I recently got a call from a friend of a friend about a chap who was having trouble getting his boiler fitted. Transpired that his plumber was taking a long time to fit radiators and the boiler. When I got there the boiler had been mounted on an internal wall. The customer was intending to box the flue pipe in as it would have gone across the kitchen.

What the plumber had not made provision for was for the condensate water from the boiler. I asked the customer about this, who told me the other side of the wall was his neighbours kitchen and it could drain into there!!!!!

I advised the customer that fitting the boiler to an outside wall would be the best option.

I measured up the distance from the meter to the boiler so I could calculate the size of gas pipe needed to run the boiler, as more than likely it would need a bigger gas pipe. He told me he had a double skinned floor so it would be difficult to do. I had to work it out so I said I would confirm it to him.

Things took a dramatic turn at that point as the plumber who was doing the job already turned up. I can say anything about the quality of his work, but he had no customer care skills whatsoever, The language and dialogue he was using was like something from a gangster movie!!!!

Needless to say I made my exit and sent the chap a quote to do the work. As you may have guessed I have not got a reply.

Maxim is,

You may be able to get a boiler fitted by a cheap unregistered installer, however, it may not work, your guarantee may not be honoured by the manufacturer and worst of all it may be dangerous. Also anyone not registered with corgi who does any gas work is committing a criminal offence.