This story started about nine months ago when I was installing a cooker in a Council Flat in Oldham. I did my tests on the gas pipe work, installed the freestanding cooker, tested my work and packed up to depart. The customer didn’t have any cash to pay me and had to run across the street to a cash point. While waiting for her I was looking around and noticed that a flue from a newish boiler was exiting on top of an air brick. As I looked around I discovered that most of the boilers in the surrounding buildings were the same. As fumes (Carbon Monoxide) can be sucked back into the building I decided to go right to the city of Oldham and report the violations. Nobody wanted to hear the story!So one would think that the city, who are responsible for the safety of these flats would be interested. Well, they were not. My first stop was the building regulations office where I thought I would clarify the situation and try and get someone to investigate. Much to my surprise I was told that unless I knew who installed the boilers nothing could be done. I know the company who installed them. Oldham Council has there own body responsible for the work. But as to the actual person who installed – it would be impossible to guess.

My next stop was CORGI. As a member of CORGI I’ve heard all the hype about saftey this and safety that so I called up as a member and spoke to one of the advisors. Much to my surprise I was told that unless I knew who installed the boilers nothing could be done.

My next try was to call up few days later as an interested ‘lay person’ who saw these flues. The advice was then different and I was told that they could give me the name of a safe installer if I wanted one. I explained again that I was trying to report many unsafe boiler installs and was told, well, the same as above.

Many months later I ran into a CORGI inspector at an event. He pushed the wrong button when he started telling me what a great job CORGI was doing. I agreed that CORGI was a useful organisation when I required assistance on technical issues but I had a problem when it came to the investigation of safety issues. After a lengthy dicussion I was offered the statement ‘ what would you do then?’ At that point I realised I was fighting a loosing battle.

I called my CORGI inspector one more time and, after nine months, received a call and a date was set to look at these flues. The appointmemt was cancelled and finally rescheduled to today. I took several hours out of my day to do this and we drove up to the site. After a tour around it was agreed that these flues were not installed correctly and while we were there we saw this flue. This was a blatent violation and with any luck at all CORGI will actually follow up and I have asked to be informed of the final outcome of this complaint.

This situation has left a bad taste in my mouth. As a CORGI registered engineer I am supposed to report unsafe situations and the government has gone to great steps to make sure that we do this and CORGI should follow up. But if it takes 10 months and dozens of phone calls to get the attention of the authorities many would say it’s not worth it. I think it is worth it and will continue to harp, bitch and moan if that’s what it takes but now I know why many others can’t be bothered.

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