CORGI bad plumber

[raden]

In message , Conrad Edwards writes

Because - he's then covering up someone else's incompetence

don't be so stupid

[John Rumm]

Probably right... the "one last chance" was more an opportunity to make it clear that there would be consequences for him if the work was not completed satisfactorily. It would deny him the argument of saying you did not allow him a chance to make good the work.

[John Rumm]

Not only that, one would suspect that for DIY work there will be a certain level of self preservation included in the equation. While you can't stop the truly incompetent from doing work on their own property (although Darwin may have a point here ;-), the chancer who is prone to taking short cuts may think twice when its his life at stake.

[TonyJeffs]

No!!! Although he did on his original visits. I am going to get a different firm, one that has jackets with their name on the back, to do a safety test on the entire gas installation.

I'm reluctant to get him into 'serious' trouble. I've used 3 central heating installers in my life, and sadly he was the best. He put the boiler, pipes and rads exactly where I wanted it. Never had that happen before.

I'll see what the independant test results are & take it from there.

Something else that is stupid:- apparantly I can get a Corgi reg'd person to instal a gas system, check HIS OWN work and give me a certificate to say it's ok. ...But thats true of electrics and MOT too.

Tony

[Andy Hall]

This is another big red flag.

The installation had a problem. He made a change (even if it was only doing something up) and then didn't test.

It's *the* most fundamental thing that should have been done and only takes a few minutes.

This is a good move, although you could call CORGI or look on their web site for fitters. You don't necessarily need to spend the big bucks. As a minimum, I would deduct the cost from the first guy's bill.

Obviously it's your choice, but the way that the guy has been operating and not doing fundamental safety checks is highly concerning. Perhaps you could at least check his registration with CORGI. If it turns out that he isn't registered, then for me at least it would make the moral decision very easy.

Yep. This is one of several government self certification schemes. CORGI checks a sample of fitter's work - something like 2-3 installlations a year IIRC - and otherwise works by complaint.

Would people be willing to spend more on independent inspection each time work is done?

[MikeS]

Dear All, I don't know if anyone saw the TV program on Railtrack maintenance by covert reporters. We are wasting our time when rail track can run the maintenance of the railways so badly and get away with it. How many people have been killed by gas related incidences as against rail related deaths. Bear in mind the numbers of people who use gas and who use the railway at any given time. It seems strange that it is expectable to loose on average 6 Railtrack workers per week(struck by trains) according to the program. Whilst the inefficiencies with Railway maintenance is a crime it does not mean we should not have some governing body for gas fitting but, it seems, CORGI is going the way of Railtrack. I wonder what the insurance companies think about this? Barristers and solicitors are laughing all the way to the bank. Goverment, what government?

MikeS

[tarquinlinbin]

Yes, I'm afraid thats pretty much the current situation...its the governments' answer to the skills gap..

[Tim Mitchell]

In article , MikeS writes

I used to work for a rail maintenance company, rail workers getting killed on the track is very rare. If you took an average over the past

20 years or something it might be 6 per YEAR, but over the last few years hardly anyone has been killed.

I would bet that many more people are killed by gas related incidents than rail related. Rail travel is actually very safe, it's just that accidents are always given prominence by the media.

[Mary Fisher]

That's what I believe too. The hysteria after a rail accident is madness.

As for 6 rail workers a week being killed, I don't believe it.

Mary

[MikeS]

Dear Mary and All,

I apologise I was give the wrong information by someone I trusted. Actually the fatalities where down by two this year at 5. Still it does not change my view on The Gorgi rip off or Railtrack after the TV's Whilstleblower program the other night.

MikeS sadder and wiser for a lot of reasons

[RichardS]

I think it's a control thing. With a car you have some thoughts that you're directly in control of your own destiny (whether or not that might be true). Drive diligently and you can go for a lifetime without a serious accident. Drive foolishly or without due regard to what you're doing and you're living on borrowed time, so to speak. Neglect your vehicle maintenance and you only have one person to blame.

However, with trains, planes, buses, etc your destiny is in the hands of others, which is why accident statistics get blown out of all proportion.

[Ed Sirett]

proportion.

I think it's also about the numbers killed or hurt in one event. The half a dozen or so killed on the roads on average most days don't make the news. Half a dozen or so in a train/plane/ship will.

[Mary Fisher]

It's very easy for half a dozen people to be killed on the road in one incident. In fact it's reported quite often, it's just that there isn't as much fuss about it.

Mary

[G&M]

Probably because when it's a train accident, they can propose spending money on something - new rails, points, replacing level crossings or whatever.

But if half a dozen people die in a traffic accident it's invariably because of a HGV losing control and nobody is willing to consider getting rid of these.