that there is a gas pipe outside which comes into the kitchen and is set in the mortar through the brickwork and then goes under the floor (perhaps set in the solid floor??). He says this should have been covered/cased to stop the concrete corroding it, although there is no evidence of corrosion at the moment, and it is not dangerous. He said he was going to discuss it with his office, so I have no idea whether I will get a valid certificate or not?

The job to case the copper pipe is potentially HUGE - perhaps having to remove the corner of the kitchen - units, appliances, sink etc - as the pipe is clearly under the floor. It could cost £££.
How come 3 previous gas engineers haven't said this is a problem?
Is he being over-zealous?
Should I get a second opinion/ another engineer (perhaps the same company who did the last check!)?
The house still has a NHBA warranty too, but that could be a long process to claim, and I have a tenant lined up for a couple of weeks time.
Help!

Owain_Moneysaver

No he's not being over-zealous. Gas pipes should be sleeved through walls and protected in concrete floors. As well as corrosion, a fracture in the pipe could lead to gas leaking into the wall cavity.

patman99

It's not as big a job as you think. The engineer can simply stick another hole through the wall by the boiler and one through the wall where the grill is, sleeve both holes then install new pipes.

silvermum

patman99 wrote: »

It's not as big a job as you think. The engineer can simply stick another hole through the wall by the boiler and one through the wall where the grill is, sleeve both holes then install new pipes.

The thing is that the pipe goes in below the damp proof course (i.e. under the floor) and is not visible under the kitchen cabinets, so couldn't that mean having to take out the entire kitchen to get to the piping under the floor?

It really should have been done properly in the first place when the house was built :mad: If it does end up being a bigger job than just drilling another hole outside then I think I should go back to the original builder under the New Build guarantee.

I wonder why the previous checks didn't pick it up? Clearly I have used a more thorough and reputable engineer than the one the previous lettings agency appointed

slopemaster

silvermum wrote: »

It really should have been done properly in the first place when the house was built :mad: ... I should go back to the original builder under the New Build guarantee.

Yes, they should have sleeved the pipe.
But I think I'm right in saying you only get a 2-year guarantee for things like this - the 10 years is for major structural stuff only.

G_M

silvermum wrote: »

It really should have been done properly in the first place when the house was built :mad: If it does end up being a bigger job than just drilling another hole outside then I think I should go back to the original builder under the New Build guarantee.

I wonder why the previous checks didn't pick it up? Clearly I have used a more thorough and reputable engineer than the one the previous lettings agency appointed

As suggested, the NHBC is unlikely to cover this. I suppose you could report the previous engineers to GasSafe for failing to do a thorough reportt.
Assuming GasSafe followed up, they might
* metaphorically slap the engineers' hands and tell them to be more thorough in future
* target them for future spot-checks of their work
* remove them from the gasSafe register

None of this will help you though....

eddddy

silvermum wrote: »

The thing is that the pipe goes in below the damp proof course (i.e. under the floor) and is not visible under the kitchen cabinets, so couldn't that mean having to take out the entire kitchen to get to the piping under the floor?

I think what patman99 is sensibly saying is: disconnect that piece of pipe under the kitchen floor, and just leave it where it is - i.e. don't dig up the floor.

Then route a new length of gas pipe from outside the building to the boiler and cooker - taking the easiest/simplest/cheapest route.

Davesnave

eddddy wrote: »

I think what patman99 is sensibly saying is: disconnect that piece of pipe under the kitchen floor, and just leave it where it is - i.e. don't dig up the floor.

Then route a new length of gas pipe from outside the building to the boiler and cooker - taking the easiest/simplest/cheapest route.

This is exactly what I did on a property that I inherited. The gas engineers hadn't previously detected a leak, yet my brother in law, who's trained but no longer qualified, checked and found a small one somewhere under the building.

As we were selling, it was prudent to deal with this rather than trust to luck.

Total cost, allowing for inflation, about £400.

Lord_Baltimore

As has been said, new pipe, new route, minimum hassle, minimum cost. Forget pursuing anything else as that achieves nothing for you; besides, now you know it shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg everything is hunky dory eh?

societys_child

Agree with patman99, abandon the old pipe and install a new one, simple.