Review of Richard Costello’s firm Multiplumb, based in Dartford, Kent.

(www.multiplumb.net).


I employed Richard Costello’s firm to install a central heating system in my house. The system was fitted by Multiplumb’s Gary Batters, as named on the Gas Safe register, not the Gary Hughes as listed on the Multiplumb website but not on the Gas Safe register. Here are some of the things Costello’s firm did, and also left undone, which have needed to be rectified at my extra cost by professional tradesmen. I have witness, professional and photographic evidence. When I first tried to raise some of the issues with Richard Costello he denied it all and has repeatedly lied. Here are some of the issues:


1.       Multiplumb carried a NICEIC logo on its paperwork but it was a lie, it was not a member of NICEIC, and Multiplumb was on NICEIC’s ‘wall of shame’ of liars. Nor could NICEIC find any record of Costello’s electrician. (Another Costello firm, Trusted Home Improvements (no longer trading) carried a NICEIC logo and also a Guild of Master Craftsmen logo, but neither the firm, Costello or his partner Greg Calver, were confirmed members of either organisation.)

2.       A Gas Safe report raised several issues of concern relating to work done by Multiplumb.

3.       Multiplumb was paid for work it never finished but I never received a refund.

4.       Multiplumb failed to test and fill in the boiler commissioning form, contravening building regulations (and left the key needed for filling, jammed in the boiler).

5.       With winter approaching, Multiplumb left all of the newly installed pipework in the loft unlagged, including under the boiler. The contractor is required under part L of the Building Regulations to insulate all new pipework with foam pipe insulation.


6.   Burn marks on the timber backing caused by soldering the pipe joints show that the plumber failed to use an incombustible shield when soldering, a fire risk.


7.   Multiplumb left old radiator pipes protruding above the floor where the radiators had been removed instead of cutting them back and making good any holes.


8.   Instead of cutting into the chipboard floor, Costello and his employee tore big

      holes in the floor with crowbars and left the floor damaged.


9. Multiplumb left pipework unclipped to the wall, so exposing it to damage.

Other loutish behaviour included breaking two lamps and not bothering to tell me, let alone apologise; taking a bulb out of the master bedroom centre light, breaking the fitting in the process and leaving me without a light for well over a week, all without telling me, let alone apologising for and rectifying it. I suppose other behaviour such as Batters’s ignoring the radios I left out and taking it upon himself to instead use my hifi at full blast without permission are small fry.

1.       Richard Costello has even lied on a Dartford County Court form.

2.       At the time of writing this, I am having to arrange a pressure test on my pipes because it is suspected that Multiplumb fitted new pipes to existing ones without first conducting such a test.


9. I can no longer afford to pursue this case through the courts, in time or fees. I took out a summons in December, 2015, assuming that this was the way to achieve some sort of justice. The case is still winding its weary way through, with the court:

having lost papers/denied receiving post or emails for which I have proof of sending; failed to file papers on time; made an extremely clerical serious error that could have had disastrous consequences for myself, luckily I was able to notify the court in time; failed to apologise for said error; been delayed by “a backlog of work” further delayed by the judge’s period of leave; despite all of the former, demanding yet another set of fees which on top of everything else, I can no longer afford.

1.       Multiplumb is a member of CIPHE and is on CheckATrade, just so you know.

I will never get any money back or any legal justice, so an online review to let others know what has happened, is the best I can now do.

10. Failed to cut the flue to the correct length, so leaving it protruding from the roof.

11. Left the old water tank full of rubbish in the loft, leaving me to cut it up and pay to have it removed.



Review by Sharon Smith