Plumber has condemned boiler

[Vakant]

My boiler started leaking a couple of days ago, nothing major just a little drip, so I called a plumber out to take a look at it and he has condemned it and disconnected it. The leak itself is not the reason for the condemning, apparently there are a whole list of issues mainly relating to how it was installed (by the previous owners). I was a bit shell shocked and just let him disable it but my husband reckons he should have asked permission first, and that if we didn't agree to it then he shouldn't be able to do so.

Has anyone had any experience if this happening?

He can only condemn it if its dangerous like a gas leak. And he has to be gas safe registered.

Otherwise it's just someone wanting you to spend 2k on a new boiler.

He is gas safe registered. What should I do? Is it a case of getting someone else in to look at to either confirm or refute what he's claiming?

Meanwhile I have no hot water. Thankfully it's not winter and don't need the heating in!

if he is gas-safe registered I think he has to do this. Feel free to shop around though.

You can get a new one on the Green Deal and pay back on your bills plus cashback incentive thingy.

Don't think there's anything you can do about the condemnation of your boiler - or perhaps should want to if it's not safe?

Of course I want it replaced if it's not safe, my concern is that the plumber has possibly exaggerated the issues. We've had a fair bit of work done in our house this past year including new bathroom and kitchen, the plumbers on those jobs didn't mention any problems with the boiler so I'm a bit suspicious that this particular plumber is trying to force me to have work done that I don't need. Taking one look at the boiler and immediately disabling it leaving me without hot water is kind of forcing my hand.

Green deal looks like a great idea, but you have to submit an application and wait for it to be approved, I can't really wait that long, I need something doing now.

Thanks, will do that.

Wasn't British gas, but I've heard plenty of stories about them doing similar, so frustrating!

We're having our loft converted at the moment so the boiler may have to be moved anyway so no point having it replaced or repaired till we know for sure if it does definitely need to be moved, so it's cold showers and the launderette for me until then.

BTW Green Deal is ridiculous - I just looked into it for an oil boiler. You need to pay £150-odd for a new EPC (the one you have won't do), then get a quote from an approved supplied (who will probably charge more), then get the work done, then apply for the cashback. Which you may or may not get, and only if there is funding left from the pot.

although there probably will be, no-one is taking up the Green Deal as it is so complicated and expensive!

I wonder how old your boiler is, and what make and model.

It's a halstead but no idea how old as it was installed in our house when we bought it. It doesn't look old IYSWIM, is fairly clean looking.

What you should do is get 2 other GSR engineers to come look and quote for a new boiler - tell them what happened and you are not sure if the current boiler could simply be fixed.

The plumbers in your home doing bathroom & kichen may not have had reason to look at your boiler or new fault could have arisen more recently.

Yes the engineer needs your permission to disconnect the boiler - and it sounds like you gave him permission without fully realising what was happening. But if it is dangerous then it is a good thing you can't use it.

A local GSR engineer can work out best so put your postcode into their website: Gas Safe Register.