Gas boiler No thermostat or timer

jaydee121

Hi. Just moved into a home. Trying to understand the central heating. Found out combi boiler was installed october 2014 so quite new which is good. But there is no room thermostat or timer. The radiators have valves with settings 1-5 but some don’t seem to work ie radiator gets red hot whether on 1 or 5.  The boiler is ideal logic+24 combi. It can be set only to summer (just hot water) or winter (hot water and radiators).   So the winter setting allows hot water on demand when taps turned on, but radiators are on continuously. The only way to turn off the radiators is to switch the boiler back to summer setting.  I’m sure there must have been a room thermostat or timer installed at the same time as the boiler but can’t find any. My question is- was it legal or conceivable that someone would install a new boiler in 2014 without thermostat or timer?
 Thanks for any advice 
JayDee

marcia_

 Maybe the previous owner had a hive or similar and took it with them. 

Ayr_Rage

If the room is cold then the radiators will get hot if the actual temperature is below the setting on the TRV, even if it is 1.

The TRV number is not a flow rate, it is the target temperature.

The radiator should go off if you turn it to the frost setting.

Time to take off the top of the valve and make sure the small small pin goes up and down, Mr Google is your friend "free stuck thermostatic radiator valve" and do it carefully.

Then get someone to fit a timer and room thermostat.

oldernonethewiser

Moved into a property with no room thermostat or timer on boiler. Fitted a wireless thermostat with wifi control myself which sorted that problem. 

I've managed to unstick TRVs in the past but sometimes they do need replaced. 

ThisIsWeird

Hi Jaydee.
I don't know when it became compulsory to also install what is weirdly referred to as a 'boiler interlock' (I think?), but it's very poor form to not have a way of automatically fully turning the boiler off when heating demand has been achieved.
You appear to have two tasks here! One is to check your TRVs, and there's loads of good info such as YouTube vids out there as Ayr has suggested, or we can guide you if necessary.
The other task is to really confirm whether there isn't some device fitted, or has been in the past.
For this, could you take a photo of your boiler, please? Include the immediate surrounding area. Then look at all the cables that come out from (under) it, and photograph these and where they lead to.

FreeBear

jaydee121 said: My question is- was it legal or conceivable that someone would install a new boiler in 2014 without thermostat or timer?

My niece has a Baxi combi fitted with a crude mechanical timer but no thermostat. This is a relatively new boiler, but no idea when it was installed. So it is not inconceivable that your system also lacks any proper controls. On the plus side, it shouldn't cost a huge amount to fit a decent programmable thermostat/timer - It could save up to 15%, so the pay back time would be pretty short.

I'd suggest either a Drayton Digistat (around £70) or a Drayton Wiser (around £125) - Both can be programmed via an app, and the Wiser can be linked to smart TRVs if you want total control over the heating. I'd also recommend getting the balance of the radiators checked out, and if necessary, tweaked.

Ask your Gas Safe engineer for an opinion when you get the boiler serviced.

jaydee121

Thank you everyone who has replied.  I now think there never were any timers or thermostat installed with the new boiler in 2014.  I should have said this is a rental property. I just contacted the previous tenant who says they had no control other than switching the boiler itself to winter (radiators) or summer (no radiators).  I am a student and my girlfriend has lowish paying job. Last landlord gave us notice because he’s selling the flat.  Applied for dozens of flats and always too late or no students accepted. Then got lucky and were first to apply for our current flat so instantly took it.  We are frightened of asking our landlord to spend money on anything as he may think we are troublesome tenants and decide to give us notice - which of course he can legally do after 6 months for no reason at all. The under counter freezer in the flat stopped working after 2 weeks and he begrudgingly replaced it with a second hand one delivered by a rather intimidating Bloke who said this freezer was a gift from the landlord who wouldn’t repair or replace it in future.  The toilet rocked as not fixed to floor properly and landlord fixed with silicone but it still rocks….. . Whilst trying to find out about the boiler I looked up the EPC for the flat… there isn’t one as it expired 2 years ago. And no Electrical safety report either. Clearly our landlord is not a good guy but with 50 applicants to every advertised flat, we don’t want to upset him any more.  I’ll just have to buy a Wi-Fi timer thermostat myself and fit. I’ll also have a go at the tvr myself by watching the YouTube.  Thanks everybody 

Eldi_Dos

You say radiators get red hot when put on, there should be way of controlling this at boiler. Post the make and model of boiler for advice on how to do this.

ThisIsWeird

jaydee121 said:

Thank you everyone who has replied.  I now think there never were any timers or thermostat installed with the new boiler in 2014.  I should have said this is a rental property. I just contacted the previous tenant who says they had no control other than switching the boiler itself to winter (radiators) or summer (no radiators).  I am a student and my girlfriend has lowish paying job. Last landlord gave us notice because he’s selling the flat.  Applied for dozens of flats and always too late or no students accepted. Then got lucky and were first to apply for our current flat so instantly took it.  We are frightened of asking our landlord to spend money on anything as he may think we are troublesome tenants and decide to give us notice - which of course he can legally do after 6 months for no reason at all. The under counter freezer in the flat stopped working after 2 weeks and he begrudgingly replaced it with a second hand one delivered by a rather intimidating Bloke who said this freezer was a gift from the landlord who wouldn’t repair or replace it in future.  The toilet rocked as not fixed to floor properly and landlord fixed with silicone but it still rocks….. . Whilst trying to find out about the boiler I looked up the EPC for the flat… there isn’t one as it expired 2 years ago. And no Electrical safety report either. Clearly our landlord is not a good guy but with 50 applicants to every advertised flat, we don’t want to upset him any more.  I’ll just have to buy a Wi-Fi timer thermostat myself and fit. I’ll also have a go at the tvr myself by watching the YouTube.  Thanks everybody 

We/you need to know the make and model of the boiler. Could you post the photos I asked for, please?

Where is the boiler located - in which room?

Oh, and yes, your LL is an 'ole.

FreeBear

jaydee121 said:. Whilst trying to find out about the boiler I looked up the EPC for the flat… there isn’t one as it expired 2 years ago. And no Electrical safety report either. Clearly our landlord is not a good guy but with 50 applicants to every advertised flat, we don’t want to upset him any more.

Gas Safety certificate ?

Deposit protected in a proscribed scheme ?

"How to Rent" guide ?

Gas & smoke alarms working ?

See the top few posts here about your rights - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5180214/tenancies-in-eng-wales-guides-for-landlords-and-tenants/p1 - If the LL hasn't provided you with the legally required paperwork, he has little chance of going to court to get you evicted.

ThisIsWeird

As FreeBear says.

And if they haven't protected your deposit, then you can forward to a nice bonus later on :-)