Buying flat - issues with gas inspection

User108 · 13 November 2018 at 9:25PM

Hi there - I could do with some advice.

I am in the middle of purchasing a flat (it is approx 10 years old). I've just commissioned a gas safety certificate but the gas engineer came back to me saying this was not possible. The principle comments were:

- Trac pipe is not currently completed with self-sealing appliance connector (as per BS 669)
- No gas test point after a piece of equipment (secondary ACV) which should have been installed
- There is some track pipe connection to the gas job which is behind the kitchen units when all track pipe should be accessible
- Flue joints not visible
- Visual check unto the gas pipe installation and the boiler flu check list are failed because they are not installed by BS and the flu is not visual accessible

So in summary the visual check failed and they can't provide a certificate because they were unable to test fully.

Couple of questions:

1. Any indication on how many of the issues above would need to be rectified in order to get a gas safety certificate (which I would need to rent out the property)?

2. How much would it cost roughly to get these things in (1) rectified? Could it need potentially installing a new kitchen?

Thank you.

Davesnave · 13 November 2018 at 10:11PM

This is on the wrong forum. The gas engineers hang out in "In My Home."

Maybe this can be moved there?

Owain_Moneysaver · 13 November 2018 at 10:13PM

It might be worse than that!

Is the boiler mounted on an outside wall with the flue direct through the wall?

If it isn't - if there is an internal flue duct - then it might not be possible to get a current safety certificate is the whole of the flue is not accessible for visual inspection. In some designs of flats the flue runs through neighbours' flats and is boxed in. And you would need freeholder's permission to fit a new external boiler flue, which might not be granted or even be possible in some buildings.

The only person who can answer your two questions is the gas engineer who has seen the installation, but I would have thought they all need to be fixed.

User108 · 13 November 2018 at 10:50PM

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

It might be worse than that!

Is the boiler mounted on an outside wall with the flue direct through the wall?

If it isn't - if there is an internal flue duct - then it might not be possible to get a current safety certificate is the whole of the flue is not accessible for visual inspection. In some designs of flats the flue runs through neighbours' flats and is boxed in. And you would need freeholder's permission to fit a new external boiler flue, which might not be granted or even be possible in some buildings.

The only person who can answer your two questions is the gas engineer who has seen the installation, but I would have thought they all need to be fixed.

Hi Owain thanks for the reply

The boiler is currently stored in a cupboard in the flat alongisde the washing machine. I spoke to the gas engineer and he said that the flue reaches up into the ceiling. There is another flat up there but it doesn't reach up as far as that - I couldn't quite make out what he said but it was something like "in order to get access to it the ceiling would need to be drilled into which could be costly" (and lots of hassle requiring permission from freeholder etc). Also, I imagine that if I needed a boiler change (as 10 years must mean it's getting time for that) I will need this work done anyway?

silvercar · 13 November 2018 at 10:54PM

I'll move this over to 'in my home'. Gas engineers hang out there, so hopefully you will receive some expert responses.

Ectophile · 14 November 2018 at 12:04AM

There's a new rule that all gas flues must be able to be inspected to look for loose joints that are leaking carbon monoxide.

It sounds like yours has been installed in the void between your ceiling and the floor above.

If that's the case, then it's now an immediate fail. You would have to cut through bits of the ceiling and put in inspection covers so that the flue can be seen.

southcoastrgi · 14 November 2018 at 12:09AM

Which self sealing connector does he mean ?
There doesn't need to be a test point after the AECV
Trac pipe doesn't need to be accessible or viewable if it doesn't have any hidden joints, trac pipe is connected by a compression fitting & compression fittings have to be accessible.
A boiler flue has to be able to be inspected at every joint & if it runs above a ceiling or in a boxing then inspection hatches will need to be installed

User108 · 14 November 2018 at 9:17AM

Thanks for all your replies. Does anyone have a rough ball park range for the costs of installing a new boiler and extending the pipe work such that the flue extends outside (but leaving the boiler where it is and not mounting on an outside wall)?

Thanks.

Owain_Moneysaver · 14 November 2018 at 7:13PM

User108 wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies. Does anyone have a rough ball park range for the costs of installing a new boiler and extending the pipe work such that the flue extends outside (but leaving the boiler where it is and not mounting on an outside wall)?

The freeholder might not permit a new outside flue terminal - that's the problem.

And flue extensions can be expensive (and usually quite limited in length). Always better to get the boiler on an outside wall.

No such thing as a ball-park figure - you really have to ask the person who's see it.

Fire_Fox · 14 November 2018 at 8:49PM

If the cupboard that the boiler and washing machine are in is a fire compartment, the freeholder might not agree to the boiler moving unless another fire compartment is constructed.

southcoastrgi · 15 November 2018 at 1:02AM

Even if you replace the boiler the flue still needs to be able to be inspected so will require inspection hatches if it is in a boxing

Buying flat - issues with gas inspection

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