AIBU to expect a working thermostat as part of a boiler installation?

[Rachetine]

Our boiler conked out on us last Monday, guy came to look at it and said he could replace it Thursday. Ended up coming Friday, but fine, fitted it, left, seemingly no issues. I left the boiler on for a bit as per his instruction, then turned it off via hive before I went to bed.

Saturday morning, I wake up and the house is weirdly hot. Hive says off, boiler is on. It eventually transpires that hive and the boiler are just not talking to each other, and the only way we’ve been able to heat the house this weekend is by manually turning the boiler on and off.

Called the guy who fitted it this morning. At first, he didn’t understand the issue (“what do you mean it won’t turn on? You’ve just said you turned the boiler on?”) and then eventually he goes “it sounds like the boiler and the thermostat aren’t talking to each other.” I agree. Silence.

Eventually he sighs. “Well, I can come and have a look if you like, but I’ll have to google hive myself as I don’t work with it normally.”

I reply “well, yes I would like you to have a look, as obviously a boiler without a thermostat isn’t really a fully working boiler is it?”

Another long pause. “Ok, I’ll be over in the next few hours,” said in his most long suffering voice.

I get the impression he’s trying to make it my issue? But we paid a good chunk of cash to replace the boiler, it seems crazy to leave the job half done? I have no idea what he will say when he arrives if he can’t figure it out, but AIBU to insist the company get it sorted?

Eventually he sighs. “Well, I can come and have a look if you like, but I’ll have to google hive myself as I don’t work with it normally.”

Being brutally honest, at that point, I'd have found someone else. for two reasons, but the first is they should have told you before taking your money.

YANBU to a certain extent, but it will be a cold day in hell before I let any tradesmen anywhere near anything in our house, so maybe I'm biased ?

Yes, but he said this AFTER fitting the boiler. I was given no indication he didn’t understand hive when he fitted it, so at this point surely it’s their job to finish the job even if they don’t understand hive?

@Rachetine

Yes, but he said this AFTER fitting the boiler. I was given no indication he didn’t understand hive when he fitted it, so at this point surely it’s their job to finish the job even if they don’t understand hive?

That's rather my point. Why on earth would you want them back ?

Probably best you don't take my advice. You're going to have to read a lot of posts before you find someone less impressed by your average "tradesman" than me.

Yes he needs to finish the job. Never come across a hive thermostat before.

Give Hive a call. The helpline has been good when I’ve needed to use it. You need a hub connected to your internet, the thermostat and a box connected to the boiler with lights.

Thanks Shastabeast, I did call Hive on Saturday and then said it was an issue with the installation, that it hadn’t been connected correctly, so we would need to speak to the installer.

We've had a new boiler twice over the years and each time a thermostat wasn't part of the deal. We sorted the the thermostats ourselves, well my dad did. It's extra to a basic boiler installation as far as I've understood it.

I'd agree that however obvious it seems that you wanted it to work with the thermostat, that that isn't standard in a boiler installation and needs to be specified.

one of many.

They should have tested the boiler to ensure it worked with your existing thermostat.

Oddly enough, one of our two thermostats has gone dodgy and I have to call our HVAC contractor to come out and replace it. It's a pretty basic one, which is fine for us.

@DurhamDurham

We've had a new boiler twice over the years and each time a thermostat wasn't part of the deal. We sorted the the thermostats ourselves, well my dad did. It's extra to a basic boiler installation as far as I've understood it.

Nah, we had one installed a month ago and of course the thermostat is part of it! Otherwise you don’t get a functioning boiler, do you?!

Thus often happens when something has been wired in wrong. I had an issue with the boiler and thermostat not talking to each other, it turned out the boiler was wired in wrong

When I had my boiler replaced, the plumber fitted a new thermostat as part of the job.

A hive system replaces the timer/programmer in a system rather than the thermostat (although obviously does provide the thermostat function). I wouldn't expect a separate thermostat - it needs removing from the wiring centre and linking out.

Does your boiler have a non-hive programmer, or is he expecting you to switch it on and off when you want to run it?

Thanks all- I wasn’t sure if it was part of it or not, but it seemed like it should be!

He has just left and it appears to be fixed- turned out it was left in test mode, so was overriding hive!

Did you mention the words 'hive', 'thermostat', 'will it work' when first agreeing with him regarding the replacement boiler?

I know little about boilers or indeed Hive, but perhaps it involves a different set up compared to traditional thermostat and boiler may have been installed based on a traditional thermostat being in operation.

If he definitely knew that you had one then he should have been upfront about not knowing how they work with a boiler.

Hive is an electric/digital system, so not really in a plumber's remit.

Unless you mentioned it beforehand, it's entirely possible that a plumber wouldn't have ever come across it. I had an electrician to do the Hive installation, not a plumber.

@DGRossetti

Eventually he sighs. “Well, I can come and have a look if you like, but I’ll have to google hive myself as I don’t work with it normally.”

Being brutally honest, at that point, I'd have found someone else. for two reasons, but the first is they should have told you before taking your money.

YANBU to a certain extent, but it will be a cold day in hell before I let any tradesmen anywhere near anything in our house, so maybe I'm biased ?

@DGRossetti it sounds like you have some horror tradesmen stories to tell! Care to share?