Problem with British Gas Homecare

[daisyc]

I've just joined the Forum so I'm not sure if this sort of issue has come up before. I have am ISAR boiler which was installed by BG/Scottish Gas in October 2002 and has had an annual check and various repairs under their Homecare scheme. About a year ago I reported that it was leaking (there were splashes of thickish gray liquid around it) but none of their engineers could identify the source. It has now been not working since Friday and we've had engineers out 3 times. They've been hinting that I have a really bad boiler type (depite BG/Scottish Gas having recommended and installed it!!) and will probably have to get a new one (at a cost of around £1,700). The one who was here yesterday said that the condensate drain was completely blocked - he showed it to me and it was solidly packed with gray gunk. As far as I know no-one had looked at that before.

I have 2 questions that I hope people who know more about these things can answer.

1) should something like this have been picked up in the annual checks?
2) what should I do if I think that the problems have been caused by BG/Scottish Gas not servicing the boiler properly ?

thanks

[tiglet]

My mum has had similar problems - she decided to change to Southern, who run a similar scheme. when they did their pre-contract check they found problems that BG should have spotted and rectified. As she still had her contract with them, she got them out again and they have now repaired it.


A boiler should still be fine after 5 and a half years so i would speak to their complaints department and insist the area supervisor comes out with the engineer to have a look. advise them that if they will not do so or do not repair the appliance as per your contract, you will get someone independently to inspect it an if it turns out that BG should and could have repaired it, you will charge them for the inspection and expect compensation for the problems you have had due to their inactivity.

If it turns out it is a long standing problem, their engineers should have noticed it long before now during your annual check.

[daisyc]

Thanks for your message, tiglet. After I wrote my post yesterday the engineer came back and, after a couple of hours, said that in addition to what had already been found there were major problems with the heat exchanger and that there was a risk from Carbon Monoxide. He therefore disconnected the boiler. Under the terms of my Homecare Contract, since the boiler is less than 7 years old, they may replace it with a new one at no cost to me rather than try any more repairs. However, until they decide on that we are left with no heating or hot water and no firm date for anything further to be done. I'm still sure the problems are all down to them not carrying out proper servicing - but I don't know how I could show that.

I guess I just have to see this through - but I'll be more careful in the future to ask about what is being done when they are carrying out the annual service. The manual that came with the boiler lists what should be done annually so I assumed that BG would be doing that.

If I don't hear from them tomorrow I'll take your advice and contact the complaints department.

[tiglet]

I wouldn't wait to hear from them if I was you - i would be proactive and start making the calls first thing in the morning.

This is disgraceful - it has put you and others at risk.