British Gas Services Complaint

[forkliftman]

I have been reading posts about British Gas and their Homecare service contracts and the problems people have. I too am in dispute with BG. I had a gas fire fitted by them in 1990. In 1998 I took out Homecare cover for my fire plus boiler and ch system and had them checked every year without any problems. In March 2007 the yearly check was carried out and to my surprise the fitter condemned the fire for breaking the 1998 Gas Regs. IT was fitted with a letterbox flue. BG has offered to put it right and compensate me to the sum of £56 which I have refused. The matter is still in the hands of their Customer Service Department

[Bigmac versus]

If the Fire in question has allegedly been serviced every year then why wasnt this picked up on peviously?
If this is proven to be the case that engineers simply never done the job correctly then you should be reimbursed for that period of time this was missed.
Questions also need asked as for your safety, gas regulations dont change for any reason other than to improve safety.

[MARTIN3030]

Welcome to the site.
You have the right to refuse their offer if you are not satisfied.
Keep all your communications together as evidence.
A good route to go if this is not resolved is to contact Energywatch.
They have been dealing with my case with BG and have produced amazing results.
You could let BG know that if they do not resolve this you will file a complaint.
You can do this online or by letter.
Keep us posted.

[MARTIN3030]

Have moved your post here I think you will get more help.
Feel free to ask away further.

[Bigmac versus]

You say letterbox opening can you elaborate a little.
Is it that there wasnt a backplate fitted and the letterbox opening was straight into the wall?

[forkliftman]

Hi Bigmac, The gas fire in question has a letterbox type flue which is approx 10'' x 4''. The fire is fitted into the fire grate on a dummy partition with a hole cut in it to take the flue. The partition is sealed round its edges. When the engineers did the yearly service they disconected the gas pipe and pulled the fire away and put a smoke match in the flue opening to check ventilation. The reason the flue breaks the gas regs. is that the opening has to big enough to see inside in case debris has fallen down from inside the chimney.

Forkliftman

[gondukin]

Just to follow up on Martin3030's post, a complaint to energywatch will have no effect whatsoever because they deal with gas and electricity supply, not servicing.

I'm not sure who you would go to if you can't reach remedy with BG, perhaps CORGI (as BG engineers haven't been doing their job properly) or maybe trading standards (they have provided the stated service to an adequate standard). Hopefully someone may be able to confirm/correct this.

[Bigmac versus]

Ok now i understand.
Do you have any of the landlord reports that the engineers from BG would have left over the years as on this it would ask if the catchment area was ok and by saying this was ok this would be in clear contravention of the gas regulations which could result in a £5000 fine or 6 months imprisonment.
If you dont have any Landlords Reports then BG are required to keep copies of this which you could obtain. If a complaint is made to Corgi they could inform H & S through raising a RIDDOR report.
It is your call regarding this but i am surprised that BG are not pulling out all the stops to resolve this before it escalates further.
Maybe another call to them will do the trick.