LL refusing Gas Safe to test Boiler

macman

GS aren't redoing a GSC then, they are simply inspecting work done by someone on their register following a complaint.
If you want a retest and GSC then book a different GSR reg'd RGI at your own expense.

theartfullodger

Utterlyconfused81 said:

theartfullodger said:

In your shoes with your concerns I'd simply get a gas safety certificate done, at your own expense, without asking permission from stupid landlord.  Then see what it says!

Artful  (landlord since 2000)

That's pretty much the stage we are getting to, however the LL's rep has stated, in more than one email, that we are not authorised under any circumstances to have anyone do any work at the property and that any ignoring of this instruction will also not see them liable for costs.

................

This is a safety matter. My advice would be ignore them, get it done.

If it then passes, great no further action.

If it fails then it's time for an interesting chat, with you holding the moral high ground. Take a calm but robust friend. 

Mind you, we've lived in this house since 2002.  Never had a GSC (wife owns it, none required...). 

Artful: Landlord since 2000

propertyrental

Wait and see what the engineer does/says next week. According to GasSafe:

We’ll investigate safety concerns which fall within our remit and authority to ensure that any work carried out by a Gas Safe registered business/engineer satisfies our rules of registration and installation standards. Once complete, we’ll send you a written report. To make the process efficient and effective we will ask the business/engineer to attend the investigation inspection (with your consent).
Where work is identified which falls below the expected standards, Gas Safe Register will issue a defect notice to the business/engineer to correct the issue(s) that have been identified within an agreed timescale. You will also be notified of the expectations.

I assume you have read:
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/concerns-reporting-illegal-gas-work/

The Health and Safety Executive can prosecute LLs. They have a useful FAQ page here:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqtenant.htm

anselld

You have not really explained the source of your ongoing concern.  The leak was presumably fixed by the emergency engineer who must have left the system in a safe state.  Leaks can occur randomly at any time in the same way that a car can break down after having an MOT.  The occurance of a leak does not in itself imply that the whole installation is unsafe or that the chap who did the LGSR was incompetent.

enewall1944

If you are using the gas appliance, have you got a working carbon monoxide detector near the appliance?

Utterlyconfused81

propertyrental said:

Wait and see what the engineer does/says next week. According to GasSafe:

We’ll investigate safety concerns which fall within our remit and authority to ensure that any work carried out by a Gas Safe registered business/engineer satisfies our rules of registration and installation standards. Once complete, we’ll send you a written report. To make the process efficient and effective we will ask the business/engineer to attend the investigation inspection (with your consent).
Where work is identified which falls below the expected standards, Gas Safe Register will issue a defect notice to the business/engineer to correct the issue(s) that have been identified within an agreed timescale. You will also be notified of the expectations.

I assume you have read:
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/concerns-reporting-illegal-gas-work/

The Health and Safety Executive can prosecute LLs. They have a useful FAQ page here:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqtenant.htm

I have and thank you for the links, I will actually re-read them this evening.

In relation to anselld's question, the concern is that the boiler has been installed by the LL's incompetent contractor who is currently responsible for a multitude of problems at the property (the majority of which are current under instruction from the council to rectify within a time limit).  The person in question is most certainly not registered as Gas Safe, the landlord has never once answered my question as to who installed the boiler nor provided a name and gas safe number.  

Whilst we do understand that issues can and do arise in rentals, along with owned properties, the simple fact is there are serious questions about all the work that was done prior to us moving in and everyday a new issue presents itself.  That alone has us have serious concerns about the boiler.

The refusal for us to have the Engineer from Gas safe fully test just raises further questions in my mind.

Interestingly enough I have just had a visit from the local engineer who sourced and fixed the leak from a month or so ago.  He had been called earlier today by the LL's Rep (not letting agent, guy has claimed to be property manager, neighbour, translator and authorised representative over the last few weeks).  The rep was asking him to confirm he had tested the boiler when he was here which he correctly advised he did not.  He did give a brief visual inspection and said he purged it but that he would not sign a document to say it is to standard.  I am okay with this as it was not what he was here to do.  He did say he would have highlighted anything he had deemed obvious and unsafe. 

More alarmingly he was pressed again on the cause of the leak by the rep to which he advised, and as per his signed sheet after the work, leak due to valve not being sealed tight enough, his words, not even finger tight.  Funny that, given that's the exact same issue we had with the water leak in the bathroom, seeing a pattern here.

The LL's rep pressed him and wanted to know, if there was even a chance that the leak was a result of sabotage.  He was informed that no, it was neglect at install to which he wasn't satisfied with.  Thanks to having a video doorbell this was all recorded and clearly shows their is an agenda being pushed here by the LL / her rep or whatever he calls himself this week. 

enewall1944, yes there is now a working CO2 detector and we additionally bought a gas detector that plugs into a socket in the kitchen above one of the worktops to try and provide further safety measures. 

Brie

not that it should stop you but are you prepared to have the boiler turned off completely if it fails a proper inspection?  

Utterlyconfused81

Brie said:

not that it should stop you but are you prepared to have the boiler turned off completely if it fails a proper inspection?  

Yes most certainly if it is with regards our safety.

TheJP

Are you prepared to move?

Utterlyconfused81

TheJP said:

Are you prepared to move?

Absolutely, though not quite sure how that would work in relation to our current AST.

We are 5 months into 12 month contract, and paid 6 upfront at the start due to me contracting and not having a guaranteed fixed income.  The next 6 months £10k is due next month but given the issues we have had to date, the number of issues to be resolved and the likely event of further issues, I am trying to establish where I stand with that as do not want to hand over the money only to never see it again.

Fully aware that obvious rent needs to be paid, and would possibly be prepared to do on a month by month basis. Please note this is not due to not having the money, I have the funds and could have paid the whole 12 months in advance but felt it unwise in case there were issues.  Foolishly thought what can go wrong in 6 months, the sad reality, a heck of a lot.

LL has stated previously in an email "we may terminate the tenancy without penalty and any funds refunded upon returning the keys".  There was no time frame given in that statement in terms of the offer expiring however I am not going to trust my experience to date with the assumption that I would see a full refund on any remaining months.

In theory I am not sure given the issues to date that I should have paid full rent for the last few weeks minimum, if not months.