Starting out on my heat pump journey

[NoraBatty]

Id also be getting onto their 'trade' associations they belong to and making formal complaints about their abilitys or lack thereof.

Unfortunately the trade associations were who we had to go with to get ours "remedied" because it wasnt us who has it installed. And we've still got an install i am unhappy with and will be changing myself.
Id strongly suggest using the threat of the trade assocs but exhausting every other opportunity first.

They will just act as an independent, impartial mediator between the two parties.
No legal recourse can be sought before you go that route or they wont take the case on.
You have to agree to let them decide what is good enough and have them oversee the remedial work. You then have to agree to accept what they find as binding and final.
If they find there is a case, and the company refuse to put it right then the company are reprimanded and or removed from that association, and only some will make sure the work is then carried out to rectify.
Thats as far as they take it.

Our experience showed me that they are happy to sign off on what scrapes the barrel for a pass.

Far from the heatgeek experience Ronski signed up for, though heatgeek may be the only trade assoc recourse worth persuing as they have made their name off of their guarantee.

At least with the money held back, an almighty stink can be kicked up.
The problem is all trust has now gone. And taking an entire week off work to watch everything they do to fix it, is a big problem in its own right.

[Ronski]

Thanks guys, I'd just like to make it clear that I never signed up for a Heatgeek install, and wasn't even aware until the problems started that one of the guys was heatgeek trained, its something I discovered when I looked for his surname and it was on one of the companies posts somewhere.

This is all starting to take its toll on me, I'm under a lot of pressure at work (change of accounts package and business name), and cannot keep taking time off, it's not the financial cost, its massively increases the stresses at work.

[Joeboy]

Thanks guys, I'd just like to make it clear that I never signed up for a Heatgeek install, and wasn't even aware until the problems started that one of the guys was heatgeek trained, its something I discovered when I looked for his surname and it was on one of the companies posts somewhere.

This is all starting to take its toll on me, I'm under a lot of pressure at work (change of accounts package and business name), and cannot keep taking time off, it's not the financial cost, its massively increases the stresses at work.

Pressure is for pu**ies (or so i used to tell myself). You are still in the barrel and will be for a while yet. You need to be able to disconnect from the stress of it, drop down a level inside and be coldly analytical and dispassionate about it all.

Don't sour the relationship with the installer. Wankers though they are. Keep an eye on the end goal, get a working system, get the unit replaced and operational, then keep the money back by not signing off for the grant going to them until you are fully happy with the system for at least a month.

If they don't like it when you drop that bomb "sue me, see you in a month, we'll talk again then, bye". Or log the amount of time from day 1 until the HP unit is replaced and operational and call that the test window before signing off. If it takes them 2 months then a 2 month test window is logical.

Be polite, be professional, log it all as proof by email. Minimise the deniable phone calls or refer to them in your next emails. Unlucky pal, really sorry to hear you go through all this. Vent here.

It all comes back to a 4 day install and two apprentices onboard. What did they think would happen? Now they can remedy it all.

[Yuff]

The only silver lining from what I can see is it’s sunny and mild so you don’t need heating, everything else is an almighty f**k up…..
I can’t believe tradespeople can be so
Actually I can because standards have dropped everywhere …..that’s a whole other story

[NoraBatty]

Thanks guys, I'd just like to make it clear that I never signed up for a Heatgeek install, and wasn't even aware until the problems started that one of the guys was heatgeek trained, its something I discovered when I looked for his surname and it was on one of the companies posts somewhere.

This is all starting to take its toll on me, I'm under a lot of pressure at work (change of accounts package and business name), and cannot keep taking time off, it's not the financial cost, its massively increases the stresses at work.

Sorry Ronski, my mistake. You are right of course. Entire thread on this and only recently speaking of heatgeek. Brains had a fart whilst getting annoyed about what you are going through.

At least the weather is on your side and you arent needing heating.

Its not outwith the realm of possibility for them to cobble something temporary together to get hot water for you all in the meantime, even if it is a temporary hot water heater or even an electric shower they connect up. Not ideal but its them that have to find the solutions to the problems they have caused.

Chin up. At least you are aware of the issues and can get it put right now, rather than finding out about such things at a later date.

[AGT]

It will all work out, always challenging with trades nowadays.. just think about a few months time when it will be a distant memory and you will be benefitting from the install and hopefully the grief wont take too much of a toll.

[Stinsy]

Thanks guys, I'd just like to make it clear that I never signed up for a Heatgeek install, and wasn't even aware until the problems started that one of the guys was heatgeek trained, its something I discovered when I looked for his surname and it was on one of the companies posts somewhere.

This is all starting to take its toll on me, I'm under a lot of pressure at work (change of accounts package and business name), and cannot keep taking time off, it's not the financial cost, its massively increases the stresses at work.

You'll get there. Don't let it take a toll on you.

If I were you I'd be proposing solutions. The installers want you out of their hair. Maybe suggest their "chief plumber" (or whatever) and a couple of their competent and experienced guys block out a week. Rip it all out and install it correctly with a new HP. It sounds to me as if their failure to powerflush the existing system and install adequate filtration has fooked the HP if that is the case then it isn't Vailent's fault and they'll probably have to pay for a new HP.

Tell them they can drag this out for 6 months, with you on at them every single day, if they want. Or they can apply the resources required to fix it once-and-for-all. It'll be a hard lesson for them, but let'd face it they tried to do a 5-day 2-plumber (+apprentices) job in 4-days with one plumber.

[Ronski]

Thanks all, polite but to the point email sent this morning. The wife managed to get the day off work as plenty of staff are in, so the plumbers there now, so should have a full tank of hot water tonight.

I think I'm going to have to organise a site meeting with the director and senior plumber.

The problem with the heat pump not working sits firmly on Vaillant, it was a fault created during manufacturing.
The install problems sit firmly with SGS, and are due to the 4 day install and one engineer and two apprentices.
Rushed install, with inexperienced engineers has led to the installer issues.

I'm used to pressure but I'm getting far more at work than usual, again due to useless directors that don't have a clue, and also at home, dies these problems.

At the moment I simply can't keep taking time off, that's the biggest problem.

Anyway got to get back to work