Paid 200 euro and I was left with a broken and a leaking radiator

sushmita

One day the boiler wasn’t working. I called Board Gais but I had to wait for ten days. I googled Meath+boiler service, I found a technician who is approved and could come the day after.
After starting the boiler, there were three radiators not working. He fixed two radiators not the third one though. However they all work finally.
Ten minutes after the technician left, the radiator that wasn’t checked stopped working. I closed all the other radiators and left that one open (as he told me to do) and it started working again.
However, less than two weeks after he came in, that radiator stopped working in any way. Also, I found that the boiler in the bathroom is leaking.
Ten days after he came, I called him and explained. He said he would come in the evening. Instead he didn’t show up and didn’t call either. I called him and he said that he would come the day after. Day after same story. I called him and I explained the issue, he said that he’d come to fix the leaking radiatior but he wouldn’t spend time in checking the other radiator. When I said that radiator wasn’t checked in a first stage, he said that when he left all the radiators were working. He also said that he cannot call at my door everytime I have a problem. I told him that the problem started 10 minutes after he left, he said that then the system needs to be flushed, that it takes a whole day and it would cost another 400-500 euro.
End of the story, I have a bill of 209 euro, which luckily my landlord refunded me, but there is one radiator leaking and one not working. No sign of this technician coming despite my several messages.
Do you have any advice? Can I open a complaint?
Thank you for your help on this.

Dtp1979

sushmita wrote: »

One day the boiler wasn’t working. I called Board Gais but I had to wait for ten days. I googled Meath+boiler service, I found a technician who is approved and could come the day after.
After starting the boiler, there were three radiators not working. He fixed two radiators not the third one though. However they all work finally.
Ten minutes after the technician left, the radiator that wasn’t checked stopped working. I closed all the other radiators and left that one open (as he told me to do) and it started working again.
However, less than two weeks after he came in, that radiator stopped working in any way. Also, I found that the boiler in the bathroom is leaking.
Ten days after he came, I called him and explained. He said he would come in the evening. Instead he didn’t show up and didn’t call either. I called him and he said that he would come the day after. Day after same story. I called him and I explained the issue, he said that he’d come to fix the leaking radiatior but he wouldn’t spend time in checking the other radiator. When I said that radiator wasn’t checked in a first stage, he said that when he left all the radiators were working. He also said that he cannot call at my door everytime I have a problem. I told him that the problem started 10 minutes after he left, he said that then the system needs to be flushed, that it takes a whole day and it would cost another 400-500 euro.
End of the story, I have a bill of 209 euro, which luckily my landlord refunded me, but there is one radiator leaking and one not working. No sign of this technician coming despite my several messages.
Do you have any advice? Can I open a complaint?
Thank you for your help on this.

What's the problem here? He told you it needed to be flushed.
If the system is sludged up, then radiators may periodically stop working even after they're fixed. It's not his fault the system is contaminated nor is it his problem. The only solution is a powerflush.

Billy Bunting

sushmita wrote: »

I googled Meath+boiler service, I found a technician who is approved.

Approved by who ?

eeguy

Are they totally broken or cold in places.

Cold at the bottom means sludged up, cold at the top is an air block.

mickdw

Dtp1979 wrote: »

What's the problem here? He told you it needed to be flushed.
If the system is sludged up, then radiators may periodically stop working even after they're fixed. It's not his fault the system is contaminated nor is it his problem. The only solution is a powerflush.

So it was ok for him to arrange 2 appointments and not show up.
I'm a sole trader running small business in a small town and if I went on like that, I would be out of business in a month.

Dtp1979

mickdw wrote: »

So it was ok for him to arrange 2 appointments and not show up.
I'm a sole trader running small business in a small town and if I went on like that, I would be out of business in a month.

He shouldn't have made such promises to the client. he should've said that what he was doing was only a temporary fix and the system needed to be flushed

Sleeper12

Your landlord needs to spend the cash and get the system power flushed. The price he quoted sounds about right. The equipment and materials are expensive for a power flush. I don't see the point of getting professional advice and then not taking it.

However I do get you being annoyed about him not turning up or not phoning to cancel or postpone. Being a bad businessman does mean his advice is wrong.

sushmita

"What's the problem here? He told you it needed to be flushed.
If the system is sludged up, then radiators may periodically stop working even after they're fixed. It's not his fault the system is contaminated nor is it his problem. The only solution is a powerflush."



He said it to me only two weeks after I called him. The two radiators that were fixed they work fine, he didn't fix the third radiator.
He didn't twist one of the radiators and it's now leaking.

sushmita

RGI.

sushmita

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Approved by who ?

RGI

sushmita

eeguy wrote: »

Are they totally broken or cold in places.

Cold at the bottom means sludged up, cold at the top is an air block.

It's one radiator not working.
It's completely cold.
However, if I turn all the radiators off and leave this on, it would start, but then after half an hour or less, it gets off.
There's no air inside the radiator, I already checked.

sushmita

mickdw wrote: »

So it was ok for him to arrange 2 appointments and not show up.
I'm a sole trader running small business in a small town and if I went on like that, I would be out of business in a month.

I sometimes think that because I'm a woman, and, I'm not Irish he doesn't bother.

sushmita

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Your landlord needs to spend the cash and get the system power flushed. The price he quoted sounds about right. The equipment and materials are expensive for a power flush. I don't see the point of getting professional advice and then not taking it.

However I do get you being annoyed about him not turning up or not phoning to cancel or postpone. Being a bad businessman does mean his advice is wrong.

Hi Sleeper, the reason why I'm asking is because I'm not an expert of these things. I'm not saying that I'm not taking the professional advice. Please allow me to have some doubts after a professional technician leaves a radiator leaking and he makes me believe that he comes to fixes while he does not and he doesn't inform either. I don't think this is very professional and honest.

agusta

Did you tell your landlord you have a radiator leaking.It really should be up to the
landlord to sort the heating out for you and leave the landlord get stressed instead of you

sushmita

agusta wrote: »

Did you tell your landlord you have a radiator leaking.It really should be up to the
landlord to sort the heating out for you and leave the landlord get stressed instead of you[/QUOTE

You're very right Agusta.
I haven't said anything yet 'cause I was hoping it was a quick fix and not such a big deal.
My landlady doesn't know ayone here and she always asked me if I can deal with it by myself. I don't mind as long as things run smoothly. Besides, she lives in Malaysia six months a year and I guess she doesn't want to be involved.

agusta

Ok,i understand.You could mention it to your landlord as it looks like it going to cost her more money to get it sorted.your local plumbing merchants should be able to give you the name of a good plumber as it seems like the last guy is not going to come back

The problems you are experiencing with your heating system are most likely the symptoms of a problem and not the problem.

As mentioned I would find another RGI with the idea of first proving your heating system is contaminated and if so they should clean it(before repairing the rad), a good RGI would also be looking to identify any heating system defects that may speed up or cause contamination and any defective plumbing that may be having a negative impact on circulation.

sushmita

agusta wrote: »

Ok,i understand.You could mention it to your landlord as it looks like it going to cost her more money to get it sorted.your local plumbing merchants should be able to give you the name of a good plumber as it seems like the last guy is not going to come back

Thank you Agusta, I'll have to do so.

sushmita

gary71 wrote: »

The problems you are experiencing with your heating system are most likely the symptoms of a problem and not the problem.

As mentioned I would find another RGI with the idea of first proving your heating system is contaminated and if so they should clean it(before repairing the rad), a good RGI would also be looking to identify any heating system defects that may speed up or cause contamination and any defective plumbing that may be having a negative impact on circulation.

Yes, Gary. I trusted that all RGI installers were good technicians as being recognized, but apparently it's not like that. I have to now find someone else via recommendation. The issue is that not many installers work here in the countryside. For example Bord Gais said that they don't do flushing in county Meath.
I'll go searching. Thank you for your advice.

Billy Bunting

Being "recognised" in this case just means that they have paid their money, it doesnt mean he aint a numpty, sound recomendation is always the way to go, try asking here.

sushmita

sushmita wrote: »

Yes, Gary. I trusted that all RGI installers were good technicians as being recognized, but apparently it's not like that. I have to now find someone else via recommendation. The issue is that not many installers work here in the countryside. For example Bord Gais said that they don't do flushing in county Meath.
I'll go searching. Thank you for your advice.

Unfortunately for you it's only a 12 day course to be a RGI with no trade requirement of any kind (until recently) this has led to massive influx of RGIs who are not all that good as they tend to think a gas leak is connected to eating to many tins of baked beans.

The good news is there's good RGIs out there so it's worth putting the effort in, you can try the manufacturer of the boiler to see if they have a local agent or pop in to your local plumbing merchants as they tend to know who's good.