Rental property ongoing issues

Rebma

My landlord sent an engineer for a gas safety check. Identifed issue with flue not being to regulation. Boiler also was cutting out after 20 mins so the landlord decided it would be more cost effective to replace the boiler. 8 days with a one year old with no heating or hot water. Boiler was replaced on 18th.
19th I could smell gas and called the gas emergency service. Engineer was sent out and confirmed gas leak. Contacted my landlord he sent the same engineer that installed the boiler. He apparently fixes the issue and leaves. The room the boiler is located in is my sons bedroom however he was not sleeping in there at the moment.
I notice 25th I can smell gas again in the boiler room. I called back out the gas emergency service they confirmed leak in same place and identified the boiler as at risk due to expanding foam being around the flue as opposed to sand-cement and that there was no internal collar stopping the flues going through the gaps in foam back into the bedroom. Meaning me and my son had been put at risk the whole time as the gas leak wasn't fixed. The cadent engineer from gas emergency kindly fixed the gas leak as he was appalled by the workmanship of the engineer I was being sent and didn't want to leave my and my one year old without heating. I called my landlord and advised him what was on the report left.
Firstly he didn't even apologise for the danger he put us in. And just said he'd send the same engineer that installed the boiler and didn't repair the gas leak the following day to resolve the internal collar flue issue. As this was a Saturday I had to wait til Monday to contact the managing agents. I called and explained what had happened and told them I had no confidence in this engineers work and didn't want him at my home doing repairs. Peter Alan contacted the landlord whom tried to refuse to send their engineers instead of his own. He finally agreed and this engineer showed up wednesday. After the boiler was installed I told the managing agents the rads always seem slightly warm even when off. I brought this to the managing agents engineers attention and he advised the landlord isn't meeting building regulations as there's no timer or thermostat or way of turning off the heating completely. Meaning in constantly wasting gas as I can't turn off the rads. There's only a fused isolation switch which I can't use. He advises he can't fix the flue issue due to the expanding foam and will need to quote the landlord to return and take the flue out externally.
Bearing in mind the boiler is less than 3 weeks old and currently has an at risk warning due to flue collar 2 working days since the engineer attended I am he to receive a word about this being rectified. What can I do about this? I've reported the installation engineer to gas safe and requested a reduction in rent for the additional energy bills due to boiler and the rest of the saga but an yet to hear a response and am well aware the landlord doesn't have to agree with that either.
What steps can I take if any?

jaybeetoo

Had the landlord given you a copy of the gas safety certificate?

silvercar

jaybeetoo wrote: »

Had the landlord given you a copy of the gas safety certificate?

Only required if the old one was a year old.

The installation of a new boiler should be registered. The engineer should also be registered. Check for both with Gas Safe.

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer/

Rebma

No I haven't received a copy at all. I assumed it was given to the managing agents🤷!♀️

Rebma

Yes it's been registered with them I received the building regulation and gas Safe certificate I believe haven't opened as addressed to ll.
Engineer is registered but that doesn't take away from the fact he's left a dangerous situation in my home and also the other issues with the boiler such as no way to turn off etc.
Is there anything I can do other than go through a civil claim which seems to be the only advice I've gotten from other sources?

[Deleted User]

Rebma wrote: »

Yes it's been registered with them I received the building regulation and gas Safe certificate I believe haven't opened as addressed to ll.
Engineer is registered but that doesn't take away from the fact he's left a dangerous situation in my home and also the other issues with the boiler such as no way to turn off etc.
Is there anything I can do other than go through a civil claim which seems to be the only advice I've gotten from other sources?

A civil claim for what?

silvercar

Engineer is registered but that doesn't take away from the fact he's left a dangerous situation in my home and also the other issues with the boiler such as no way to turn off etc.

Something doesn't add up. Complain to gas safe.

AdrianC

Rebma wrote: »

My landlord sent an engineer for a gas safety check. Identifed issue with flue not being to regulation. Boiler also was cutting out after 20 mins so the landlord decided it would be more cost effective to replace the boiler. 8 days with a one year old with no heating or hot water.

If you'd been an owner-occupier, then not only would the GSC not have been required, but it would have taken you a similar time to replace the boiler.

Boiler was replaced on 18th.
19th I could smell gas and called the gas emergency service. Engineer was sent out and confirmed gas leak. Contacted my landlord he sent the same engineer that installed the boiler. He apparently fixes the issue and leaves. The room the boiler is located in is my sons bedroom however he was not sleeping in there at the moment.
I notice 25th I can smell gas again in the boiler room. I called back out the gas emergency service they confirmed leak in same place and identified the boiler as at risk due to expanding foam being around the flue as opposed to sand-cement and that there was no internal collar stopping the flues going through the gaps in foam back into the bedroom. Meaning me and my son had been put at risk the whole time as the gas leak wasn't fixed. The cadent engineer from gas emergency kindly fixed the gas leak as he was appalled by the workmanship of the engineer I was being sent and didn't want to leave my and my one year old without heating. I called my landlord and advised him what was on the report left.
Firstly he didn't even apologise for the danger he put us in. And just said he'd send the same engineer that installed the boiler and didn't repair the gas leak the following day to resolve the internal collar flue issue. As this was a Saturday I had to wait til Monday to contact the managing agents. I called and explained what had happened and told them I had no confidence in this engineers work and didn't want him at my home doing repairs. Peter Alan contacted the landlord whom tried to refuse to send their engineers instead of his own. He finally agreed and this engineer showed up wednesday. After the boiler was installed I told the managing agents the rads always seem slightly warm even when off. I brought this to the managing agents engineers attention and he advised the landlord isn't meeting building regulations as there's no timer or thermostat or way of turning off the heating completely. Meaning in constantly wasting gas as I can't turn off the rads. There's only a fused isolation switch which I can't use. He advises he can't fix the flue issue due to the expanding foam and will need to quote the landlord to return and take the flue out externally.
Bearing in mind the boiler is less than 3 weeks old and currently has an at risk warning due to flue collar 2 working days since the engineer attended I am he to receive a word about this being rectified.

So is the boiler install up-to-scratch yet or not? I got lost in that rambling.

What can I do about this?

If it isn't, then push for it to be sorted asap. But an iffy flue seal won't bring a smell of gas. Get a CO detector - they're cheap.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Saver-Carbon-Monoxide-Alarm/dp/B00CXLMGVK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/monoxide-display-detector-Battery-operation/dp/B0828551C8

I've reported the installation engineer to gas safe and requested a reduction in rent for the additional energy bills due to boiler and the rest of the saga but an yet to hear a response and am well aware the landlord doesn't have to agree with that either.
What steps can I take if any?

Complain to the landlord. If you don't get satisfaction, move.

You say that the boiler didn't have a timer - but surely you realised there was no timer or thermostat...? Wasn't there one on the old boiler either...? You could have turned the boiler off manually when the heating wasn't required.

theartfullodger

Write (yes WRITE - keep copy) to landlord, copy agent-if-any) about the matter. Using Shelter's draft letter in their general advice on reporting repair issues here..
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_private_landlord


If not sorted promptly invite Council to do a HHSRS survey



Gas? Stay safe, don't take chances.

Rebma

No the issue still isn't sorted. The old boiler had an off/on switch this boiler simply has a dial for heating and a dial for hot water no buttons no timer no thermostat no on/off controls just 2 dials.
When the dial for heating is turned all the way down it still gives off a heat of 25 degrees and confirmed by Peter Alan's contractor that it can't turn off completely unless a timer/thermometer is installed. Hope that clears that for you
In answer to why I would consider a civil suit the fact he sent an engineer that left a gas leak for a week that could of killed both me and my child. The fact I've been stuck rinsing my gas since the 18th as stated above I cannot turn off the heating at all. It's always heating the rads slightly

tom9980

Rebma wrote: »

No the issue still isn't sorted. The old boiler had an off/on switch this boiler simply has a dial for heating and a dial for hot water no buttons no timer no thermostat no on/off controls just 2 dials.
When the dial for heating is turned all the way down it still gives off a heat of 25 degrees and confirmed by Peter Alan's contractor that it can't turn off completely unless a timer/thermometer is installed. Hope that clears that for you
In answer to why I would consider a civil suit the fact he sent an engineer that left a gas leak for a week that could of killed both me and my child. The fact I've been stuck rinsing my gas since the 18th as stated above I cannot turn off the heating at all. It's always heating the rads slightly

It is not the Landlords fault a gas safe engineer has installed a boiler unsafely, it is his responsibility to get it corrected now that he is aware. You should report the engineer to gas safe.

I would be very surprised if there was no on/off switch for the boiler possibly another fault with the installation, the fact it has no controls is also bizarre.