"tarquinlinbin" wrote in message
...
On 24 May 2005 21:14:36 GMT, andrew@a17 (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:



In the UK, the gas transporter (Transco) will try and find the
leak and disconnect the affected appliance. They will only
disconnect the whole house if they can't find the leak, or
can't fix it by disconnecting an appliance. They are not
responsible for fixing the leak (unless it's in their meter
or other associated supply pipework) -- their service is free
and is only to make the installation safe. It seems that as a
free goodwill guesture, they will spend up to 30 minutes
fixing a leak in your pipework if that's all that's required
to solve the problem. Otherwise, you will have to employ a
gas fitter to repair the leak and reconnect.
Indeed Andrew,what could be fairer? A man comes to your house and
gives you half and hours worth of his expertise free of charge AND
maybe preserves the safety and property of the customer and his
neighbours. Who else comes round and works for free?
Remove antispam and add 670 after bra to email


You are making an assumption here that the guy who comes round has a
sufficient degree of nous and interest to actually spend a half hour
looking. OK not all Transco guys can be tarred with the same brush (most
can't) but I and many other gas installers have been called to simple jobs
which even the slightest amount of effort would have solved a problem as
suggested. A couple which come immediately to mind are calls after a Transco
shut off. 1 required a gas inlet isolating valve on an Ideal E type
regreasing then a test - the guy had even told the householder where the
problem was! The next was a smell of gas from a cooker where one of the
rings had not been turned off fully before the householder went away for a
weeks holiday. Next door smelt gas and called Transco and the landlord who
gave access. Result a week later I get a call to reinstate the gas service -
again the actual problem had been identified and the control properly closed
but still put a disc in the meter service valve. Soundness of the system
pipework was 100% in both cases.
As I got paid call out for both jobs I wasn't bothered but it does beg the
question what "service" was actually given in these cases.
As to your secondary point about a guy giving his time for free - "he" is
paid by Transco as part of the conditions for them to be the licenced
transporters of gas. The cost of this service is included in their charges
down the line so ultimately the consumer does pay for it even if only a
share.