PHAM NEWS | APRIL 2025 4 News Review Call for a full service in rented homes


The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) and the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) have jointly called for the mandatory annual gas safety checks in rented homes to be upgraded to a full service of gas appliances and checks on the efficiency of heating systems. Currently, both private and


Irresponsible to lower the age of apprenticeships


The Plumbing and Heating Federation (SNIPEF) has criticised Scottish Conservative proposals to allow pupils to leave school at 14 for apprenticeships or college places, calling the idea “reckless, unworkable and deeply irresponsible” for industries that rely on safety-critical apprenticeships. “Allowing children to


leave school at 14 and enter apprenticeships is not just unrealistic, it’s irresponsible,” says Fiona Hodgson, chief executive of SNIPEF. “Our industry operates under strict safety regulations, and we cannot fathom how a child of that age could legally or safely take on the demands of plumbing and heating work.” “Even at 16, securing accommodation and appropriate support for apprentices is a significant challenge, particularly in rural and island communities where many must travel to the mainland for college. “Expecting to extend this to


14-year-olds is not just unrealistic, it’s an unmanageable logistical and safeguarding nightmare, creating serious risks for both employers and young people. The insurance and liability issues alone make this a non-starter.” The Federation also raised


Survey into consumer views on controls


Heating control manufacturer Drayton has conducted a survey of heating engineers, plumbers, electricians and renewable installers to understand what their customers are looking for from smart heating controls. When it comes to the features that are most desired by homeowners, the survey found that a heating control that can be managed via a smartphone app (66%) and a system that offers


serious concerns about the academic implications of the proposal, questioning whether pupils would have the necessary foundational skills before leaving school. “Our profession requires a solid


grounding in maths, science and literacy; these are non-negotiable for everything from heat loss calculations to system design,” Hodgson adds. “If pupils leave school at 14,


they risk missing out on the critical skills needed to complete qualifications, progress in their careers, or even change direction if they realise a trade isn’t for them.” Rather than pushing younger


children out of school prematurely, the Federation calls for greater investment in apprenticeships and further education pathways for those of genuine working age. “Apprenticeships should be an


exciting, skilled career choice, not a last resort for children forced out of mainstream education before they’ve even had the chance to explore their talents,” Hodgson concludes. “Instead of throwing 14-year-olds into a system riddled with risks, we should be focusing on helping those of real working age access the training and opportunities they need to build successful futures.”


social rented properties have a mandatory gas safety check to offer protection to tenants. The HHIC and EUA believe that upgrading the check to a full service will be good for both the landlord and tenant, and can be carried out as now. The annual service requires a


more in-depth examination of the appliance, making sure it is in good working order, not just safe to operate. Enhancing the service further to include the heating system will mean that the efficiency of the product at warming the home is also considered. “Upgrading a simple gas safety


check to a full service will offer the landlord the ability to make sure the appliance is working properly


and checks to see the likely wear and tear, just like a car MOT does,” says HHIC director Stewart Clements. “It can identify when an appliance might be coming to the end of its life, giving the landlord time to plan their next purchase. “Tagging on a heating system


check will allow the installer to make sure the system is running as efficiently as possible, keeping bills down for the tenant. Even checking that the flow temperatures on the boiler are lower can yield significant bill savings.”


Mike Foster, CEO of EUA, adds:


“There are ambitious plans to improve the EPCs of private rented homes, which is welcome, but with a simple upgrade from a gas safety check to a system and appliance service, tenants could save £100s and landlords can plan for the future with greater certainty.


“We support the call for


mandatory annual servicing of all heating appliances, but a good first step is surely to upgrade the annual safety check to something even more meaningful.”


Fraudulent installer issues a guilty plea


A County Antrim plumber who was paid £11,780 by a consumer to supply and install a heat pump to their property but failed to carry out the work has been handed a two year conditional discharge at Newry Crown Court. He was also ordered to pay back the full amount. In a case brought by the Trading


Standards Service (TSS), Mr Derek Dawson (53) of Ashcroft Way, Lower Ballinderry, Co. Antrim, pleaded guilty to one charge under the Fraud Act 2006. Dawson initially visited the


victim’s home to deal with a problem with the immersion heater. During his visit, there was some discussion about the heating system, after which it was agreed he would fit an air source heat pump to reduce the cost of heating


costs, energy-saving features – such as smart modes – came in a close third (48%). Additionally, the flexibility to include further connected devices at a later date was desired by just under a third of customers. While having a solution that


room-by-room heating control (50%) were the two most common requests that installers were asked for last year. However, following rising energy


meets customers’ needs is essential, it is also important that installers are confident in working with the product, as according to the survey the most common issue that causes delays on the job was products that are hard to install (64%). Alongside this, product compatibility issues were another top cause of wasted time, cited by 44% of installers. Despite the need for technical


support, a quarter of installers (25%) said they were unable to access this support or find the


the house. Dawson informed the consumer that it would cost £11,780 to complete the work and asked for the full payment, which he received by bank transfer. However, over the next few months there followed a catalogue


information they were looking for online.


Merlin Milner, product owner for


water-based systems at Drayton, comments: “The results of our research highlight that in today’s market, customers are prioritising simplicity and convenience; they want the ability to control their heating remotely via a user- friendly app on their mobile and ways to improve efficiency. As such, it’s crucial that tradespeople have a go-to solution that they can trust to deliver all of these key features and doesn’t cause them delays when working.


“The Wiser solution is a one- stop solution for installers that offers all of this and more. With multi-zoning capabilities and smart modes, installers can help their customers save up to 30% on


of delays and postponements. Eventually, some four months later, Dawson effectively cancelled the job and promised to provide the consumer with a full refund. However, the refund never materialised and the complainant contacted Trading Standards. “This was a clear case of fraud


where the trader took a substantial sum of money up front and failed to carry out any work or provide any materials,” says Kevin McNamara of Trading Standards Service. “We will continue to seek to protect consumers by raising awareness of the activities of fraudulent traders, supporting consumers when targeted by these types of traders and investigating these traders to ensure that appropriate action is taken against them.”


an average energy bill, as well as access valuable data via Insights. Wiser is capable of controlling a wide range of heating systems and is easily scalable, as additional devices can be added to the system at any time. “For installers, Wiser is incredibly


easy to fit, as it is compatible with the standard UK backplate and can be set up without requiring the customer’s Wi-Fi details. Plus, should any issues arise, here at Drayton we have a number of different ways for installers to get assistance. Along with our UK-based customer support team, we also offer online training courses via Drayton Rewards+, video tutorials on YouTube, and technical documents can be found on our website.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/425/01


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40