The Plumbers Mate

Tesco bosch recruitment

plumbersmate — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:32:04 +0000

In the latest issue of HVP magazine, there is an article explaining how Tesco will staff the boiler installation business. Enact energy, (Tesco Heating? of the future?) are looking to recruit local heating companies and NOT local engineers.

They have outlined the criteria for entry into the Tesco installer scheme as a company which has a minimum of 5 GSR engineers (ideally), who are registered with that company and are NOT subcontractors. This entry criteria means that the vast majority of small family run heating companies will be excluded from the scheme and their livelihoods may become threatened by the likes of Tesco as they will become direct competition.

Sadly this company doesn't know when to stop. Food (which doesn't have a taste!), electrical, computers, games, toys, books, phones, homeware, soft funishings, cars (yes, cars!), newspapers, clothes, roofline products, loans, banking and now boilers!

Very sad that Worcester didn't think to support the installers whether approved or not, by refusing to allow their boilers to be used. They can still walk away from this and refuse to let their boilers be used by a company that could threaten an entire industry and the incomes of thousands of people. Families.

Testimonial 19/02/12 Mr. D. Butler (via twitter)

plumbersmate — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:01:01 +0000

'Excellent and friendly service from @swannplumbing in Whitstable.
Resurrected boiler saving me a packet. Highly recommended.'

Beware of your Solicitor!

plumbersmate — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:28:15 +0000

When moving home, Solicitors are mean't to make sure that all of the sellers paperwork is in order before they act on your behalf to secure a sale. In most cases this theory works well.

However since 2005 Gas boilers have needed the 'Benchmark' document completed and a notification made via Corgi and now Gas Safe Register. Without these documents a Gas boiler has no installation history and more importantly, has no record of a competent person commissioning the appliance.

No appliance can legally be left connected to the gas supply unless it has been commissioned. This is why the 'benchmark' document is so important, as it is evidence of commissioning. Without this document, the gas boiler has to be removed from the gas supply either with or without the home-owners consent. We are seeing more and more boilers slip past solicitors who haven't checked sufficiently. This leaves the owner of the home (who hasn't fitted the boiler), penalised for the ineptitude of the solicitor and the illegal work endorsed by the previous home-owner.

When buying a house that has a condensing gas boiler, always ask your solicitor for copies of the 'Benchmark' and 'The Building control notification'.

‘Fantastic service’ Testimonial 13/02/2012

plumbersmate — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:02:50 +0000

Re: Emergency callout on monday morning

Hi Simon ,
Just wanted to tell you what a fantastic service you gave us today . At short notice, too.
we'll definitely be using and recommending you in the future.

many thanks
Karen & Phil
Canterbury

PHAM news front page!

plumbersmate — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:58:17 +0000

Who'd have thought our little blog would get a mention on the front page of PHAM news. The news of Tesco entering the domestic boiler market should send shock waves through the industry. As a business they are very very successful and the way they run their business is a world away from the small family firms that provide this service at the moment. I'm not keen on the spread of Tesco or any other major supermarket as I see it as the death of the independent shops/businesses.

Worcester, who have no direct relationship with Tesco, will obviously welcome the initial monopoly. It's not everyday the biggest supermarket in the land endorses your products (most of which are good). I don't think that Tesco are in it for the greener cleaner more efficient heating systems for peoples homes aspect. I think they are in it for volume sales and the possibility of financing any credit needed. Worcester will get volume sales and exposure. The ultimate cost of this link up will become apparent in the coming months and years.

digital flue analysers

plumbersmate — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:43:05 +0000

Any Gas Engineer without the CPA1 (analysers) accreditation by 01/04/2012 will have their Gas registration suspended immediately.

At Swann Plumbing we have had this accreditation for 3.5 yrs now (ahead of time) and therefore have been keeping customers safer for far longer. There is NO compromise with regards to Safety (especially Gas). The digital analyser allows engineers to actually decipher the exhaust gas composition and declare whether a boiler is burning correctly and is safe or not

Viessmann 100 Failure

plumbersmate — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:28:36 +0000

Viessmann 100 combi boiler was failing to go over to CH (heating) even though the room thermostat was calling for heat! Hot water was okay but heating failed until the honeywell controller was turned off then turned on again. Once reset, the Ch worked without fail. The cause of the problem was not the batteries in the controller, but the controller itself! Once replaced this programmer didn't pose a problem. all good and the customer advised.

Worcester Bosch catastrophic Failure after 7 yrs

plumbersmate — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:20:00 +0000

A little CBI (the precursor of the well known Ri range, had a serious leak on the right hand side of the heat exchanger due to a 'Weld' giving way on the upper side of the heat exchanger. Usually these models suffer from pinpoint corrosion on the heat exchanger from the baffle plate. Worcester boilers should last a hell of a lot longer! my ethos is, if you cant get a Viessmann or Vaillant then get a Worcester still holds true. This boiler should last at least a decade if not more. if it's got 'Ideal' on the cover and its 7yrs old then fully expect a new boiler!!! A new Worcester Ri 24 condensing boiler should last you 12-15yrs.

Alpha Boiler repair 28-12-11

plumbersmate — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:48:14 +0000

'I'm really impressed with the service and didn't think it would be sorted out the same day.'

Mr. Seager, Swalecliffe Whitstable

Christmas call-out charges

plumbersmate — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:42:26 +0000

A new customer of ours decided to wait til after Christmas had totally passed before calling us for the first time, even though their boiler had packed up the day after Christmas! The thinking behind the delay was the 'Cost of a call-out charge' and how much they were going to be charged for service during the holiday period.

There probably are some unscrupulous firms who would charge well over the odds for a Christmas call out. Not us! We charged time and a half for our callout on the 25th of december and the same for the range cooker repair carried out on Christmas eve after a 403 mile journey back from scotland (the same day)!

Making the call may not be as painful as you think.