Southpark, all in all I'd say what your man did was, probably, pretty reasonable.
I've thought about this one quite a bit, and decided there's no correct answer. The problem is that neither the manufacturers, corgi or anyone else says what has to be tested or checked.
Given any of the answers in the posts above, it's easy to tear any of them to bits.
Sure you can look at an overheat stat.
Is that how you test one? Certainly not.
So how DO you test one - there's no answer. You don't know the specification of the temperatures it should open and close at, you haven't got a means to test it anyway. And you'd probably damage it.
How do you test an APS - you disconnect the fan (something many people on ACS get wrong). Right so you've split the glued-together combustion chamber apart on an Ariston SX20, pulled a wire off the fan, glued it back together again, done the test then have to go in again and make good. Obviously not appropriate.
Even for a particular boiler you can't make a list without problems. Netaheat. Case seal extra important. So do you want to disturb it? It might have a water leak inside the combustion chamber, but there's asbestos in there. Do you want to take that apart?
We all know, (as BG found which changed their servicing policy) that taking things apart and putting them back together does cause wear and tear, so who pays for that - extra, or included in the fixed price? Make the engineers pay and you'll have trouble finding one who will do the test.
There's an argument that "Working Safely" is all that should be checked, which excludes anything to do with, for example, overheat conditions. Then you would maybe NOT have to take the case off.
FGA has a role here, but only if the manufacturers work to the same system. If you have an Ideal Icos on the second floor, you're stuffed - there's nowhere to put the probe.
It might be possible to put together a flow chart for all engineers to follow which would cover most appliances. Eg if you do FGA you don't need to look at the flame picture or whatever, positive case seals and you have to do this, others that etc. The trouble I see is that too many boiler blokes are either too lazy, or too thick, to do it. It just wouldn't happen.
Only today I was assessing someone on appliances. He thought he was great, but after surveying a water heater and an OF boiler he hadn't tested the FFD on either, the vitiation device or the thermostat. He never did, and he's never had a problem so "why should he now"? He could not believe anyone actually tested those things. He's apprenticed, and 15 years in the job.
Remember the vast majority of rented accommodation goes without a landlord's check, because it isn't enforced. If you get someone doing basic checks and acting correctly on what he sees, you're lucky.
