New boiler installed now showing low gas pressure fault

wannadie

Hello,

We have just had a new boiler installed.

the boiler is showing a low gas pressure fault. Vallient F28 error code.

We were not that keen on the installer but had to get it done. We have not paid him yet but he was a little pushy for payment. We are not sure how he will be resolving this issue.

Is it unreasonable that we should withhold payment until this problem is fully resolved?
Are there any other reasonable external causes that could lead to this fault that we would have to pay extra to resolve?
Should he have checked gas pressure before installing?

Thanks you in advance for responses. Bit stressed.
Matthew

cajef

wannadie said:
Are there any other reasonable external causes that could lead to this fault that we would have to pay extra to resolve?

Should he have checked gas pressure before installing?

Modern boilers usually require a 22mm gas feed pipe, if your old boiler only had a 15mm feed pipe it most probably should have been changed when the new boiler was installed otherwise the pressure may not be enough, the installer should have checked the pressure and gas feed pipe at installation.

Talldave

wannadie said:

Hello,

We have just had a new boiler installed.

the boiler is showing a low gas pressure fault. Vallient F28 error code.

We were not that keen on the installer but had to get it done. We have not paid him yet but he was a little pushy for payment. We are not sure how he will be resolving this issue.

Is it unreasonable that we should withhold payment until this problem is fully resolved?
Are there any other reasonable external causes that could lead to this fault that we would have to pay extra to resolve?
Should he have checked gas pressure before installing?

Thanks you in advance for responses. Bit stressed.
Matthew

Have you reset it?  Does it repeatedly show the code?  You'll get that code after a PAYG meter shuts off, but after a reset it'll carry on quite happily until the meter shuts off again.

wannadie

I think it might be a 15mm pipe. So should I insist the installer repairs at his cost?

wannadie

It is not a PAYG meter. Have been away this weekend so are not able to replicate.

tacpot12

wannadie said:

I think it might be a 15mm pipe. So should I insist the installer repairs at his cost?

Did you check on the Gas Safe register that he is actually qualified to install gas appliances?
If not, and he is not registered you potentially have a life-threatening installation and should get it checked out by a Gas Safe-registered engineer. 

If he is not Gas Safe registered, I don't think you should pay him the full price of installation, but you need to pay him for the boiler and all the other materials used in the work. Don't invite him into you house or allow him entry. Make a offer in full and final settlement of his bill by telephone. Say you are happy to discuss how much you should pay via an Alternative Dispute Resolution process, e.g. the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman. You also need to report him via this link: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/complaints-report-an-illegal/report-suspect-gas-work/report-an-illegal-gas-worker/

I would not actually pay until a registered engineer has confirmed that the boiler has not been damaged. More importantly you need to know that the installation is safe!

If he is gas Safe registered, then had he done the job correctly, you would have had to pay a higher quote so I think you do need to get him back and pay him some more, after checking if it is 15mm pipe or 22m pipe - you only need to measure across the width with a tape measure or you can check against the width of your fingers - 15mm pipe is the width of your little finger, 22mm pipe is the width of your thumb or thereabouts. He may want you to try using the boiler for a while to see if the problem occurs again. I would do so one more time, but after than he needs to accept that there is more work that needs doing. He should give you a fair price that does not charge you for the extra work of returning to the property as the work should have been done at the outset.

badmemory

Unlike Corgi, Gas Safe only seems to mean that you can afford to pay for it.  When I had my last boiler fitted (by a gas safe installer) I had the same problem.  I had to have a new pipe all through the house to sort the problem.  I made the mistake of calling the boilers manu re warranty & their rep came & condemned the boiler - midwinter - removed a part so that I could not use it.  Never going near the installer or the manufacturer again.  Having later looked at the fitting instructions it was obvious that the gas pipe was not big enough.  Can you tell I am still furious at the extra £500 I had to cough up.  Actually it wasn't the money, it was the feeling of being conned.  If he had said at the outset that there was going to be a problem - it actually wouldn't have been a problem.

I checked that my current "boiler man" used to be Corgi registered before I got him, obviously he is gas safe now but even he says it is virtually meaningless.

macman

Surely your first move should be to contact the installer and report the fault? Yes, of course he should have checked the gas pressure and made sure the supply was adequate for the rating of the boiler. What boiler and rating is it? What does the Benchmark paperwork say about the gas pressure?