Monumental EDF F**K Up. Gas Advice please

[R11ysf]

After being hounded about smart meters I decided to get them fitted and EDF sent a fitter to my house to fit new smart meters and after a considerable length of time here told me that the new gas meter had been fitted, I had a very small gas leak and that he was shutting off the gas, capping it and reporting it as a gas leak from my property.

I have subsequently called out British Gas to inspect my property and after repeated tests the correctly qualified engineer informed me that the "leak" was well within permitted tolerances. I have been informed that a 4 millibar drop during a 3 minute test with no smell of gas is permitted. My "leak" was 1 millibar. After looking at the boiler, pipework and also because I have never experienced any smell of gas in over a year that I have lived here the engineer said he was happy to reconnect the gas. However, after checking with his technical team, because their engineer falsely reported the property as having a gas leak it was now on a register and the permitted limit now drops to 0.

On closer inspection of the paperwork the fitter has not shown any recordings of the pressure test results before or after fitting from the new or old meter. I am informed by the engineer that the fitter should have tested it before replacement and then if he was not qualified to understand what levels of seepage are permitted then he could have simply turned the gas off at the mains and done no work on the property. By doing this and not incorrectly capping the meter and reporting the property falsely, a qualified engineer would then have been able to turn the gas back on as it is well within permitted tolerance.

I have no idea why this was not done, either the fitter did not leak test before removing the old meter or maybe he was incentivised by payment from completion of jobs but if he had done the test properly and was not confident in the meaning of the result he should have touched nothing. I wish that is what he had done.

Instead I have had no heating and hot water for 4 days now and on top of that because my house is falsely on the register as having a gas leak I now find myself in the unenviable position of having to have my house ripped apart and replace the gas pipes for the entire 3 storey house unnecessarily which could be a staggeringly expensive, time consuming and stressful job.

Any thoughts or advice please?

[Blaster72]

Give the Energy ombudsman a call, can't hurt to have a chat with them and see what they think

0330 440 1624

[matty g]

Where is your boiler.

Just trying to calm you a little. But We have a 3 storey house but our boiler is on the ground floor so we don't have any "gas" pipes on any other floors.

They should also be able to disconnect the meter and test "your" side for leaks

[R11ysf]

My boiler is top left corner of a 3 storey house.

My gas meter is bottom right corner, ground floor in garage.

I've just come to the end of decoration and overhaul lasting nearly a year all in, the prospect of ripping it apart is seriously pissing me off at the moment.

[Andehh]

100% straight to ombudsmen, I'd be livid to under in your situation! Especially with wife & kids.

Would expect both companies to get a kicking!

[crispian22]

Have him isolate all appliances then test the pipework only.
If it's OK then you know the leak is on an appliance and not your pipework.
Could be something simple like a sticky gas valve on the boiler passing gas,as it would go out the flue you won't smell it.

[bazjude2998]

Telephone the company who installed the meter (followed with an email) out line all that your OP states with emphasis on the fact the engineer didn't follow correct precedier.Should always carry out a drop test before starting any work.If their company doesn't rectify the situation immediately then please supply the address of their solicitors.It would help if your 82 year old aunt was staying with you.They usually respond when an elderly person is without heat.

[R11ysf]

I have written to EDF to complain but I will contact the ombudsman now for advice. This is a joke to be honest. The British Gas engineer said that they just use fitters who don't know anything outside of their one job and so his lack of knowledge and skills has screwed me, but he can't reconnect it as he would be the one going to jail!

[andySC]

Depending on which type of meter is fitted a 4mb pressure loss in a 2min tightness test is permitted. This must be an existing installation, which yours is & appliances must be connected & no smell of gas must be reported. The meter fitter who attended was incompetent or misinformed on the Gas Safety Regulations.

I've attended properties after these guys have exchanged meters to reconnect supplies or appliances after they have been disconnected for various reasons. All of which were nonsense & unnecessary and cost the customers to have me visit.

I have no idea what this "leak register" is that OP mentions. An installation either complies with the scope of the current regulations or it doesn't regardless of whether it's been visited before for a reported gas escape.

[andySC]

OP. Call out a competent private Gas Engineer. They should have the confidence & competence to reconnect your supply. There's no need to trouble British Gas again. Contact Gas Safe too, it'd be worthwhile informing them that BG are using fitters that are not familiar with the Regulations in place.

[R11ysf]

Andy thanks for that,
The BG engineer was actually excellent. He said he was happy to reconnect me but had to check something with his technical department. A call to his senior advisor at his technical department informed him that the rules had very recently changed and now because it had been dis-connected as unsafe the limit was now zero.

Has there been a rule change you are/are not aware of?

[andySC]

R11ysf said:

Andy thanks for that,
The BG engineer was actually excellent. He said he was happy to reconnect me but had to check something with his technical department. A call to his senior advisor at his technical department informed him that the rules had very recently changed and now because it had been dis-connected as unsafe the limit was now zero.

Has there been a rule change you are/are not aware of?

I'm not aware of any register or alteration in the rules regarding gas leaks. This may be BG's internal "rules" but they have no basis as regards the GSR's. I worked as a British Gas Service Engineer & then for Transco/Nat Grid from 1989 to 2006 so attending gas leaks was my stock-in-trade. I'm now a self employed Gas Engineer & last month did my recertification for my qualifications & no mention was made of this. Either an installation complies with the current regulations or it doesn't & a 1mbar drop on an existing installation with no smell of gas doesn't warrant disconnecting.

If you contact Gas Safe I'm sure they can reassure you & as I mentioned contact a private Engineer & leave BG to their "registers & rules".

[R11ysf]

andySC said:

I'm not aware of any register or alteration in the rules regarding gas leaks. This may be BG's internal "rules" but they have no basis as regards the GSR's. I worked as a British Gas Service Engineer & then for Transco/Nat Grid from 1989 to 2006 so attending gas leaks was my stock-in-trade. I'm now a self employed Gas Engineer & last month did my recertification for my qualifications & no mention was made of this. Either an installation complies with the current regulations or it doesn't & a 1mbar drop on an existing installation with no smell of gas doesn't warrant disconnecting.

If you contact Gas Safe I'm sure they can reassure you & as I mentioned contact a private Engineer & leave BG to their "registers & rules".

Sorry Andy, I appreciate the advice but I just contacted Gas Safe and you are wrong. The permissable drop for a U6 meter is 4mb HOWEVER as the house has been reported as "an installation with a proven gas leak" this now drops to ZERO. To re-connect it would be breaking the law. This was from the Gas Safe Technical Officer.

My only hope is to contact EDF again and see if they can remove the notice as an error.

[andySC]

R11ysf said:

Sorry Andy, I appreciate the advice but I just contacted Gas Safe and you are wrong. The permissable drop for a U6 meter is 4mb HOWEVER as the house has been reported as "an installation with a proven gas leak" this now drops to ZERO. To re-connect it would be breaking the law. This was from the Gas Safe Technical Officer.

My only hope is to contact EDF again and see if they can remove the notice as an error.

Crikey. No mention of this last month at a weeks worth of training & no bulletins from Gas Safe. I guess they'll be plenty more of this coming to the fore as the smart meter programme gets under way. I wonder how a private engineer would know an installation had previously been leaking & if that was properly repaired & why it would need to have a zero tolerance rule applied to it...moving on, in that case you need to find the escape of poss. Isolate individual appliances & test. If the leak is on pipework only then a no pressure loss is allowed anyhow (as always has been the case).

[Simpo Two]

R11ysf said:

My only hope is to contact EDF again and see if they can remove the notice as an error.

That seems the best and also most sensible option in this curious case of double standards.

Or find someone who will get you going again no questions asked. You ain't seen me roight?

[R11ysf]

Simpo Two said:

Or find someone who will get you going again no questions asked. You ain't seen me roight?

I saw how he capped the meter, i could do I myself piece of pi$$
BUT it will still be on the register....

[dirkgently]

R11ysf said:

Simpo Two said:

Or find someone who will get you going again no questions asked. You ain't seen me roight?

I saw how he capped the meter, i could do I myself piece of pi$$
BUT it will still be on the register....

Get a Gassafe man around to check it, about an hour and you will be up and running. All good, all within the regulations.

[andySC]

I've just spoken with an ex colleague who works for National Grid as an Emergency Services Engineer. They certainly don't keep a register of whether an installation is leaking or if it has been previously. If they attend an escape the information they're given makes no mention of previous work at the address or if a leak has been attended to in the past.

Things have come unstuck is with the "proven gas leak" part. Granted a 1mbar drop IS a gas leak but not one that warrants further investigation providing it meets a certain criteria. When the second guy has turned up I'd assume EDF called the ESP (Gas emergency service provider) on your behalf? He's turned up to a reported gas escape & applied their protocols to it. In essence turn off & f@ck off.

I'd still be giving a call to a local guy who is ok to restablish the supply. If I personally attended a job with a capped meter & found a 1mbar drop on an existing installation with no smell reported I'd be happy to reconnect.

[R11ysf]

andySC said:

I've just spoken with an ex colleague who works for National Grid as an Emergency Services Engineer. They certainly don't keep a register of whether an installation is leaking or if it has been previously. If they attend an escape the information they're given makes no mention of previous work at the address or if a leak has been attended to in the past.

Things have come unstuck is with the "proven gas leak" part. Granted a 1mbar drop IS a gas leak but not one that warrants further investigation providing it meets a certain criteria. When the second guy has turned up I'd assume EDF called the ESP (Gas emergency service provider) on your behalf? He's turned up to a reported gas escape & applied their protocols to it. In essence turn off & f@ck off.

I'd still be giving a call to a local guy who is ok to restablish the supply. If I personally attended a job with a capped meter & found a 1mbar drop on an existing installation with no smell reported I'd be happy to reconnect.

Thank you Andy. It was the EDF guy who replaced the meter who turned it off. The British Gas guy who I called out was the once who said he was happy to turn on but wasn't allowed to.
I'm getting conflicting information as EDF said they are now happy to turn it back on but can't find me an appointment until 8th April!!
This is fking killing me.

[andySC]

R11ysf said:

Thank you Andy. It was the EDF guy who replaced the meter who turned it off. The British Gas guy who I called out was the once who said he was happy to turn on but wasn't allowed to.
I'm getting conflicting information as EDF said they are now happy to turn it back on but can't find me an appointment until 8th April!!
This is fking killing me.

As Dirk & myself say get a Gas Safe guy in pronto. There's no need to have EDF/British Gas faff any further.