Question for boiler plumber (preferably British Gas plumber)

Bendy_House

Yes.

Think of it as a straight vertical pipe replacing that zigzag, but with a section removed to allow the filter to be fitted. Instead of the filter going directly in there, tho', I'd add two elbows and short lengths of pipe to allow the filter to be mounted further forward to above the boiler's front RH corner.

This is a tiny bit of extra effort, and will not only make future access to the filter easier for the owner, but will almost certainly also make the plumber's installation of the filter much easier.

Ah, the technology...

sho_me_da_money

Excellent. I will TRY and get them back to do just that. At the moment BG is sending me on the run around.

Rodders53

To be frank, the likely best you can demand is for the system drained down, filter direction corrected on the flow, and refilled with inhibitor.  As the original install was not fit for purpose that correction is a must.

If you want the rolls royce replumbed version you may have to pay more for the replumbing work time and new copper pipework. But do push for that to happen with no charge as 'compensation' for the incompetent installation/installer.  Do make sure your next conversation with them a 'complaint' and ask for it escalating up the food chain

BG have already sent two 'technicians' to look but do nothing, which is pretty unacceptable.  So they are already losing money on what should have been a fairly simple job.

sho_me_da_money

Thanks for the advice Rodders. 

I've spoken to MANY customer service advisors and been passed around like a parcel before getting both engineers booked on two separate occasions this week.

The first engineer came in for 5 minutes stating the filter on the flow is fine and made no mention of the orientation. He handed me no paperwork. The second engineer came in for 10 minutes and agreed with my assessment and said that I need to contact BG to appoint someone from the Upgrades team as he cannot do the pipework. He gave me some paperwork and advised he would be uploading his notes to the system. The notes would reflect his comments on the paper, which suggested that BG 1) Replace the filter with a new smaller one they do on the flow and in the right orientation or 2) Re-pipe the return and move the filter across to it in the right orientation.

About 5 hours after the second engineer visit, I called BG and got through to a gem of a customer advisor. She stated although she wasn't from the right department, she will do all she can to help. She looked at the system and said the engineer has not left any notes. She tried to call the engineer on his mobile to no avail and left a voicemail. She suggested I call back tomorrow (today). I was afraid that I'd have to explain myself once again to someone new so asked this Customer advisor to schedule a call back to save me having to explain this again.

She called me around 10am this morning and advised there are still no notes. She tried getting through to a 'planning' department who stated they could not do anything without the engineer notes. She asked me to leave this with her and scheduled a call back to take place on Monday.

I am really losing the will to live. Bar the last Customer service advisor, this is an absolute joke. I cannot help but feel that an engineer 3 visit will be booked and this record will play the same record.

Bendy_House

Yes, the extra work is extra work, and will (would) have needed paying for.

This is a paid-for service anyway, so they will do what you ask of them. It's your call whether that's just to turn the filter around the correct direction, or to insist you want the return pipe straightened, and the filter fitted on the return.

I think, as someone has mentioned, there is a case for you asking quite forcefully that they do exactly what you want, and ideally at no extra cost because of the significant hassle they have put you to.

Write down a brief chronological account of what's gone on. (1) Filer wrongly installed. (2) Second engineer visit claimed now't was wrong. (3) Third engineer visit agreed it was wrong, but didn't have the skills to sort it! (4) Phoned again on the Xth, passed from P to P. (5) Phoned on the Gth; PtoP. (6) Phoned on the... yougettheidea.

You may need to escalate this up the chain - ask to speak to a superior as you wish to make it an 'official complaint'. I bet that will make things move. When they apologise and say they'll sort it, ask them then to approve the small amount of extra work in order to make this an installation worthy of the BG name (don't snigger as you say that...)

If you are going to get this ideal fit for, hopefully, no extra cost, then you'll need that approval first.

sho_me_da_money

Update

BG Engineer was supposed to come out yesterday between 08:00 and 13:00. At 13:30 the Customer service team called me to tell me that the Engineer will not be able to come out and the appointment will be rescheduled for tomorrow (today). Absolute nightmare.....until..... this morning when Darren showed up.

Darren is quite simply the best. What a human being this guy is! Absolutely stellar customer service and decided to provide the 'rolls royce' service as described above by the MSE community members; removed filter from flow side, installed filter to the return side, used elbows, repiped etc. Darren was so passionate about getting this job done correctly that he even went out to a local depot to get some 22mm elbows and compression 'something' as he did not have these items readily available. He explained that although this was scheduled as a 60 minute appointment, he would not leave until the job was sorted out properly once and for all.

I tell you what. I pray to God this guy becomes a regional manager or senior leader for British Gas. He exemplifies Customer service and respect to the T. 

Here is an image of the new set up below. The filter is further out to the right side than I thought it would be but I will take this all day over the previous installation.





 

jefaz07

sho_me_da_money said:

Update

BG Engineer was supposed to come out yesterday between 08:00 and 13:00. At 13:30 the Customer service team called me to tell me that the Engineer will not be able to come out and the appointment will be rescheduled for tomorrow (today). Absolute nightmare.....until..... this morning when Darren showed up.

Darren is quite simply the best. What a human being this guy is! Absolutely stellar customer service and decided to provide the 'rolls royce' service as described above by the MSE community members; removed filter from flow side, installed filter to the return side, used elbows, repiped etc. Darren was so passionate about getting this job done correctly that he even went out to a local depot to get some 22mm elbows and compression 'something' as he did not have these items readily available. He explained that although this was scheduled as a 60 minute appointment, he would not leave until the job was sorted out properly once and for all.

I tell you what. I pray to God this guy becomes a regional manager or senior leader for British Gas. He exemplifies Customer service and respect to the T. 

Here is an image of the new set up below. The filter is further out to the right side than I thought it would be but I will take this all day over the previous installation.





 

I’ll tell you what….I’d be twisting your flue sampling plug to the right to make sure it’s in properly. Currently it is not! That is the air intake side admittedly but needs to be in correctly in case of a flue seal fault. It wasn’t like that before your filter was changed. 

Glad the rest is sorted though. 

jefaz07

This part highlighted in red

sho_me_da_money

jefaz07 said:

This part highlighted in red

Hi mate,

Is this something i can twist myself. 

Sorry trying to understand what it is that needs twisting. Is it something I can do by climbing up and turning?

jefaz07

Yes mate. Twist to the right and you should feel a slight ‘click’ and it will stop. Both plugs should face the same way as the one on the left.