My letting agent organised for Heatcraft to undertake the annual gas safety check on my flat. I have lived here for two years without issue and my flat has always been properly certified...but never before by Heatcraft. The engineer they sent merely stood and looked at my boiler before deciding that the casing was 'mastic-ed' in and 'not fit for maintenance' and that testing was therefore not possible. He then found the exterior flue and again, just by looking from a distance, decided there was no sufficient airflow and so my boiler was dangerous and needed to be immediately disconnected. In the middle of winter. He asked for two colleagues to attend, both of whom did nothing different and merely agreed with him.
I knew this was not correct, so refused him entry to complete the disconnection. He then called Cadent, who have the legal powers to disconnect, and LIED that there was a smell of gas (there wasn't) out of spite. Cadent disconnected my gas from the mains leaving me - mid shower - without hot water or heating.
The next day my landlord got a second opinion from a different local company. Their engineer brought in a ladder and so was able to see the casing was held by screws, not mastic, and easily conduct the necessary tests (which were all clear). He then took the ladder to inspect the flue and called the boiler manufacturer to check the legal clearance space (again, it passed). Meaning in less than ten minutes he proved there was never any danger and my boiler was safe.
I was therefore put through unnecessary inconvenience and trauma - and it was traumatic - for NOTHING. Not only was this man incompetent at his job but he also lied. When I tried to file a complaint the office staff didn't even provide an apology, just told me to contact Gas Safe (which I have).
Do NOT use this company. read more
