Boiler service for 39 euro

Patrick2010 · 31-08-2012 2:38pm #1

http://www.livingsocial.com/cities/68-south-dublin/deals/439017-boiler-service?awc=3925_1346419921_f85364e1259c88b7807e432254bddc80&temp_skip_roadblock=1+

Service for 39 euro or service and flush for 68 euro. Seems very cheap, anyone got one of these or have used Dublin plumbing and gas?, I'd be interested in opinions.

Billy Bunting · 31-08-2012 4:06pm

It's a joke, a flush of the loo after such a crap job.

JohnnieK · 01-09-2012 12:33am

Flush me arse. If someone see's this deal then reads all the threads that have been posted on this before and still goes and buys one, you dont care about your boiler or heating system and you would be better keeping your €68 and not bother getting it serviced.

It is a total scam and I have been to 3 jobs in the last while where the customers have had these jokers in and I had to clean up the mess.

You know, I think I'll buy one just so I can pick them up by the scruff and trough them out my door.

jimf · 01-09-2012 11:05am

for those kind of figures id say you probably would be better
off not reading the opinions of the kind of guys who
post on this forum for that kind of money its just not possible
to have either service or flush done properly let alone both

Robbie.G · 01-09-2012 12:21pm

Airtricty pay their subbies €38. Per boiler service I'm sure Bord Gais pay about the same

K.Flyer · 01-09-2012 12:41pm

Patrick,
Take a look at these threads...

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056638364?page=1

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056738091?page=1

01-09-2012 12:51pm

Robbie.G wrote: »

Airtricty pay their subbies €38. Per boiler service I'm sure Bord Gais pay about the same

€40 including vat:mad:

K.Flyer · 01-09-2012 12:52pm

Robbie.G wrote: »

Airtricty pay their subbies €38. Per boiler service I'm sure Bord Gais pay about the same

I know of a few cases where BG subbies left jobs in a dangerous condition. One to the degree that the boiler became so badly damaged that BG ended up paying out for the repairs to the boiler and refunded the cost of the service.

01-09-2012 1:47pm

These large companies are there to make money first, perception of good service second and service third.

There are some good RGI's who work for them and have good customer focused skills ,but these would be personal skills and not corporate as the Bossmen see their customers as a revenue source and give there RGI's traing on maximising profit on every visit €€€ credibility is a word that has got lost with the rusting of all those crisp notes their counting.

DGOBS · 01-09-2012 8:24pm

You know, we spend so much time defending this kind of junk, simple householders, you get what you pay for, the choice is yours

When I see a sign for 'service your van for 45 euro' (usually costs me 300 as the oil is expensive) I would never dream of servicing my van there, as I know what I am going to get for my money.

Rule of thumb for life, if it sounds too good to be true, IT IS!

Some of these guys service 10-20 boilers a day!! (I couldn't do more than 6! properly)

Traditional · 07-09-2012 12:00am

you aint seen nothing yet , there is a guy advertising it at 32 euro now oil or gas , did we leave a door open , are they mad , its a race to the bottom , having said that i know some one who booked them so i will pop out next week to see whats going on .

JohnnieK · 07-09-2012 10:06pm

Traditional wrote: »

you aint seen nothing yet , there is a guy advertising it at 32 euro now oil or gas , did we leave a door open , are they mad , its a race to the bottom , having said that i know some one who booked them so i will pop out next week to see whats going on .

And bring Eddie Hobs with you

:D

Paul Russell · 14-10-2012 4:24pm

"Service for 39 euro or service and flush for 68 euro. Seems very cheap, anyone got one of these or have used Dublin plumbing and gas?, I'd be interested in opinions."

Oh dear oh dear, I wish I had the benefit of hindsight.
I heard about this "service" from a friend and phoned for their gas service. They were with me in a flash on 21st September 2012. The guy "serviced" the boiler and also left with the payment of €39.00.

Two days later it was a bit cold in the evening and we turned on the heat. Low and behold, the boiler began leaking like a sieve and we had to phone the 24 hours emergency number. I told <Snip> that it was a bit of a coincidence that the heating was working fine before the service but was leaking all over the floor once it was turned on after the "service". Dave sent a guy the next day as we were going on holidays for a week. The guy said that the pressure guage was leaking "through wear and tear" and that he would order a new one and someoneone would fit it the day we returned from holiday.

Well, you can guess the rest. Despite numerous calls to this Dave and promises to call, there were "difficulties in getting the part", he would call "in the afternon", or "tomorrow" or the next day as "he was very busy".

So no heating from 21st September to 13th October when I got a proper person registered with the RGI who told me that the boiler was not serviced properly if at all as there were traces of grit in the filter. He said that <Snip> should have provided a Conformamce Certificate as required by law (not done). The system should have been properly tested to ensure the boiler was working in acordance with the instructions contained in the manual. He also told me that there is no way anyone could properly service a gas boiler for €39.00. Furthermore, he told me that he has never had to replace a pressure guage and the stockists said that they have only sold two in the past five years. Enough said.
So the moral of this story is caveat emptor (buyer beware) and never touch these cowboys with a barge pole. Warn your friends. You may even be puting yourr lives at risk by using them.

Mod Edit: Company Name removed

slavetothegrind · 14-10-2012 5:41pm

follow it up paul and complain to rgi and take him to the small claims for the 39 euro

people get away with stuff because they are let as victims don't bother complaining or persuing them!

Traditional · 14-10-2012 6:27pm

my pal told me when gas boiler man was coming , dropped out to meet him an his apprentice , who was a girl , any way they stripped down boiler , took out the burner brushed it out , removed all the dust with a small hover , checked burner pressure , even told us how much gas it was using per hour ,done a safety check all round the cover and put it all back together , checked the exhaust and put a probe into the flue , and was able to give a read out on the performance of the boiler , explained everything , knew their stuff ,
couldent fault them also said it was a special offer and wrote out the all important RGI cert ,
have to say great value for money , fair play to them

boilerbuddy · 15-10-2012 10:53pm

39 EURO SERVICES PRINTED ON SIDE OF VAN PULLED UP TO THE HOUSE FEW DOORS DOWN FROM WHERE I WAS DOING A SERVICE FOR A GOOD CUSTOMER OF MINE SHE ALSO SEEN THIS AND HAD THAT LOOK OF AM I BEING RIPPED OFF HERE OR WHAT ON HER FACE . SO I TOLD HER TO TIME HIM FROM WHEN HE STOOD OUT THE VAN TO WHEN HE GOT BACK IN IT AND LEFT.SHE CAME BACK TO ME WITH 8 MIN 40 SEC AND THATS NO JOKE AND HE BARELY TOOK A SCREWDRIVER IN LET ALONE AN ANALYSER THESE LADS ARE RUINING IT FOR THE GOOD RGI'S .
IVE SEEN BG HOMETEAM DOING QUICKER ONES IN FAIRNESS BUT THEIR GREATTT

Paul Russell · 20-10-2012 10:36pm

slavetothegrind wrote: »

follow it up paul and complain to rgi and take him to the small claims for the 39 euro

people get away with stuff because they are let as victims don't bother complaining or persuing them!

Have reported to the RGII but they don't seem to have sufficient evidence to nail the culprit as there was no signature on the receipt and the guy involved is lying through his teeth.

The name of the company has been edited out but beware any company offering this"service"for €39.00. They're based in Dublin 11.

cltt97 · 09-06-2013 10:33am

Well, thank God for boards, because I saw the offer, thought this looks awful cheap and decided to google it, and low and behold here's all I need to know. I've had my boiler serviced by a Dublin 12 company who also installed the boiler for me for years, and never had any complaints, but I kind of need someone who will climb up into the attic for me as my hot water cylinder doesn't seem to fill up properly and it's probably just the swimmer in the water tank or something, but I can't really climb up there. I told the last guy same and he said he wouldn't climb up, he was only a gas boiler service kind of guy. So I need someone who can do both. Any recommendations most welcome. Am in D12.

scudo2 · 09-06-2013 4:17pm

If you think thats cheap, what people don't also consider is that the coupon website gets 40-50% of that money. So your getting a €20 #*%@it service. Sorry Im based in Cork and only do oil.

corkgsxr · 09-06-2013 6:48pm

scudo2 wrote: »

If you think thats cheap, what people don't also consider is that the coupon website gets 40-50% of that money. So your getting a €20 #*%@it service. Sorry Im based in Cork and only do oil.

Yep was gonna say that. Its 50%.

NobodyImportant · 11-06-2013 11:23am

Got the €39 service from a deal last year. He came and went while the wife was at home. Few weeks later we had somebody looking at the boiler for an unreleated issue and he said it looked like somebody just blew compressed air at it and left. He then serviced it for me and didnt charge as he was waiting for something at the time.

DGOBS · 12-06-2013 10:11am

wow, your lucky, you got compressed air....! (did they charge extra for that!)

corkplumber · 12-06-2013 11:57am

A friend of mine has a council house. The council charge him 2 euro extra per week rent for the boiler service, the guy that services the boiler gets 40 euro off the contractor.

To cut a long story short, I asked him could I be there when the boiler was getting serviced. He agreed.

The lad was there 10 mins in total, from entering the property to leaving with his suitcase of tools. he took off the casing , hovered inside the housing, done a flue analizing test. service complete. maybe done a soundness test at the meter. but I couldn't confirm this.

this is what your getting for your cheap boiler service. however the council tenants are paying full price.

now what ever happened to the 20 point check.

corkplumber · 12-06-2013 12:08pm

sorry just to add to the above. the expansion vessel needed to be topped up. I knew this as I had been at his property previously to get his heating working.

he mentioned the boiler was been serviced and that's why I arranged to see what he gets for his money. as he said its compulsive to use the council and he couldn't use me to service his boiler. even though he was willing to pay e 70 euro himself and id have issued him a cert and carried out a full service.

the vessel still needs to be topped up , whats going on in this regulated industry?

.jacksparrow. · 12-06-2013 4:34pm

corkplumber wrote: »

A friend of mine has a council house. The council charge him 2 euro extra per week rent for the boiler service, the guy that services the boiler gets 40 euro off the contractor.

To cut a long story short, I asked him could I be there when the boiler was getting serviced. He agreed.

The lad was there 10 mins in total, from entering the property to leaving with his suitcase of tools. he took off the casing , hovered inside the housing, done a flue analizing test. service complete. maybe done a soundness test at the meter. but I couldn't confirm this.

this is what your getting for your cheap boiler service. however the council tenants are paying full price.

now what ever happened to the 20 point check.

To be fair it would take longer than ten mins to do the stuff you said between getting tools out setting up analyser and doing a soundness test,
You sure it wasn't a bit longer?

gifted · 12-06-2013 5:09pm

corkplumber wrote: »

sorry just to add to the above. the expansion vessel needed to be topped up. I knew this as I had been at his property previously to get his heating working.

he mentioned the boiler was been serviced and that's why I arranged to see what he gets for his money. as he said its compulsive to use the council and he couldn't use me to service his boiler. even though he was willing to pay e 70 euro himself and id have issued him a cert and carried out a full service.

the vessel still needs to be topped up , whats going on in this regulated industry?

Why didn't you top up his vessel while you were getting his heating working?

corkplumber · 12-06-2013 5:09pm

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

To be fair it would take longer than ten mins to do the stuff you said between getting tools out setting up analyser and doing a soundness test,
You sure it wasn't a bit longer?

from the time he entered the door to the time he went out the door it was 10 mins. he may have done a soundness test when he left. I couldn't be certain.

took off case. had a vacume. suckey suckey. back on with case. prope stook into flue. printed his reading and put little vac in suitcase and bye bye.

corkplumber · 12-06-2013 5:11pm

gifted wrote: »

Why didn't you top up his vessel while you were getting his heating working?

I didn't have a pump with me only a gauge. anyway I didn't want to drain the boiler. as it was a favour and I told him it would be part of the service

corkplumber · 12-06-2013 5:29pm

regardless of the price been charged. the following is a service. with a printout and cert provided.

Check location of boiler is correct
Do soundness test on gas line from meter to boiler
Check boiler for visual damage
Main burner - remove and clean as necessary
Clean heat exchanger
Clean condensate trap (condensing boilers )
Check operation of flame sensing device
Check operation of boiler thermostat and high limit stat.
Check operation of low water pressure control (where appropriate)
Check water level in tank in attic (where appropriate)
Check ventilation provision
Do spillage test on flue (where appropriate)
Check flue guard is fitted, if required
Check fuse fitted is 3amp
Check burner pressure on boiler
Check electrical wiring in boiler for damage
With boiler running, check for gas leaks
With boiler running, check effectiveness of flue
Drain boiler and check pressure in expansion vessel
Do combustion efficiency test on boiler (where appropriate)

shane0007 · 12-06-2013 6:27pm

corkplumber wrote: »

regardless of the price been charged. the following is a service. with a printout and cert provided.
Check location of boiler is correct

Do soundness test on gas line from meter to boiler

Check boiler for visual damage

Main burner - remove and clean as necessary

Clean heat exchanger

Clean condensate trap (condensing boilers )

Check operation of flame sensing device

Check operation of boiler thermostat and high limit stat.

Check operation of low water pressure control (where appropriate)

Check water level in tank in attic (where appropriate)

Check ventilation provision

Do spillage test on flue (where appropriate)

Check flue guard is fitted, if required

Check fuse fitted is 3amp

Check burner pressure on boiler

Check electrical wiring in boiler for damage

With boiler running, check for gas leaks

With boiler running, check effectiveness of flue

Drain boiler and check pressure in expansion vessel

Do combustion efficiency test on boiler (where appropriate)

By law, all he needs to do is an Annexe C. So most of this would be omitted. He only needs to soundness test from the boiler gas isolation valve to the burner.
This is how these €39 guys get away with it.
A service should always be an Annexe E but to suit the BG's of this country, they make more money when only C is required & they get away with it. Companies who follow their ethics also get away with it.
The small guy who is passionate about their work won't get away with it as he is his own juror & will be the first to fuel his OCD.

corkplumber · 12-06-2013 11:35pm

your on the ball shane.

but my point was if your paying 30 or 40 euro. you must have an idea that your only getting the basics. but paying in or around the 100 mark. you would expect a full service.

Maybe someone could tell me the legality of the council charging their tenant 104 euro for a boiler service. why cant the tenant pay for his own service and produce the cert to the council.

shane0007 · 13-06-2013 7:58am

There is no law against anybody charging what they like for their services but I haven't heard of a Council charging for it. All the ones I know do it for free & it is down to the engineer whether they carry out a C or an E. Most only do a C so they can fit in more in one day. Councils generally only pay in the region of €35.

corkplumber · 13-06-2013 11:52am

BOILER CHARGE IS A ‘RENT INCREASE IN DISGUISE’- CLLR. THOMAS GOULD
Sinn Féin Cork City Cllr. Thomas Gould has criticised the decision by Cork City Council to impose a charge of €2 per week on all local authority tenants to pay for the servicing of central heating boilers Cllr. Gould described this as an increase in rent not an additional charge. In the past Cork City Council serviced boilers every two years and the cost of this was included in the rent. Due to new Government legislation which came into effect on 1st February, Cork City Council is compelled to ensure that all council properties have adequate central heating. Cllr. Gould outline two main issues with what he is calling a rent increase in disguise. “I do not believe that the €2 weekly charge which amounts to €104 per year should be forced upon the tenants. This is a cost that the council should be responsible for but due to the cut backs to Cork City Council Local Government funding, it is now being passed on unfairly onto the tenants.” http://thecork.ie/2013/02/13/boiler-charge-is-a-rent-increase-in-disguise-cllr-thomas-gould/

shane0007 · 13-06-2013 11:55am

I didn't know that.
I wonder will all CC's bring that in. Most of the ones I know service annually.

Sign of the times. Our ginger leader wants every last drop of blood.
What he doesn't realise that veins without blood collapse!

corkplumber · 13-06-2013 11:59am

but the question I am asking shane is

if some tenants got and paid myself to do the service and I issued the certs to the council. the tenant be saving 30 euro plus. but council states you must use their contractor.

is this legally binding? since the tenant and not the landlord is paying for the service

shane0007 · 13-06-2013 12:15pm

Very good question.
The boiler is owned by the Council & you will probably find in the T & C's of the tenancy agreement that the Council must service the boiler either annually or bi-annually.
The Council will ensure that their contractor has all the paperwork in order, i's dotted & t's crossed. This means that their ass is covered.
They have no way of auditing your PL & other criteria, etc. so if something were to happen caused by you, the tenant can sue you & the Council.
Working for most Public Bodies, contractors must name & indemnify the LA from any claims in their insurance policy due to their negligence. This even extends to vehicle insurance.

It is therefore much easier to audit these requirements from their own list of tendered contractors.

It could also start some shifty business with contractors knocking on tenant's doors touting for business. A whole new problem could arise.

But you do indeed have a valid point.

corkplumber · 13-06-2013 12:24pm

thanks for your rely shane.

unless your stationary carries brown envelopes, your pissing against the wind. If you get my meaning. BG RGII all the same.

shane0007 · 13-06-2013 12:41pm

I would not go that far but certainly the system needs to change. The small guys like us are always going to be at a significant disadvantage.

We voted for our representatives within RGII so we need them to work for us & not disappear into the background.
Let's hope they contact us with their details so we can exchange our concerns. A large movement of substance is harder to stop than a trickle.

corkplumber · 13-06-2013 12:51pm

sorry shane. im probably been a bit harsh . having a bad day.

but to be honest I lost all faith in RGII a long time ago. Only because I HAVE TO. I pay the membership. I have no other alternative.

shane0007 · 13-06-2013 1:04pm

There is a need for an RGII. It just to be a better one.
There will also always be a need for good responsible engineers. The bad ones need to be re-trained.
RGII needs to do a hell of lot more in our industry but so do we. I know more "gas engineers" who don't possess a FG analyiser & multi-meter than those who do. They fault find by plugging in a new part.... It is their choice not to invest in their knowledge & in their business.
RGII should ensure that they do, so the improvements needs to come from both sides.
RGII also needs to educate the public in gas safety awareness.
Then & only then can a customer have confidence in the engineer they elect to carry out works for them instead of playing pin the tail on the donkey.

corkplumber · 13-06-2013 1:16pm

Shane. I agree 100% with you. But I wont be holding my breath in the mean time.

scudo2 · 13-06-2013 7:57pm

I saw a plumber's van in London ( Hindu or Shiek plumber) on the van's side it said, which I thought was good,
"YOU HAVE TRIED THE COWBOYS, NOW TRY THE INDIANS"
All I can say guys is let's pray to Allah, as I think nothing else works !!

corkplumber · 13-06-2013 8:24pm

scudo2 wrote: »

I saw a plumber's van in London ( Hindu or Shiek plumber) on the van's side it said, which I thought was good,
"YOU HAVE TRIED THE COWBOYS, NOW TRY THE INDIANS"
All I can say guys is let's pray to Allah, as I think nothing else works !!

BRILLIANT.

scudo2 · 20-06-2013 5:27pm

To Cork plumber & 007 ( who ever yu are! and where ever yu are)
In relation to Cork County Council charging € 2 per week for boiler service..............
The internet is f.in great. Google Cork City Council Tennants Hand book, look up page 9, look under plumbing repairs !!!
It's Illegal for the council to force tennants to pay €2 x 52 a year according to there own rules and regulations.
Get back onto me if you like or PM me your details. (curiosity killed da puddy cat)
As you probarly know I only do oil but to anybody who does GAS (even anywhere in the country), if this €2 rule is enforced then all private/small operators are loseing out on 50-80% of your clients. This is to important to ignore for ALL RGII service engineere and this surely is a topic to prove if RGII top brass are any good as they should be the ones fighting for this in our corner. Anybody know how to get them acting on this matter? Thanks

shane0007 · 20-06-2013 5:36pm

scudo2 wrote: »

To Cork plumber & 007 ( who ever yu are! and where ever yu are)
In relation to Cork County Council charging € 2 per week for boiler service..............
The internet is f.in great. Google Cork City Council Tennants Hand book, look up page 10, look under plumbing repairs !!!
It's Illegal for the council to force tennants to pay €2 x 52 a year according to there own rules and regulations.
Get back onto me if you like or PM me your details. (curiosity killed da puddy cat)
As you probarly know I only do oil but to anybody who does GAS (even anywhere in the country), if this €2 rule is enforced then all private/small operators are loseing out on 50-80% of your clients. This is to important to ignore for ALL RGII service engineere and this surely is a topic to prove if RGII top brass are any good as they should be the ones fighting for this in our corner. Anybody know how to get them acting on this matter? Thanks

What the hell are you on about????

KoolKid · 20-06-2013 5:44pm

A bit off topic here I think...

Boiler service for 39 euro

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