homeserve. Are they rogue traders?

[bradymd]

Hi.

I have Comprehensive plumbing cover and heating cover with Homeserve.

 

The hot kitchen tap stopped flowing, its little more than a dribble.

Homeserve came out (£50) but said it was the tap, and they didn't cover tap faliure.

I got a non-homeserve plumber to replace the tap, it wasn't the tap.

Homeserve wouldn't fix it under their fully comprehensive cover.

So I needed a plumber, and Homeserve offer one-off repair quotes.

I had to pay to assess the work (£75), but in fact, they didn't want

the work, they wouldn't provide a quote.

 

I have formally complained to them. They say eight weeks, but its now 11 weeks.

I reminded them that they promised to investigate and reply

and still no answer.

 

Is this company a rogue trader?

I asked them to cancel my policy and no reply yet either.

I find it quite shocking. I have paid, and offered to pay for any other work required.

What game are they playing?

Edited October 22, 2011 by bradymd

[HomeServe Customer Service]

Hi Sorry to hear about your claims experience. Please email heretohelp @ homeserve.com with some more details and we will try and look into this for you. Regards from the team at HomeServe.

[MARTIN3030]

Thank you and welcome to the site.

We hope that your presence here will benefit our members and also yourselves,and we look forward to updates on this.

[kurvaface]

:-xCan someone point me in the direction of some good reviews about this company because all I kind find are countless horror stories of poor service and mis-selling. It gives the impression that the company gets you to sign up for a relatively costly coverplan that is not worth the paper it's written on and when the time comes to call in the service, homeserve wriggles every which way in the small print to avoid providing the care expected by customers!

[greasmonkey]

if the homeserve rep want to help there customers just google homeserve

complaints and see what service they provide

[bradymd]

My appeal to the Financial Ombudsman about Homeserve is lodged, including graphics from their website, and misleading boastful claims made by Homeserve. I have referred also to laws in Scotland where hot water has to be provided by Landlords, so its indicative that its fair to say hot water is a basic right for habitation.

 

THERE IS A 12 MONTH BACKLOG FOR THE OMBUSDMAN TO CONSIDER "HOME EMERGENCY" APPEALS.

 

So, March 2013 they will review as it only got into their system March 2012. (Just had confirmation of this.)

 

Fair and equitable society? I don't think so. And I've already been told that the Financial Ombudsman is only relevant to the insurance aspect of the case (i.e. mis selling is not going to be their remit). So, Homeserve threw me down the wrong track. Nice business model Homeserve. Nice. I hope you guys sleep at night !

[sirbob10]

They are nothing more than a useless bunch of idiots who do shoddy work and leave you with the bill.

 

I have a leak in my kitchen ceiling and it was coming from the shower. I called them, paid the £50 and a guy turns up. He cut a hole in my ceiling but due to having a false floor he had to take up some of the bathroom floor which was tiled and he tightened the plug in the shower, but instead of just turning on the shower to make sure no more water leaked out he said leave it for a few days and someone will come out but in the meantime please pull up more sections of the floor and them rip up more of the floorboards and then we will come back.

 

I done all of this and when another man came back he said the problem was sorted and there was no need to pull up so much of the floor. I was really angry and complained and they sent out a supervisor who comfirmed what the other guy had said and there was no need to pull up so much of the floor.

 

He said he would report to his manager and I would get compensation for the cost of fixing the work they'd done.

 

I received a call a few days later from complaints who said they are not liable. I argued with the man but all he said was he was closing the complaint and I would receive a final letter and then if I wanted I could complain to the ombudsman. He was so cocky.

 

Well anyway I complained and the ombudsman found in my favour and I got just over £600 from them to cover all the repair costs.

 

They did ring me to ask if I wanted further cover but I refused.

[ihateyes]

also you should read their terms and conditions, hidden on the 2nd last page under Our Repair standards:

 

Repairs are USUALLY TEMPORARY to alleviate the emergency. We MAY however carry out a permanent repair if at similar cost.

 

Comprehensive or not, they dont guarantee much.

[ashmk]

Is this company a rogue trader?

 

Very much so in my opinion.

 

You would be better off putting your subs into a high intrest paying savings account and use that when you need something fixing. Plus you get the intrest. Why anyone uses these 'homeserve' type outfits is beyond me. You must all be stupid giving someone else the money when you could save it yourself.