# HAP Inspection



## cremeegg (29 Nov 2018)

I had an inspection by the council of my HAP property recently.

They requested a inspection report for the central heating. Are they entitled to do this. Is it not their job to carry out the inspection. 

The housing regulations say only that the system must be in good repair, not that I must engage an outside contractor to so certify.


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## Ravima (29 Nov 2018)

get boiler serviced and note from servicer that all seems in order.


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## Bronte (29 Nov 2018)

What exactly is an ‘inspection report’ for the central heating? Can you quote their exact wording? Would your plumber doing the annual services be what they are after. 

Or

“I joe blogs plumber did the annual central hearing service and everything appears in order”


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## cremeegg (29 Nov 2018)

Bronte said:


> Can you quote their exact wording?



_A current periodic inspection report from a suitably competent person (e.g. OFTEC registered technician) that the oil installation in the house is safe and is proper (sic) working order. (A CD/11 and Ti/133D report from a (sic) OFTEC registered technician)
_
I asked my regular plumber what an "OFTEC registered technician" was and he told me that OFTEC are some English outfit that charge plumbers a fortune to register and provide nothing in return. Only someone desperate for work would bother with them. Add he was "colourful" about the council putting business their way, when their technicians are in competition with him.


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## Bronte (30 Nov 2018)

The council are taking the biscuit so they are.

So let's take the sentance apart:
'suitably competent person' you can interpret that as your normal plumber. I don't think there is a law that says the plumber must be 'oftec'.  They have that as an eg, but crucially they didn't say must be 'oftec'.


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## robert 200 (30 Nov 2018)

Another stealth expense  for the landlord along with the myriad of others !!!


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## galway_blow_in (30 Nov 2018)

cremeegg said:


> I had an inspection by the council of my HAP property recently.
> 
> They requested a inspection report for the central heating. Are they entitled to do this. Is it not their job to carry out the inspection.
> 
> The housing regulations say only that the system must be in good repair, not that I must engage an outside contractor to so certify.



Wouldn't consider that a big demand, registered heating contractor should be able to do a report


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## Ravima (3 Dec 2018)

Cheaper to have boiler serviced than to have to deal with claim from tenant for damages if there is a problem!
gas boilers should be serviced regularly in any case.


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## cremeegg (4 Dec 2018)

Ravima said:


> Cheaper to have boiler serviced ...
> gas boilers should be serviced regularly in any case.



The council didn't ask for a service. I priced the report they asked for and it is nearly twice the cost of a service. I am not clear if it included the service.

Getting the boiler serviced is a separate issue.


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## Ravima (5 Dec 2018)

See my first post, second post in this thread.


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## Leo (6 Dec 2018)

Ravima said:


> See my first post, second post in this thread.



The problem here is they seem to be insisting on information in excess of the standard service and related report. The TI/133D in particular is a detailed spillage and fire risk assessment and that assessment and associated report is completely separate to a standard boiler service.


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## PaxmanK (6 Dec 2018)

Why dont you just say "No dice." cant meet your standards.  See ya.


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## Leo (7 Dec 2018)

PaxmanK said:


> Why dont you just say "No dice." cant meet your standards.  See ya.



Is this problematic in this situation (and likely all such inspection scenarios) where there is a HAP tenant in situ? Part of that involves the landlord signing a declaration relating to compliance.


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## cremeegg (7 Dec 2018)

Ravima said:


> get boiler serviced and note from servicer that all seems in order.



That is obviously the practical response. However it does not address the council's specific request



galway_blow_in said:


> registered heating contractor should be able to do a report



There doesn't seem to be such a thing in Ireland. There are trade associations but not a professional standards body or register. We are talking about an oil burner rather than a gas burner. And in any case if there is no legal obligation on me to commission such a report why should I incur the expense.



PaxmanK said:


> Why dont you just say "No dice." cant meet your standards.  See ya.



It is a legal requirement to comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017, and the council have informed me that "Where a property does not comply, Local Authorities can engage sanctions against a landlord." Whatever that may mean. This is the case irrespective of the HAP tenancy, it applies to all rented housing.

I have responded to the council saying:
_I assume that this installation was inspected as part of the Council’s recent inspection. On what basis does the council request an additional report._

After all if their inspector does not have the necessary qualifications to do the job, what is the point in employing him.

I will let you know how it goes.


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## Dermot (8 Dec 2018)

As usual paper boffins going beyond their remit. If oil boiler is serviced tell them so and tell them that the might start looking for another house. Had an issue with them before where they wanted proof that I owned the house which was going to cost me more money.  Just said I own house and Goodbye


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