AC inspection system “shambolic”
19th November 2013
UK: A UK contractor has called on the Government to overhaul the inspection process that has allowed 95% of air conditioning systems to miss mandatory inspections.
Nationwide air conditioning contractor AirCon UK says it’s stunned by the findings released by the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) last month which show, it says, “incredible lapses by companies and organisations which operate air conditioning systems on their premises.”
Describing the inspection system as “shambolic from top to bottom,” AirConUK has called on the Government to streamline the regulations to allow companies to register cheap, straightforward reports on their systems through registered inspectors working in the commercial sector.
According to the B&ES, only 5% of all air conditioning systems have been inspected within the first five years of their working life. All units installed prior to 2011 should have had at least one inspection by now.
“The complexity of the regulations and nightmare bureaucracy involved in the government’s implementation of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive means that it often costs twice as much to arrange for an inspection and lodge the paperwork than the fines for not bothering at all,” said AirCon UK spokesman Jonathan Ratcliffe.
“The maximum fine for failing to lodge your inspection report is £300,” said Ratcliffe, “but the system is such a dog’s dinner it costs far more than that in fees and wasted man hours.”
AirCon UK has called on the government to streamline the system to allow simple filing of reports which can be held ready for inspection by recognised industry-employed inspectors.
“This government might be tempted to scrap the scheme altogether, citing its failure, and that’s a very bad message to put across,” added Jonathan Ratcliffe.
Instead he suggests: “Let’s reboot the entire inspection scheme and start again. We can make this thing work and save the country money.”
Further reading:
Over 95% of ac systems in breach of energy regs – October 7, 2013
