Boiler service

[Tommy Ng]

Hi

I recently called a boiler engineer to service my boiler. Instead of having the boiler serviced he gave me a "Landlord Certificate" and told me that the boiler is fine and no service is needed.

Do you normally call an engineer to "service" or "check" your boiler?

 

[kevgermany]

Legal requirement here, includes an emissions and efficiency test.
Most of the work I do myself, it's just a matter of brushing out all the accumulated ash (oil fired). The sweep does the chimney, though.

 

[AndyG]

There is a difference to a safety check and a service I guess a bit like a car service and an MOT.
When my plumber services the boiler, he takes it all apart and gives it a really good clean, usually between 1 & 2 hours.

It is also my understanding, that unless you are a gas safe registered (previously corgi) engineer, you are breaking the law even just removing the panel on a boiler.

 

[MandyH]

Hi
Instead of having the boiler serviced he gave me a "Landlord Certificate"

are you a Landlord? or are you a tenant?
either way, if you wanted a service, that's what you should have received, especially if that's what you paid for!
When I last has a boiler services, the chap was there for an hour or more, dismantled it and vacuumed it and checked pressures, then re-built it and re-ignited it.
they must be Corgi (?) registered I think.

 

[Tommy Ng]

Hi

That is my own property and i live there. I don't need a landlord certificate. The engineer told me it is better not to service the boiler if it is in good condition.

 

[kevgermany]

If it's oil, then it's not true. Ash builds up and the jets/filters have to be replaced. If it's gas, I've no idea, but I remember our gas boilers at home needing no work until something packed up.

 

[AndyG]

My plumber, who I have known for years ( and is very good) tells me off if I go over a year without a boiler service and makes a point of showing me all the muck that he has to clear out. IMO It should be done to keep it in good working order.
My boiler is however about 15 years old so maybe what your engineer is saying refers to newer boilers but I would still find it unusual that it doesn't need to be serviced just because it is in good condition.

 

[Tommy Ng]

My boiler is about 10 years old.

 

[BigMartin]

My advice would be

1. Get your boiler serviced
2. Never call that "engineer" again

And if you paid a significant amount of money for this consultation, I'd be wanting to try and get it back. I have no idea how hard this would be, though.

 

[Tommy Ng]

It costs a little cheaper to get a landlord certificate than to have the boiler service. I paid about £60 for the certificate, no sure how much to pay for a real service?

 

[BigMartin]

It costs a little cheaper to get a landlord certificate than to have the boiler service. I paid about £60 for the certificate, no sure how much to pay for a real service?

But what did he do for the £60 apart from drive to your house and give you a piece of paper?

 

[PaulyT]

I used to service my old boiler regularly - but that didn't stop her running off with the milkman!

 

[saxyman]

As AndyG said, Corgi registration no longer exists, its now called "Gas Safe" and it is illegal for anyone not "Gas Safe" registered to work on gas appliances.

A service is just that, my service engineer did my boiler but was not quite happy with the emissions reading, as it was borderline on being satisfactory he came back again at a later date to double check and make a final small adjustment.

 

[Tenor Viol]

Not my area of expertise, but this doesn't sound right. A service involves checking it's all clean, checking gas supply, checking the emissions, checking the flue is correct (correct mounting, no leaks etc). At 10 years old it definitely should be checked over annually. It seems to me like he's just about checked it can hear thunder and see lightning.... I am not endorsing them, but just to check costs have a look at the BG web site (independent gas/heating engineers may be better value).

 

[old git]

Had my boiler serviced recently.

She said he did a very satisfactory job.

 

[jthole]

I seems that our natural gas boiler and central heating (5 years old) needs servicing every 2 years. The previous one needed a service each year. Maybe modern boilers got better?

Anyway, 60 pounds sounds fairly expensive for just a certificate.

 

[Titus]

Afraid you have been ripped off my friend as what use is the certificate you have, you didn't even need it!
The guy should be registered as gas safe, if he is i would call him up and demand that he services the boiler as you asked, and deduct £60.00 from the final bill, if he refuses report him, to gas safe register.
If he is not registered as gas safe report him anyway as it is a legal requirement, these people are ripping you off, help to drive them out by reporting them. (i am not a gas fitter by the way) regards Titus