CH and boiler questions

[Mogweed]

I've inherited my mam's victorian terraced house and we're renovating it with a view to renting it out. I was telling a friend about our plans but he's absolutely adamant that I can't do what I want to do so I'm hoping to get confirmation, one way or the other, from you good people.

There's never been any central heating in the house so we'll be installing a brand new system from scratch. As far as I understand it (and remember, we'll be renting the house out), anyone can install the system, ie, hang the boiler on the wall, run all the pipes, fit the rads, fill it with water etc., and you don't have to be a plumber or heating engineer to do any of that (what I would call the "wet" side of the system) *as long as* we get a CORGI guy in to do the gas run from the meter to the boiler and commission it. Oh, and I also know that as of the 1st of this month a new regulation came out and that all new boilers now have to be condensing boilers.

My mate reckons we can't do that - it has to be a CORGI plumber or heating engineer to do the whole lot. Who's right - me or him?

Any recommendations regarding make of boiler? I don't want the tenants coming to me every five minutes saying there's something wrong with the system so reliability is my main concern. We were in a B&Q Warehouse today for something unrelated but looked at their range of boilers and they seem to have some decent deals on Biasi and Ravenheat - are they good, bad or indifferent?

As a final question, I also know that we'll be required to get a "Landlord's Safety Certificate" for it every year. Will I have to get one immediately even though it's a brand new installation or will the CORGI guy's commissioning certification (or whatever it is he'll give me) do for the first 12 months and then an LSC annually after that?

Cheers guys,

Mogweed.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Neither. You are nearer. If you are compitent, you can do the gas side and the commissioning too. You will need to get CORGI to do a landlord's certificate before you rent out, and I don't think you are permitted to do any gas work whilst it's rented out.

Ask for the certificate whilst it's being commissioned, as it probably won't cost anything extra (unless you have other gas appliances to be tested too).

[Mogweed]

Thanks very much for your reply Andrew, very informative and much appreciated. Now then, anyone got any recommendations for good, reliable boilers?

Mogweed.

[Owain]

But would tben need a building control application for a new boiler (Part L) and possibly also the electric wiring for the controls (part P) (references to England/Wales Building Regs)?

Agreed.

Owain

[RedOnRed]

Worcester Bosch or Vaillant seem to have the best reputations on here and amongst plumbers.

We've just had a WB fitted and very nice it is to.

[Mogweed]

Thanks very much Red, I'll have a look at those manufacturers.

Mogweed.

[Mogweed]

Thanks very much Owain. The house is being completely rewired so Part (taking the) P will be taken into account anyway, but thanks for pointing out Part L.

Mogweed.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Note that Part L is an energy efficiency check, not a gas safety check, which you will still need.

[Mogweed]

Thanks once again Andrew. I know nothing about Part L (of course, I'll have to find out about it) but the way I was reading Owain's post, as in:

I assumed it was some sort of application form we had to fill in for permission to install a new boiler or some such thing. Life used to be so simple :o)

Mogweed.

[John Stumbles]

I'd suggest checking out your local CORGIs and finding one who's sympathetic to working with you on this e.g. helping you check that you've got the radiator sizing and controls correct and that he's happy with your work installing the wet side, and maybe you hanging the boiler. After all (as you know) you'll need someone to commission the system and do your landlord's certificate, so you might as well get him involved from the start. Also, he'll be able to self-certify it under part L (as well as notify it to CORGI).

[Mogweed]

Thanks very much John, another very good point. Thank goodness for this group :o)

Mogweed.

[Lobster]

The landlord's cert is definitely worth mentioning at the outset when you're looking for someone, as certainly not all CORGIs can and/or will issue them. There are very few round my neck of the woods who do them now. (Actually I'd be quite surprised if you find a single CORGI who will happily certify your gas work as well as issuing a landlords cert: if you do, please give me the guy's number!)

David

[Ed Sirett]

Firstly the 'can' issue: In order to issue a Landlords' Safety Record the fitter will need the certification for the type of fuel used and for each appliance type present.

In an urban area this means that Natural Gas with Boilers, Water Heaters, Fires and Cookers would cover 99%+ of rental properties (with Laundry and Warm-Air certification you would be absolutely sure). It is possible but quite unlikely that someone who does general work would not have those basic five assessments.

Secondly the will issue: ISTM that Landlords' certificates are steady work. Especially as

1) Annual repeat work should be forthcoming and straightforward. 2) Initial assessments are likely to bring in remedial work. 3) Generally it's a stack easier than clearing out rusty old boilers.

Maybe there are so few that the fitters in your area just "cherry pick" the easy boiler replacements?

[Mike]

Presumably if they are doing extensive renovations this will be needed anyway for other things.

[Mike]

For rentals you need to check out the building regs for fire and so on as renting out is a sort of change of use. Don't know the layout of your building as to what applies and what doesn't, but if there's a third floor for example you will need fire doors.

[Lobster]

OK. ISTR phoning CORGI and them giving me a list of a few suitably qualified local fitters; maybe I misconstrued it.

Dunno - they certainly aren't short of work round here. But last time I was looking for someone to do a 'Landlords' I was passed from one CORGI to another three times before I found one who'd do it!

David

[Tony Bryer]

Ed may wish to comment but as someone who has on the client end of these inspections ISTM that it pays pretty well, you don't get all dirty, you don't have the hassles that come with doing serious installation work in an occupied house and if you (say) want to work a half day or part time it's easy to do.

[Ed Sirett]

AFAIK the system use by CORGI (which is accessible to the general public via their website) will give you a selection of fitters in your postal code together with distances to their address.