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Totally bewildered with my ECO4 heat pump installation

JaynieQ · 2025-01-06T22:50:40Z

Hi, I’ve just joined this forum and feel like a rabbit staring at the headlights of truck.. Long story but because of a medical condition I was awarded an Eco4 grant in September ‘24. An ASHP and solar panels were installed in October to replace oil boiler. I’m completely bewildered and have no clue what I’m doing with the system. My electricity bill has sky rocketed and quite frankly I’m scared, and cold. The installers have been less than helpful. I really don’t know what to do and am seriously considering having the whole system taken out. To those people here who have had to part with their own, hard earned cash to pay for their renewables, I sincerely apologise for moaning. I wish I could be grateful and satisfied with the new system, that has cost me no £££ to install, but which has left me stressed, colder and poorer than I was before it was installed. I really hope to learn how to use it properly and am very relieved to have found this hub. Will be looking for tips and suggestions and would be grateful for any advice offered. thanks! 🙏

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Transparent

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21/01/2025 10:24 am

Posted by: @editor

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Do you know which organisation this inspector was from or who sent him?

I'm wondering if this was a representative of Local Government, administering the Eco4 funding.

They would need to verify that the equipment which the contractor(s) say has been installed, really is present in those homes.

It isn't necessarily a technical inspection,
and that official may not know enough to assess whether it complies with the regulations.

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cathodeRay

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21/01/2025 10:36 am

Posted by: @transparent

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a representative of Local Government, administering the Eco4 funding

But this is the thing, the ECO4 system is administered by the private energy companies...

But it seems someone instructed someone do do some sort of inspection. That is about as far as we have got so far out of how far we might have got...

Midea 14kW (for now...) ASHP heating both building and DHW

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Dwynwen

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21/01/2025 11:26 am

@cathoderay This is as far as I go.

Perhaps I have been over sensitive, worried too much about restoring the house to a home, but I have had enough. I made a list, it was scary. Don't know what the outcome will be but if anyone is interested I will continue to report events.

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Toodles

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21/01/2025 11:35 am

@dwynwen Please do.Regards, Toodles.

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.

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cathodeRay

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21/01/2025 11:54 am

Posted by: @dwynwen

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if anyone is interested I will continue to report events

I echo @toodles, please do. Among other purposes, this forum serves as a record of peoples' experiences. One thing people looking at an ECO4 funded installation can learn from your experience is the importance of looking at the small print, including remedial works, before any works start. If you want any further help setting up your Samsung, don't hesitate to ask here. There are a number of Samsung owners here who will no doubt be happy to give you detailed guidance, if you want it.

Midea 14kW (for now...) ASHP heating both building and DHW

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Judith

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21/01/2025 5:31 pm

Posted by: @dwynwen

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@cathoderay This is as far as I go.

Perhaps I have been over sensitive, worried too much about restoring the house to a home, but I have had enough. I made a list, it was scary. Don't know what the outcome will be but if anyone is interested I will continue to report events.

You have every right to have your home left in a reasonable state. Everyone’s definition of reasonable will vary but don’t let the b*st*rds you down. If you don’t ask you won’t get.

We feel for you since no process of improving your heating should be this traumatic.Please do keep posting we all want to see a happy (or at least acceptable) ending and to help you get there.

2kW + Growatt & 4kW +Sunnyboy PV on south-facing roof Solar thermal. 9.5kWh Givenergy battery with AC3. MVHR. Vaillant 7kW ASHP (very pleased with SCOP 4.7) open system operating on WC

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Dwynwen

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21/01/2025 5:55 pm

@judith Of course it is all my fault.

I am an awkward customer, they have done more than enough, abided by guidelines etc.

Guidelines are just that, not prescriptive, different companies will have different interpretations.

I do not want the same people in my house who made the mess, came back and replaced with a different mess. This is not nit picking, I have pictures of befores and afters.

Company does not seem to understand how disappointing it is to have to object to something again and again, why it was thought acceptable to do things that way in the first place. I keep asking myself whether it is my fault, do I expect too much, after all I am not paying the bill as I have been told so often.

Now the question is whether I allow the heating system to be fettled and then discuss remedial works. This started two months ago and time it was settled.

Thank you.

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Toodles

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21/01/2025 6:00 pm

@dwynwen Keep the faith - you will get there eventually! It will be worth it in the end.😊 Regards, Toodles.

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.

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Dwynwen

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21/01/2025 6:25 pm

@toodles Thanks for support.

From a previous discussion - the cat is a spoilt fat cat who lives a life of luxury, not bad for a creature who started life as a feral farm kitten. She is finding the radiator trvs fascinating, has managed to dislodge two so far.

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Toodles

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22/01/2025 9:21 am

@dwynwen Perhaps you were unaware of this but, Dogs have owners - Cats keep staff.😉 Toodles.

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.

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Mars

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23/01/2025 10:30 pm

@dwynwen It’s never too much to expect tradespeople or workers to treat your home with respect. This should be a given, whether you’ve paid for the work or it’s done for “free.” I’d be happy to assist by sending a letter of complaint to MCS or the relevant consumer codes on your behalf to flag the installer. Behaviour like that is completely unacceptable.

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Dwynwen

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24/01/2025 4:32 am

@editor Thank you for offer of help.

However, at present I don't want to say too much about my experience with ECO4 except that it has not been good. I am keeping a record with pictures and notes. Really wish I had never heard about the scheme. Still have no idea how to control heating, no domestic hot water, radiators only provide background heat despite their ridiculous size. Waiting for a tutorial.

It seems as though the scheme is open to abuse. I wonder how many people have accepted their installations without complaint because it was "free". I still cannot believe that some things were thought acceptable, that guidelines could be interpreted as a licence to exclude householders from any decisions about what was being done in their homes. As I have said before, read the small print.

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