New boiler - no timer

jd87

I rent a property and recently my landlord replaced the boiler. The last boiler wasn't actually very old but it didn't meet gas safety regs or something so it had to be replaced. The old boiler had a timer built in. The new one doesn't. They've obviously gone for the cheapest possible model because the hot water in the taps now takes ages to get hot as well.

It's such a minor thing, but I'm dreading waking up to a freezing cold flat when the winter comes. Is it reasonable for me to think the boiler replacement should have been like-for-like?

globalds

Do you have the make and model number of the new boiler ?

dc197

Boilers, to my knowledge, rarely control their own destiny. It is the external controller/programmer that determines when the hot water and central heating some on. It is that device which has the clock (is this what you mean by 'timer'?)
What controller does the boiler have, and was that replaced as part of the upgrade?

G_M

If when you took the tenancy on the boiler had certain functionality, then it is implied that that functionality was part of the contract.

So yes, it should have been replaced like for like (or better).

But are you sure there's no timer? Is there a thermostat somewhere? Or any other conroller?

If not, then a polite letter to the landlord, apologising for being a bit dumb but please can he pop round and explain how the new boiler works as you cannot set the time.....

That's the first step - see how he responds.

It may be he does not know there's no timer, and the installer fitted a cheap set-up without the LL's knowledge. Who knows?

eddddy

Just to add...

Building Regulations (Part L) apply to boiler replacements. The building regs Recommended Minimum Standards for Control When Replacing a Boiler include:

- A hot water circuit with independent time control and a cylinder
thermostat

There's some info about it here (you can google for more): http://www.honeywelluk.com/news/Replace-your-heating-controls-when-replacing-a-boiler/


However, your LL may argue that it's only a recommendation. But no heating engineers I come across would do less than the recommended minimum.

teddysmum

If the new boiler is a combi,it won't need a timer for hot water, as it's 'on demand'.


Timing for heating would be on the separate thermostat.

G_M

teddysmum wrote: »

If the new boiler is a combi,it won't need a timer for hot water, as it's 'on demand'.


Timing for heating would be on the separate thermostat.

Good point. And OP said:

because the hot water in the taps now takes ages to get hot

which implies that when the tap is turned on, the boiler fires and heats the water which eventually reaches the tap.....

chelseablue

We have a combi boiler in the loft.


Turn the hot tap on and you have to wait a while before the water is actually hot, its not instant.


For the heating there is a control panel in the airing cupboard so we can set what time we want the heating to come on morning and evening.


You may not have a timer, my mother in law doesn't and hers is a combi boiler.
She has a thermostat dial in the hallway, if you turn it up from zero the boiler fires up and the heating comes on