Boiler: did British Gas lie to me?

CuddlesTC

I've recently had to get quotes for a new boiler after mine died.

I'm just after a straight like-for-like replacement in the same place as the dead one, but British Gas told me it would be illegal to put the new one in the same place as the flue goes out over a path I don't own.

None of the other plumbers said anything about this, and when I told my colleagues, one said BG had said exactly the same to her and it turned out not to be true, and another asked her builder husband who also said it was rubbish.

I have no intention of using British Gas as their quote was insanely high, but were they telling the truth, and if not, how are they allowed to flat-out lie to people like this?

southcoastrgi

BG lie to people, that's never been known :rotfl::rotfl:

It depends how high the flue is off the pathway, if it's gonna cause a nuisance to someone walking along, then the flue would either need to be raised up before it goes outside or a plume kit fitted

CuddlesTC

So his solution of moving it to the opposite side of the kitchen, taking down my kitchen cupboards in the process, would have been slight overkill then? :rotfl:

bridgedino

I think if a new fit boiler is being installed then it's likely it might need to be fitted to today's standards. I think there's something about encroaching on other property boundaries and flue positions.

Did you not ask questions when it was being explained?

southcoastrgi

the flue should be 600mm away from the boundary, this is to stop nuisance to your neighbours, so in theory they are right however i have seen loads that are in that exact position over a foot path

Gordon_Hose

Yep, we had the same issue. Old boiler installed 15+ years ago (14 years before we bought the place) with the flue venting out into the neighbours garden. We had to re-route the flue along the roof space of the ground floor bathroom (single story) and out over our property.

thegasmon

its all about the boundry lines. your flue can not face the boundry if less than 600mm away, 2m if its going to cause a nuisance, for example across from a door or window.

the term nuisance is open to debate but if your neigbour complains you will most likely have to move the flue.

CuddlesTC

Yes, I did ask questions when it was being explained, and he said he was "99% sure he was right"; I didn't press him as I was 99% sure he wouldn't be getting the job.

Where the flue is currently located is a kind of no-man's land a long way from other people (considerably more than 600mm), whereas his proposed location on the other side of the kitchen would have placed it a couple of feet from my neighbour's garden & back door.

bridgedino

At least you now know that the builder husband didn't have a clue what he was talking about and the plumbers you mentioned were unlikely to be gas safe registered.

CuddlesTC

Yes, I deliberately went out of my way to get quotes from four non-gas safe registered plumbers, none of whom had a minimum of 20 year's experience, and absolutely none of them highly recommended by friends or colleagues </sarcasm>

Thanks to all who offered genuine helpful advice; I will discuss the matter with the installer I choose with more knowledge of the subject than I had before.