@benson Firstly Benson, your mention of lockshield valves on both ends sounds very odd to me; one should be a lockshield but the other is usually a on-off or preferably, a TRV that is then left fully open! They are useful for bedrooms so that rooms may be kept a little cooler for sleeping.

Now, the Homely, I suggest you contact team@homelyenergy.com and explain your predicament. It is possible to reset the whole system and then let Homely ‘re-learn’ the system I believe. It involves setting the heat pump’s control system back to the default settings then switching on Homely and (I forget the actually buttons to press but can look it up later if needs be) initiating Homely. This procedure then takes about 20 minutes or so, then Homely will spend about a week or so learning your system and your needs.

 The procedure may vary from make/model to make/model, mine is a Daikin EDL08 monobloc. Did you get as far as the system being connected to your network/wifi and install the Homely app on your ‘phone or tablet? It may be that Homely will be able to assist you to get it up and running remotely - but I am not sure; they are very friendly and very helpful so worth contacting them with an initial email. Regards, Toodles.

@toodles thanks. I have emailed them six days ago but no reply as yet.

The lockshields both sides of the radiators is only downstairs and I thought it was a generally accepted design to stop the ASHP cycling.

@benson The lockshield valve (normally fitted on the input to the radiator but sometimes turns out to be on the return - I’m told that modern valves may be used in either direction usually) allows one to set the flow into that emitter and once set, is a constant resistance to flow so that you may control the energy flowing through the radiator. The TRV is set fully open and this is where is needs to stay unless you wish to restrict the temperature in that room at night perhaps. I kept my old Hive programmable TRV’s when changing from gas boiler to a heat pump and use one to keep our bedroom cooler at night. In all other situations the usual arrangement is to set TRV 2 or 3 degrees above required comfort level so that they might intervene in cases of solar gain or whatever. Regards, Toodles.

@benson I would check your terms regarding the BUS grant.  The voucher is valid for 3 months after it is approved by ofgem and your system must be installed and redeemed before then.   For sure if I was writing a contract for you I would include a clause stating that if the BUS grant is not paid to me then, following your install, it would fall due to you to pay.

Obviously if they never complete the install then you would never need to pay it...

YMMV, one to watch for.

@wreckguru the terms of the invoice are that I have a total to pay, which is minus the BUS grant. I am not liable for the £7500, whether application is successful or not. I paid 50% of the remainder as a deposit and the rest is payable on completion, which includes commissioning. I clarified pre install that this would include the MCS certificate and an insurance backed guarantee. 

@benson Just hold on to those ‘short and curlies’, it sounds as though you have a solid case. 😉 Toodles.

@toodles I'd rather pay and have a fully commissioned guaranteed system but yes...a key reason we went with them due to the payment terms which protected us for eventualities such as this. Alongside the almost 200 positive google reviews, and a local customer recommendation (we actually went to see the install). We did our due diligence we felt, but things can always go wrong hence why I quickly dismissed any quotes which insisted on full payment up front.

@benson It would seem that Lady Luck has far more influence these days than even ‘due diligence’ 😳, there was a whole programme full of such sufferers on ‘You & Yours’ phone-in on BBC Radio 4 yesterday, 12th. November. Many had done the equivalent and ended up with builder’s bills to rectify ‘cowboy jobs’ and one-man bands who just disappeared when things went wrong etc. There was also mention of CAB being incapable of helping due to staffing and lack of funding and a Government Spokesperson who seemed powerless to help in any way.😒. Regrets, Toodles.

@benson good that you are fine on the BUS payment.

Did your installer not provide HIES insurance?  I had this with Octopus and it is in 2 parts - both basically covering these issues (prior to install going bust and post install for warranty).  (I also got it with my Solar and my bi-fold door install, latter not Octopus, lol).

If you do they have a good mediation scheme afaics.

@toodles I just wish I wasn't locked into them with the homely set up, and their support still haven't replied. Yes you can access the dashboard but there's no way of changing any of the parameters without the app, unless I'm missing it. Seems odd that they hadn't considered the possibility of installers going awol with their end user and installer app approach.

@wreckguru nope, no insurance backed guarantee.

When they popped round Monday before last, they 'floated' the idea that they could balance the system, sort out the snagging and then when invoice is fully settled they would then be able to provide all the paperwork I should have including this. I politely explained there is no prospect of this happening based on how they have operated thus far.

Certainly sounds like the MCS "something's gone wrong" time.

I can't fathom how they plan to redeem the BUS grant?

Time for a letter before action and then MCOL them for the cost to redo?