Jump to content


  • Tweets

  • Posts

    • If a DCA supplies a reconstituted copy of the CCA what would be the next step. It seems that a reconstituted copy must be a " true copy " of the executed agreement, it must contain the Prescribed Terms. But given that there is no copy of the applicants signature surely it could be an agreement form with the details filled in. How can it be assumed that this " copy " represents a true copy that the claimant has supposed to have signed. Cabot have demonstrated a bit of sabre rattling when they say "Until we're able to provide this information , your account is unenforceable. This means we're not permitted to obtain a County Court judgement against you . Whilst we cannot pursue legal action, your balance remains outstanding ". I looked up a case... Cabot UK Ltd  v  Bachellier (2010) which might help, but it's tough reading, I'd prefer to plough through War and Peace. This particular case with Cabot is not huge , approx' £140, but the only other worry that I have is also with Cabot...£2100. They may try to make a point with lesser case.        
    • you'll never find a court open on a w/end MB. all courts are closed Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday. However as Andy points out, that does NOT mean you get 2 extra days to file, you get one, same as xmas/new Year. UKPC have not filed their, so no rush on yours as dave says.  
    • Top US magazine slams Britain after 14 years of Tory ‘psychodrama’ The New Yorker’s excoriating report on the state of the UK lays bare how Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) “catalysed some of the worst tendencies in British politics”. “The only way to think about it is as a psychodrama enacted, for the most part, by a small group of middle-aged men who went to élite private schools, studied at the University of Oxford, and have been climbing and chucking one another off the ladder of British public life" Top US magazine slams Britain after 14 years of Tory ‘psychodrama’ WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK The New Yorker’s excoriating report on the state of the UK lays bare how Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) “catalysed...  
    • UK travellers are being caught out by post-Brexit passport rules.   When do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule? WWW.BBC.COM UK travellers have been turned away at airports because their passports are not valid for EU travel.                                   
  • Recommended Topics

  • Our picks

    • If you are buying a used car – you need to read this survival guide.
      • 1 reply
    • Hello,

      On 15/1/24 booked appointment with Big Motoring World (BMW) to view a mini on 17/1/24 at 8pm at their Enfield dealership.  

      Car was dirty and test drive was two circuits of roundabout on entry to the showroom.  Was p/x my car and rushed by sales exec and a manager into buying the mini and a 3yr warranty that night, sale all wrapped up by 10pm.  They strongly advised me taking warranty out on car that age (2017) and confirmed it was honoured at over 500 UK registered garages.

      The next day, 18/1/24 noticed amber engine warning light on dashboard , immediately phoned BMW aftercare team to ask for it to be investigated asap at nearest garage to me. After 15 mins on hold was told only their 5 service centres across the UK can deal with car issues with earliest date for inspection in March ! Said I’m not happy with that given what sales team advised or driving car. Told an amber warning light only advisory so to drive with caution and call back when light goes red.

      I’m not happy to do this, drive the car or with the after care experience (a sign of further stresses to come) so want a refund and to return the car asap.

      Please can you advise what I need to do today to get this done. 
       

      Many thanks 
      • 81 replies
    • Housing Association property flooding. https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/topic/438641-housing-association-property-flooding/&do=findComment&comment=5124299
      • 160 replies
    • We have finally managed to obtain the transcript of this case.

      The judge's reasoning is very useful and will certainly be helpful in any other cases relating to third-party rights where the customer has contracted with the courier company by using a broker.
      This is generally speaking the problem with using PackLink who are domiciled in Spain and very conveniently out of reach of the British justice system.

      Frankly I don't think that is any accident.

      One of the points that the judge made was that the customers contract with the broker specifically refers to the courier – and it is clear that the courier knows that they are acting for a third party. There is no need to name the third party. They just have to be recognisably part of a class of person – such as a sender or a recipient of the parcel.

      Please note that a recent case against UPS failed on exactly the same issue with the judge held that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 did not apply.

      We will be getting that transcript very soon. We will look at it and we will understand how the judge made such catastrophic mistakes. It was a very poor judgement.
      We will be recommending that people do include this adverse judgement in their bundle so that when they go to county court the judge will see both sides and see the arguments against this adverse judgement.
      Also, we will be to demonstrate to the judge that we are fair-minded and that we don't mind bringing everything to the attention of the judge even if it is against our own interests.
      This is good ethical practice.

      It would be very nice if the parcel delivery companies – including EVRi – practised this kind of thing as well.

       

      OT APPROVED, 365MC637, FAROOQ, EVRi, 12.07.23 (BRENT) - J v4.pdf
        • Like
  • Recommended Topics

British Gas & Power Flush


style="text-align: center;">  

Thread Locked

because no one has posted on it for the last 3942 days.

If you need to add something to this thread then

 

Please click the "Report " link

 

at the bottom of one of the posts.

 

If you want to post a new story then

Please

Start your own new thread

That way you will attract more attention to your story and get more visitors and more help 

 

Thanks

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 380
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

What is a powr flush? Sound very painful

But anyway, can you let us have the story? And what is the basis of your claim.

Are you only caliming the £450 - or have you added any sum for incobenince, the time you had to wait at home for them etc etc.

 

Maybe we should start a consumer litigation section and you could put your claim details in there

Link to post
Share on other sites

They flush out the radiators to get sludge out then add an inhibitor (spelling?) to the water system which stops the sludge building up again. This happens when the system is old. Our house is relatively new (1999) and BG said to have a power flush to rectify one radiator that needed frequent bleeding. They said if I didn't have it done then my radiator system would rot from the inside out!! Me a lay person was worried so went for the power flush. Radiator still needed bleeding. BG came out again and fitted a valve to my system under my service contract and that cured the problem! Therefore, no need for power flush. Have been writing to BG for a while. They wrote back once. Said give us 10 days and we will get back to me. They never did so issued a notice before action. No reply so issued claim in county court. BG have since telephoned me twice to ask what they can do to best rectify the problem. Easy pay back the power flush money and court fee. They will get back to me!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

HOW much??? Get some quotes from a Corgi-registered plumber or three pre-court.

 

The following advice comes from my plumber:

 

"It would have been a damn sight cheaper to replace the radiator than to flush it out. Even a fairly large (5 ft plus) radiator can be bought for under £250 (by the public, trade even cheaper), fitting should take no more than an hour, and that's being generous.

 

They were correct in stating that the radiator system would have rotted from the inside out. This would have taken oh, about 80 years or so."

I only mouth my opinion, please look elsewhere for sensible advice! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I am currently in dispute with British gas, in a similar vein to your original post.

Basically last September we took up the Homecare plan from BG, which is in effect, an insurance policy against parts and labour for your central heating system.

A failed bolier part in February, and numerous calls by BG engineers, who REFUSED to accept the fault was covered under the Homecare warrenty, led me to have to employ a third party plumber to rectify the problem.

This was only after many calls to the BG 'customer services', who are standing with the engineers diagnosis that sludge, and hard water limescale caused the damage tot he part, and therefore excluding the repair costs from the policy, in their opinion.

As we live in a very low lime, soft water area, and according to the third party plumbers report, no sludge was present in the failed part, I am about to send British Gas his bill, along with a claim for inconvenience etc, and refund of all my payments to the Homecare plan to date.

 

Extremely poor service, 'know it all' engineers, who tried to advise me i needed and sell me a new bolier instead of rectifying the problem, will never ever use these prannets ever again.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've heard a few stories about this BG so-called cover plan, I've never met anybody with a successful claim yet. A friend of mine in the next street was also told she needed a new boiler, at a cost of over £1300. I went in at weekend, bled all the radiators and it's working fine now.

I only mouth my opinion, please look elsewhere for sensible advice! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

That's the way to do it.

 

Since we may not hear from you if they pay enough for that right

;)...

 

Just to dot the i's and cross the t's of course,

 

You could NOT post the outcome by a set date and time...

 

I'd love to know the ins and outs. BG are one of my competitors and I know that they do sometimes recommend things that are not needed.

 

I also suspect that every now and then, some unlucky service contract customer gets the engineer that was voted "Least likely to succeed" i

college.

 

Which is fortunate for me and in contrast to the tone of this thread so far, most BG recommendations for a powerflush ARE NEEDED.

 

But I suppose I would say that because many of the customers I get calls from asking for a powerflushing quote are BG service contract customers.

 

And most of my business comes from the internet.

 

And now it's late so I'll stop there.

 

P.S. £465.00 is bloody cheap for BG.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I'm a Heating Engineer. I think you've been sold a dud. A powerflush could help, as sludge in rads creates gasses, but I'd check for other reasons first as It's an expensive treatment. I'm willing to bet they didn't carry it out properly either. In simple terms, the guy should have spent about 4 hours with you, treating each rad in turn. There would have been some banging of each rad to dislodge sludge. Usually British Gas engineers just plug the equipment in and sit down for 3 hours.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I had a big row with BG about this for my father who is in his eighties and pays £350 per year for peace of mind with his central heating system.

Apparently my father had a power flush some 7 years ago, if you read the T&C's it says the first power flush you have to pay for and after that they are free.

After trying to sell my father a new boiler or paying for a second flush I contacted them. It was not easy and I got passed from pillar to post but he had the flush done last week. If by any chance he gets a bill for this I will let you know the outcome ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Look out for the following: A cold zone at the bottom of most rads when the heating is on, probably shaped like a hump (build up of sludge in the rad).

Boiler whines, or bangs slightly, pressure builds past 2bar when boiler is fired up (if you have a gauge). Cold spots on the top of rads is air, just bleed them. A proper flush should involve banging of each rad to help shift the sludge.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks - from a quick check I think thats a correct diagnosis - the rads are cold at th bottom in some cases to about 2 thirds up. And for a while the pump would make a noise like a light aircraft so I guess its flush time.

 

British Gas have quoted £666

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I'm finding out more than I wanted to know about powerflush. We've had 5 Brit Gas visits on the Homecare contract. They changed the pump and all the stats on the Potterton 100 boiler which keeps tripping out on overheat. Yesterday they recommended powerflush and magnaclean for £848. Although, still not a guaranteed fix. Claim I wouldn't pay if it didn't work. I would be prepared to get a powerflush although not at BG prices but as we can get all the rads hot before the boiler trips I don't see how it can be a circulation/debris problem.

Any ideas anybody.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What speed is the pump set at?

 

Most have 1, 2 or 3.

 

Turn it a notch.

 

 

idax

Please contact a member of the site team if you are offered help off the forum for a a paid or no win no fee service.

 

Please consider making a small donation to help keep this site running

Click here to donate through PayPal (opens in a new window)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think some people on here are getting a bit carried away with their 'expertise'! I am a BG engineer, and indeed an engineer who carries out powerflushing on a regular basis (everyday just now!) Ideas like 'just turning your pump up a notch' and 'I bled the radiators and now we dont need a new boiler' are complete rubbish!

 

When a system is drawing air in and needing bled regularly, a powerflush will temporarily cure the problem, however, when we carry this work out we will normally cut & clear system blockages (normally occuring in the cold beed pipe where hot & cold water meets), combine the cold feed & expansion pipes if possible (open vented systems) only if the appliance has an overheat protection device. We will also balance the system and set the correct pump speed. In most cases the pump, and and valves (pump, motorised or manual) will be replaced.

 

Twin entry radiator valves (valves with one valve & 2 pipes) require to be split & replaced with a valve either side of the radiator before a powerflush can be done, as there is a small tube which circulates the water attatched to these which can become dislodged during a flush. If you have had a powerflush but still have twin entry valves, chances are the system hasn't been flushed correctly.

 

We now use a magnaclean filter (a strong magnetic filter) incorporated into our powerflush machines to extract any iron oxide in the radiators & pipework. We can supply & install a permanent magnaclean filter to any system at additional cost.

 

I read that one user reckons 4 hrs is a good time to powerflush a system, BG powerflush (including remedial work to rectify faults) is normally done in around 8 hrs and priced accordingly. Our price includes all parts (irrespective of cost) and labour.

 

The powerflush lifetime guarantee was only introduced in 2004 (I think) but we will do a re-flush if needed as long as the same customer owns the property. Any radiators which corrode badly and leak will be replaced if a powerflush has been carried out. Our average price is around £600, and we use fixed price quotations (subject to region) but if the powerflush is done correctly it IS good value for money when you look at the work we do. Lets see if your £250 flush gets you anywhere near a service like that, I'd think not.:)

Link to post
Share on other sites

If this really is the service you personally are carrying out then yes it's good value SHOULD ALL THOSE EXTRAS REQUIRE DOING. If no rads need replacing, if the system is fairly standard, and if the pump is fine, then it looks rather costly. My personal experience of BG powerflushes has involved the guy plumbing in the unit and sitting back with copious cups of tea for 3 -4 hours. I'm sorry to generalise, and I'm sure there are also good responsible engineers amongst BG's crew, but I'm rather cynical towards any firm that demands targets of their engineers that inevitably lead to short cuts.

Link to post
Share on other sites

That is generaly what I do as part of a powerflush, obviously I only carry out remedial work as required, but I will generaly replace the pump & pump valves as part of the job. I always combine cold feed & expansion pipes if possible (on open vented systems) as we try to eliminate the chance of needing a re-flush. Fitting a Magnaclean is the way forward too in my opinion, I recomend any engineers working for themselves to start fitting them!

 

Also, I didnt mean to tar everyone with the same brush, I realise there are some good firms out there who also do give a good service, just watch out what you are getting for your money!

 

P.S. dont all engineers love getting numerous cups of tea? I do!!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've heard a few stories about this BG so-called cover plan, I've never met anybody with a successful claim yet. A friend of mine in the next street was also told she needed a new boiler, at a cost of over £1300. I went in at weekend, bled all the radiators and it's working fine now.

 

I am not one to stick up for the big boys but believe me I have heard of many many claims from customers who have outright lied or stretched the truth to get compo and won. Capatalists lie and people lie its all one big lie in the greater scheme of things. Only thing that changes is that the more money you have the bigger change you have of your lie being believed.

 

Not at all saying that anyone here is lying - just that it goes on, works both ways and they have won. Probably what is going on is that the people who are genuine get nothing and BG suck up to the wrong people.

 

But yes, BG do pay out.

 

One example, one person called out Dyno-Rod who work on behalf of BG to fix a toilet at 2.30am, the Dyno-Rod engineer cut himself on part of the toilet which was in a bad state of neglet. The customer wanted compensation because the Dyno-Rod engineer spilt a little blood on the carpet. They got a bathroom re-fit.

 

Some people..

 

I have started an action in the small claims court for £415 against British Gas for carrying out a power flush when it was not needed it didn't rectify the problem I had with a radiator. Fitting a valve to the system under my service contract did!

 

Why didnt they perform the first 'fix' as per contract? Was this part of their home care agreement, if so they shouldnt have charged anything or a vastly reduced sum if you are on the budget plan.

And the latest score is...

 

DCA's 0 v Coasters 2

Link to post
Share on other sites

As an ex British gas trained engineer with 30 years experience (not one who has carried out a power flush on their behalf) I can safely confirm that BG have been carrying out this little number on customers for years.

 

In addition to their gentle persusion to loyal customers to renew perfectly good boilers that may be older than a certain age, the power flush option must be one of their other best earners.

 

I have managed to persuade a number of friends who have come to me in a blind panic after their annual Gas Board service revealed that a £500+ powerflush might be a good idea, that it was not necessary.

 

And lo and behold the systems are all still working fine after some years, a couple took up my suggestion of fitting a Magnaclean and none have renewed their contracts since the helpful advice from the BG servicing engineers almost cost them a fortune.

 

The BG Powerflush runaway train is generally laughed at by the rest of us within the industry.

 

 

 

Beware British Gas man who speak with forked tongue!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well British Gas have finally come up trumps. I resisted the offer of a powerflush and a new engineer was sent. He agreed with a previous diagnosis of flow and return to the boiler being plumbed in the wrong way round. He drained the system, re-plumbed it in about an hour, fired it up and it's been working nicely all day.

Amazingly the system had worked for 5 years being plumbed wrongly, but at least we've got a warm house now. Thanks to Peter from BG.

Link to post
Share on other sites

style="text-align: center;">  

Thread Locked

because no one has posted on it for the last 3942 days.

If you need to add something to this thread then

 

Please click the "Report " link

 

at the bottom of one of the posts.

 

If you want to post a new story then

Please

Start your own new thread

That way you will attract more attention to your story and get more visitors and more help 

 

Thanks

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 Caggers

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Have we helped you ...?


×
×
  • Create New...