ASHP is my quote reasonable?

FreeBear

Jamesb94 said: They have said they need the make and model of all the plinth heaters im using so they spec the right unit and ensure they put out enough heat but other than that the quote stays the same.

Something to watch out for with plinth heaters - The fan is controlled by a bimetalic switch strapped to the inlet pipe. On my heater (Smiths), the switch didn't operate until around 45°C which might be a bit too high with an ASHP system - Easy enough to change if you don't mind getting your hands dirty. I've changed mine for a 35°C jobbie so that I can squeeze a little more heat out after the boiler shuts down.

markin

Martyfuel said:

I think is of paramount importance that you check with MCS first before you commit to an installation of an air source pump if intending on claiming the RHI. It is also worth checking with Gas safe and the electrical bodies such as NICEIC, Nappit etc. 
As with our family members installation, when it went wrong and the installer never returned calls she turned to MCS and the consumer bodies the company showed membership of, only to find that the company were not MCS accredited as claimed and therefore they had no authority to intervene. But on top of this we could not claim the £7k or so of RHI as it had to be commissioned by a MCS installer. 

HIES said the unit would be insured but to claim the installing company had to have gone out of business, as the company is still showing as live on companies house that too was a wash out. 

I tried to trace the company to one of the many addresses it shows online and no one had heard of them but when I pressed the secretary at one shared office facility she wrote down their number, a number not listed on their websites. I finally spoke with the office manager Amy via her mobile and was told that they were indeed MCS registered but claimed that MCS had spelt their name as Hi Star Energy Ltd rather than High Star. Of course MCS say otherwise and confirm neither company is currently listed as an active member either way. 

We have since paid £740 for a full inspection and expert witness service which has condemned the installation as ‘exceedingly dangerous’ and ‘not fit for purpose’. 

Personally as an ex pipe fitter I’m flabbergasted that presumably sales companies with little or no experience can get any trade body at all to accept their standard of work which was shocking to say the least. 

I think the other tell tale signs of cowboys to be cautious of are when both decision makers are told they need to be at the ‘survey’, that the homeowner can decide what rads need changing and what do not, and to suspicious of ‘discount’ given in house for urgent sign up, then take a flurry of calls from the company if the deal doesn’t get done on the day. They all seem to show the same signs when I have posted our problems on other forums. 

It’s a travesty that these cowboy firms can operate in todays market place. To have a gas boiler ripped out by someone not qualified to do so, then to pay £19.5k for a small heat pump that doesn’t run due to gas loss and under sizing and for the company to walk off into the sunset still managing to be a member of a consumer group but not technical body that can do nothing until the company officially folds (when you know they are still going about their business) needs to be brought to peoples attention. 

What do the police say about this?

Reed_Richards

Martyfuel said:

... for the company to walk off into the sunset still managing to be a member of a consumer group but not technical body that can do nothing until the company officially folds (when you know they are still going about their business) needs to be brought to peoples attention. 

I don't think you said explicitly which Consumer Group this cowboy company was a member of (although you implied it might be HEIS).

matelodave

markin said:

Martyfuel said:

I think is of paramount importance that you check with MCS first before you commit to an installation of an air source pump if intending on claiming the RHI. It is also worth checking with Gas safe and the electrical bodies such as NICEIC, Nappit etc. 
As with our family members installation, when it went wrong and the installer never returned calls she turned to MCS and the consumer bodies the company showed membership of, only to find that the company were not MCS accredited as claimed and therefore they had no authority to intervene. But on top of this we could not claim the £7k or so of RHI as it had to be commissioned by a MCS installer. 

HIES said the unit would be insured but to claim the installing company had to have gone out of business, as the company is still showing as live on companies house that too was a wash out. 

I tried to trace the company to one of the many addresses it shows online and no one had heard of them but when I pressed the secretary at one shared office facility she wrote down their number, a number not listed on their websites. I finally spoke with the office manager Amy via her mobile and was told that they were indeed MCS registered but claimed that MCS had spelt their name as Hi Star Energy Ltd rather than High Star. Of course MCS say otherwise and confirm neither company is currently listed as an active member either way. 

We have since paid £740 for a full inspection and expert witness service which has condemned the installation as ‘exceedingly dangerous’ and ‘not fit for purpose’. 

Personally as an ex pipe fitter I’m flabbergasted that presumably sales companies with little or no experience can get any trade body at all to accept their standard of work which was shocking to say the least. 

I think the other tell tale signs of cowboys to be cautious of are when both decision makers are told they need to be at the ‘survey’, that the homeowner can decide what rads need changing and what do not, and to suspicious of ‘discount’ given in house for urgent sign up, then take a flurry of calls from the company if the deal doesn’t get done on the day. They all seem to show the same signs when I have posted our problems on other forums. 

It’s a travesty that these cowboy firms can operate in todays market place. To have a gas boiler ripped out by someone not qualified to do so, then to pay £19.5k for a small heat pump that doesn’t run due to gas loss and under sizing and for the company to walk off into the sunset still managing to be a member of a consumer group but not technical body that can do nothing until the company officially folds (when you know they are still going about their business) needs to be brought to peoples attention. 

What do the police say about this?

I'm not sure that the Police would have any interest. You might get more response from the local council's Trading Standards Officer