British Gas homecare

[judi3]

I am unsure as if the mods will accept my posting but i feel the information will help many users/familes or neighbours On this site .



The government has plegded to end fuel poverty in our life time and grants and initiatives are available .



A "good installer " will have registered with schemes to reduce the financial burden on its customers .

[commercial link removed] discounted boilers and controls and other inititives

Our local council has a scheme which other may(MUST) have similar
[commercial link removed]

Do you live in Preston?

Are you an owner occupier?

You don't qualify for a grant?

You can't get help from your mortgage lender / bank / building society?

Preston MoneyLine may be able to help!
We have a loan designed to help in these circumstances. Loans are available from £100 to £12,000 with typical interest rates from 3% to 5.5%.

As a not for profit organisation our rates are low enough for you to afford.

There are no hideen fees or charges and no early repayment penalty. This service is here to provide a fair loan at a fair price.

Whatever the problem - Preston MoneyLine can assist in bringing your property up to the decent homes standard.

THE TERM DECENT HOMES is specific in providing homes with heating





Energy efficiency central heating and other measures are available :



Warm Front Grant - England

The Warm Front Grant was originally introduced in 2000 and was amended in June 2005 to include Central Heating for all clients and oil central heating for those not on the gas distribution network. Eaga Group Government Contracts Division manages the scheme throughout England.
The Warm Front Grant provides a package of energy efficiency and heating measures up to the value of £2,700 (except where oil central heating is installed or repaired where a maximum grant of £4,000 is available).
If the property has previously received any measures under Warm Front, the value of the grant available to the existing householder under Warm Front will be the balance of £2,700 or £4,000 if oil central heating is involved, less the value of all works previously completed in the property under Warm Front since June 2000.
If you own your home, or rent it from a private landlord, you may be able to claim a grant of up to £2,700 under the Warm Front Scheme. Read our Warm Front Eligibility page to find out if you are eligible.
To apply for a Warm Front grant, click here.
If you have a query about the Warm Front scheme, please contact enquiry@eaga.co.uk

Warm Front £300 Heating Rebate Scheme

On Monday 5 December 2005, the Chancellor made a pre-budget announcement regarding the Government’s intention to offer a £300 rebate off the cost of installing a new central heating system for people aged 60 or over who own or privately rent their home.
The £300 rebate, which forms part of the Warm Front Scheme, can only be used by householders who either have no heating system or one which is inoperable.
The £300 rebate will be made available from 11 August 2006 to all householders aged 60 or over who are not in receipt of a qualifying Warm Front benefit.
Application Process

Stage 1
All customers will apply via the Eaga Contact Centre on 0800 316 2808.
Customers who are not eligible for Warm Front will be given the opportunity to register for the Warm Front £300 Heating Rebate Scheme.
A Benefit Entitlement Check will be offered and if the Warm Front qualifying benefits are identified, the householder will follow the normal Warm Front route. If no benefits are identified, or the customer refuses the Check, they will be passed to the Warm Front £300 Heating Rebate Scheme.

[trevk008]

I have been with British Gas Home Care for three years, never missed a payment to them. I called them a few weeks back saying my boiler, which is covered by my home care contract, was having problems.

Despite making a morning appointment the engineer finally turned up at 6:30pm. I had to take a day of work for this. He came in spent less than five minutes looking at the boiler and said all that was needed was to turn up the gas pressure, which he did. The problems continued until it completely failed two weeks later.

I called home care at 7am on a Thursday; they said they could not get anyone around until Friday, despite me pointing out that I have no heating or hot water.

I took the day of work and booked the engineer for a morning call. The engineer turned up late on Friday and could not fix the problem and said I would have to go over the weekend with no heating or hot water.

I took the day of work and booked the engineer for a morning call the next day. An engineer turned up late on Monday and could not fix the problem and said he would come back with another part on Tuesday. The family and I would have to go another day with no heating or hot water.

I took the day of work and booked the engineer for a morning call the next day. An engineer turned up late on Tuesday and couldn’t fix the problem. Said they needed to order a new part. The family and I would have to go another day with no heating or hot water.

I took the day of work and booked the engineer for a morning call the next day. The engineer hadn’t turned up by lunch time so I called and asked where he was and was told he was running late and would be there later. I had no reason to believe otherwise as they are always late. He didn’t turn up, at all. The family and I would have to go another day with no heating or hot water.

I took the day of work and booked the engineer for a morning call the next day. An engineer turned up on time on Thursday, with a second engineer, they couldn’t fix the problem. They said they would have to get the manufacturer out to fix it. They said they will call me back later in the day, they didn’t. I called the help desk and was told sorry, we can’t help we have asked the manufacture to call you. I asked when they would call, they said we don’t know, maybe Friday, maybe Monday, maybe Tuesday. The family and I would have to go another day (??), week(??) or month(??) with no heating or hot water.

Five days off work and counting, over £700 of payments to British Gas and now at least ten days and counting with no hot water or heating. I

Make up your own mind about whether you want to deal with this company.

[martin2006]

thats privatisation for you mate. God bless mrs thatcher.

Can you post some specifics like, make and model of boiler and symptons of fault etc, ill try to help. (i am corgi regd)

martin

[SHERLOCK]

British Gas ggrrrrr!!
Copy of letter sent a while back, not heard a peep since!
Thinking out loud am now wondering if I should get the system flushed and send BG the bill



Please find below copy of my letter sent to BG after their 'engineer' serviced our boiler under their 'heating insurance policy' which we had taken out (£16.00 per month) and subsequent probs that were NOT covered within the policy.


Gritish Bas
Central & North West
Newbridge Lane
Stockport
Cheshire
SK1 2YA

Dear Sir/Madam

Re: INVOICE NO. X XXX XXXXXX X


Whilst I accept that the above invoice to be true with regard part supplied on initial first visit, I have long held the belief that the subsequent work carried out with regard the policy (on which the initial work was undertaken) to have been a complete balls up.

Notwithstanding the need to recall your so-called engineer days after fitting a faulty timer, I was given a full examination of my so-called rusty/dodgy pipework and shown a tray of filings that had been accumulating in my heating system ‘over the years’, thus the cause of my complaint with regard the radiators to the ground floor failing to heat to a desired temperature (luke warm at best)

The problem with these radiators I can assure you was NOT evident prior to the fitting of the timer added to the need for myself to re-open the valves to the upper floor radiators, as YOUR engineer had left without amending work of HIS doing!!

I am then advised that the work involved in rectifying this problem, surprise, surprise, is NOT covered by the policy and am hit with a quote of…£511.01, that’s right…No typing error.

Needless to say, I have since taken advice and obtained further quotes FAR cheaper than your own. I request that the aforementioned invoice be cancelled forthwith and the respective so-called Debt Collection Agencies be informed of your course of action.

Failure to agree with the above will require the need for me to take this matter further and may even lead to court proceedings, THIS IS NOT AN IDLE THREAT!

I therefore do not acknowledge this debt.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

SHERLOCK

I did see a report on Granada a few months back regarding similar occurrencies with other Gritish Bas policy holders!!!!

[screech]

removing and rinsing out your radiators means the sludge is still in your pipework, it's a half arsed measure. adding the cleansing chemicals from the likes of b&q can help but they're pretty weak and have a limited affect.

be wary of who flushes out your system. many plumbers seem completely incompetent and can't clear air (they don't know how to) or remove blockages and only spend about 4-5 hours flushing it. a proper job for about 7-8 radiators is 7 hours +.

if you've got twin entry radiator valves (valves only on 1 side of the radiator) it CANNOT be properly flushed so if someone tells you they can do it well i'd call them a liar.

[Bigmac versus]

Hi screech and after reading your posts id like to add my thoughs also.

As you know all engineers have their own thoughts of different boiler manufacturers and models and of course some firms also, we all have nightmare stories to tell and report like many other trades also.
Generally speaking my work is 90% word of mouth work which as you know dosent come through bad workmanship, when i started my apprenticeship i was at college for five years which included city and guilds for BOTH plumbing and gas central heating fault finding and rectification, i know experience is required to become a good engineer, but i personally do not accept that after a short period of one year which includes being out with an engineer doing on site repairs makes you qualified to be out there in the thick of things, i have insurance plans within my company and i can assure you some of them who used to be with BG came to me for that reason alone. (multiple visits for fault that never seems to be fixed and this is not only the adult trainees im talking about here)
The problem BG have is a similar one throughout the country, in past years how many apprenticeships are there to be taken in comparrison to say 25 years ago, this is now being addressed and there is more funding made available now for this and i for one have taken advantage of this and have an apprentice stating shortly, the point is i would NOT send this apprentice out within such a short time of being with us as he would not be competent to deal with the many situations that arise out there and this would lead to a poor reflection on my companies reputation that i have worked hard to make, but BG are according to many customers and this is reflecting their reputation. Im all for training of adults who wish to join the proffession but feel they should go through a full apprenticeship which includes going out with tradesman before being released upon the public.

[davietich]

hi - i have a scottish gas homecare 300 insurance which includes plumbing and drains cover. today i called out an engineer to check out a leak to my hot water tap in the kitchen. - he found the section of copper pipe was porous and little pinhole leaks were causing the problem he then told me(after a lenthy discussion with his office in his van)to my amazement that this problem was not covered but could give me a quote.!!! could anyone out there check there homecare 300 agreement and tell me if scottish gas are at it- and if so what can i do .
i have phoned them to complain and got nowhere so am going to cancel my contract but still feel i should take them to task for breach of contract but dont know what road to take.
cheers
davie

[Bigmac versus]

Hi davie dont you have a copy of the terms and conditions for your contract?

[Conniff]

All these type of contract are a complete waste of money. They want to change your boiler after 7 years at your expense even though the premiums paid would buy a couple of boilers.

It does say in the T&Cs that you have to pay, so might as well ditch it and get in a plumber if and when needed.

Subject to the terms of your agreement. Under HomeCare Flexi™ options a fixed fee for every completed repair, including related faults is payable

[davietich]

hi - thanks for replying- yes i have -the diagram shows the pipes in question are covered by the agreement but scottish gas are apparently using the general exclusion rule---
4.1 Design or existing faults
We will not include the cost of repairs needed because of design faults (unless we are responsible), or faults which existed before you entered into the agreement and which we could not identify on our first inspection of that particular system or appliance using reasonable care and skill.----
-considering they have never ever done a inspection of any sort on my plumbing(contract was done over the phone)then all my pipework will fall under this exclusion rendering my contract useless-- i have complained to them today to no avail and have now cancelled my complete contract ..
trading standards say i should write and complain but my leaky pipes need fixed urgently so its off to wickes in the morning.- if you want something done - do it yourself!!

[Conniff]

If the pipes are covered and you have drawings which show and say so then I see no point in ending the agreement just at this point.

You should have demanded that they do what is in the contract, even threatening court action, and then on completion cancelled.

[Bigmac versus]

It really depends on whats in your T&C's as they say "or faults which existed before you entered into the agreement and which we could not identify on our first inspection of that particular system or appliance using reasonable care and skill."
How long have you been in this contract and did they have a reasonable amount of time to carry out an inspection? If they had ample time and didnt carry out an inspection then the policy is of no use and as such your payments taken should be returned. They cant have it both ways although they would like to think they can.

[davietich]

hi bigmac - no they never carried out an inspection at all -just upgraded my cover over the phone about 6 years ago. trying to get anywhere with them is an impossibility so i am washing my hands of them apparently like thousands more .
i am considering hydro electrics ch & boiler care and will attend to the plumbing myself.
cheers

[Bigmac versus]

I hear you and understand fully, however I wouldnt let up on BG.

You say the engineer said the pipe was porous and had pinholes in it?
I doubt this is the truth and you should keep the pipe in question and pursue BG for the return of any premiums paid towards this cover.

[mackem67]

Sorry to butt in n this thread but I am so angry!!!

My 75 yr old mother had her yearly *service* from BG as part of the Homecare she has been paying for over the last 20 odd years.
The *engineer* left a note to say she needed more ventilation and put a yellow at risk sticker on the boiler (AWorcester 280 Combi about 10 yrs old).
Now my mum has never had a problem with this boiler at all and the only time she has has work done it has been to upgrade the ventilation.
However, I rang BG the day after as my mum said she had no paperwork re the service. ( She is very forgetful and gets easily confused) The guy I spoke to in Customer Service said he would send a new engineer out on the following monday. New engineer came out and also said vents needed upgrading and gave a quote of £188 to do the job.
Fait enough you might say. BUT the next day a salesman came to see my mum and I dont know how but he talked her into a new boiler!!!!!
She has paid £3360 for a new oversized boiler (Worcester 530) for hwer small bungalow. The best bit is that they havent changed the ventilation one bit!!/
I have been in touch with BG today and am waiting for all the paperwork concerning my mums old boiler as I think we should at least have an engineers report to say why she needed a new boiler.
Anyone have any ideas where to go next??
I have my local trading standards number and intend to inform them on Monday.

[davietich]

hi - do not accept any of this nonsense from british gas -the internet is full of similar stories re new boilers being sold when all that was required was a simple repair - in your case i assume the service engineer found nothing wrong with the actual boiler when it was only the ventilation sticker that was applied . please get a second opinion re boiler from local corgi registered plumber if in doubt -might cost you £50 + but worth it no doubt. i assume you also have statutory right to cancel i.e 14 days cooling off but trading standards office of fair trading or citizenz advice will keep you right - also look elsewhere for boiler cover - there are plenty about other than british gas - who seem to be only interested in sales and not fussy how they get them. tell your mam not to worry i am certain you can cancel and perhaps even sue the perpetrator for distress and mis-selling!!
- by the way the engineer who came in to me to check my leaky hot water pipe was more interested in the age of my boiler !!!
please let me know how you get on!!!
Also to everyone else out there did you know some utility companies are training up thier meter readers to sell boiler care ,telephone ,broadband etc & once they are in your home under pretense of reading the meter you are going to get the hard sell!!!- beware who you let in to your home even if they do have i.d. !!!!