Corgi HomePlan

[haqiqat]

The word Corgi in their business name misled me into believing that it was Corgi's successor. I therefore took in March 2012 HomePlan cover which includes Annual Service.

 

We had problem with the water pressure. We had to refill it after every 10 days. An engineer called and changed a radiator valve in the kitchen. After checking other radiators in the house, he told us

that this should resolve the problem. If it does not, it will mean that there is some leakage in the boiler.

The problem persisted. He told us to switch off the water supply and mark the needle point. He promised to come back to check its reading. When he came back to check, he said that we had not turned off the water supply. He therefore did it himself and promised to come back the following day. He never did. We left a message on his mobile; but no response. We then contacted Corgi helpline, who said that they would pass our message to the engineer and that he should contact us soon.

He did not phone. We waited till 8 or 8.30 in the evening and then restored the water supply.

I wanted to lodge a complaint; but I found no their email id to cater for my need.

I now wish to terminate the contract. I do not wish them to undertake the annual service either.

Could you please help me to be aware of any pitfalls and how to go about carrying out this task and also to recover the amount I have already paid towards Annual Service.

Many thanks

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

You've posted in a forum for questions about CAG itself and would get more replies on a different one. I'm not sure which would be best myself, but have asked the site team to have a look. One of us will move the thread for you so you get some replies and help.

 

My best, HB

[MARTIN3030]

Moved here.

[SandyLeitch]

This is my recent experience with Corgi - I also was misled by their letters. Anyway, here is a copy of the email I sent to Corgi head office 2 weeks ago - still haven't received a reply>

 

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Gas Leak sequence of events to the best of our recollection, 12-09-2013, updated on a daily basis since.

CORGI policy reference number 216417

Monday 9/09

1.We smelled gas around the hot water boiler, phoned Scotland Gas Network, they told me to shut off the gas at the meter and ventilate the house, which I did, and they promptly sent an engineer.

2.The engineer established that there was a leak with a pressure drop of 12 mBar on his manometer. He said this was quite a bad leak and capped and sealed our meter and affixed a DANGER notice and issued me with a document saying it was a dangerous leak. He said he thought the leak was probably around the boiler.

 

3. I phoned CORGI(my boiler insurers), who sent out an engineer from Walkers of Edinburgh. He established that there was a gas leak (by pressure gauge pressure drop) but that it did not appear to be in the boiler as he had isolated the boiler and there was still a pressure drop(leak). He phoned his office who said they would repair the leak but that I would have to have area cleared for access. I understood this to mean the area around the boiler gas pipe. I removed part of the built-in cupboard and cut out the backing along the gas pipe run down to the floor. I phoned Walkers and told them and they said that someone would be out the following day.

 

Tuesday 10/09

1. Engineer arrived and went under the house, he established that there was a leak (by pressure gauge pressure drop) but that the access to the connections was so poor he would need to get at the pipe under the floor at the boiler, i.e. I had to remove the built-in cupboard, plinth and floor boards. We also talked about the physical size requirement for a qualified engineer to do the job because of the poor access. He phoned his office with the details. On later contacting CORGI, they first said that, despite my having paperwork to the contrary, my system pipework was not covered ; then relented and said that they WOULD do the repair.

2. I removed the cupboard and flooring at the boiler area and phoned Corgi. They said that 2 engineers would be sent the next day to do the repair, including a smaller, more mobile, guy.

 

Wednesday 11/09

1. Two engineers arrived p.m. They started off, of course, by doing a pressure test and established that there WAS a pressure drop, although only 8 mBar. They then set out to find a leak using leak detection fluid - but were unable to find a leak, now there was no pressure drop! At this point it was decided that although no leak had been found - where there had been a leak - the engineers thought that, for SAFETY reasons, the pipe should be replaced. The pipe was cut and capped downstream of the branches to the kitchen hob and the feature gas fire, they then left the house to confirm the job with their management and, presumably, CORGI. 2. A phone call to Corgi(Miles) established that Corgi were unwilling to fund the pipe replacement because "There was no leak found" and that I should get Walkers to do the job "at my own cost". I was rather annoyed at this, 3 days with no hot water or central heating and no fix in sight.

3. I phoned Walker's who told me that the cost to replace the pipe would be £510.00! This was, I thought, totally unacceptable. On checking with my Bank Direct Debit what I was paying and checked what I was supposed to be getting for my Boiler insurance policy with Corgi, I called them again. The lady at the other end seemed rather surprised that I'd been left with no gas and a 'cut' pipe and said that she would speak to Walkers. I have not heard any further mention of this company.

 

Thursday 12/09

1. Day 4. Received a phone call from a gas engineer who said that he was coming out to see 'about my gas leak' and he would be there in about 2 hours, great, we thought. The engineer, this time from Crossgates Heating duly arrived at about 11 a.m. and proceeded to pressure test the system and check for leaks.

2. He found 1, probably 2 leaks inside the boiler enclosure! I probably didn't need to have ripped out the built-in cupboard at all! The problem required spare parts so he capped the system near to the boiler and left with the promise to follow up. He also said that it could be between 1 and 5 days to get the required spares. We explained that we were going away on holiday on Thursday the 19th September and there would be no access availability because neighbours and friend were also going to be away.

 

Friday 13/09

1. Nothing heard from anyone. Had to boil several kettles of water for birdbath in shower cubicle - unbelievable, camping facilities in my home.

 

Saturday 14/09

1. Nothing heard from anyone

 

Sunday 15/09

1. Nothing heard from anyone

 

 

Monday 16/09

1. Nothing heard from anyone, constructed a 25 litre header tank with garden hose to provide a rudimentary shower - it took 9 kettles of boiling water to give 1 person a basic wet down. This has developed into a total pain, my wife is furious and I'm worse.

 

Tuesday 17/09

1. Nothing heard from anyone

 

 

Wednesday 18/09

1. Phoned Crossgates Heating engineer who told me that only 2 of the 3 items were to hand and that the 3 were needed to undertake the repair, asked me to phone him at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Cancelled my pre-cruise plans and told him we would now be leaving on Friday 20th

 

Thursday 19/09 - ten days with no Central Heating or Hot water!

1. Phoned Crossgates engineer who said that the final part was 'in transit' from Alpha boilers but no delivery details were available.

 

Friday 20/09

1. Phoned Crossgates engineer to confirm that we were leaving for holiday at 2 pm that afternoon as discussed 8 days ago but only got number unobtainable message!

 

Friday 20/09 to Wednesday 2/10

1. Abroad on holiday. Plenty of hot water and heating for a change.

 

Wednesday 2/10 - 23 days without Central Heating or Hot water.

1. Phoned Central Heating engineer at 0825. He said he was unlikely to get to us today but maybe tomorrow!

 

Thursday 3/10 - day 24

Tomorrow never comes, still no central heating or hot water. Phone call from Crossgates Heating to say engineer will be out tomorrow a.m. and to phone if he hadn't arrived by 1130.

 

Friday 4/10 - day 25

No engineer a.m. tried to phone Crossgates Heating, unable to find number in book! Phoned engineer on his mobile, said he would be here in about 40 minutes.

 

SUMMARY AND INFORMATION

C.O.R.G.I. - Cannot. Organise. Repairs. Generically. Incapable.

1. Including the Emergency gas leak engineer, we've had 6 different engineers at our house, we have had no running hot water or central heating and do not see any immediate improvement in this state of affairs.

2. After all the hassle it appears that the problem lies in the area that we reported, i.e. the boiler.

3. Removal of the surrounding cupboard, shelving, trim etc. was a very exhausting task for me (see below)and now, it appears, was totally unnecessary. Refitting the cupboard is likely to tax me even more. Cutting through the back of the unit - see Monday 09/09 - was very difficult and will necessitate me buying some new material as well as any original cupboard unit materials which may have been damaged. The original construction of the unit took me over 40 hours work - it was not just a matter of hammer and nails carpentry.

4. My wife is recovering from a recent hip replacement operation after an accident and I am a Cancer operation out-patient missing rather a big bit of my internals, I am diabetic, have a pacemaker and am suffering from COPD (an incurable disease which requires that I am not exposed to temperature extremes hot or COLD). We need to have a heated environment and access to running hot water on a purely hygiene basis. This we have NOT had. I feel that if this had occurred during a colder period I may not have been here writing this report.

5. Part of the delay has been caused by petty bickering and denial by several interested parties and is, I feel, totally unacceptable. The non supply of normal spares from a UK manufacturer within 8 days, for what is generally accepted nowadays as an emergency repair, is nothing short of disgraceful - I get items on eBay from China in less time!

6. I am forwarding a copy of this sorry state of affairs to my main house Insurance, Privilege, Legal Department for assessment advice for compensatory damages and failing any luck there intend to broadcast my story far and wide to the press and my internet blogs etc.. This is NOT a threat, it's a promise.

 

PS I have not yet written to Privilege as \I thought to wait for Corgi's reply

[rokoriz]

CONGI SUCKS... HOME PLAN NO 221982

 

Cant agree more to your statement above.

 

I had a run in with their phone support today after paying for their useless service for more than a year. My 1 year old boiler stopped working and when their engineer finally appeared after a week of chasing, he says that the heat exchanger is blocked and this is NOT COVERED. When signing up no one told me that...! anyways no point wasting time with them as they are bunch of CROOKS. I will now have to pay privately to get the boiler to work.

 

AND MY SUGGESTION TO WHOEVER IS THINKING OF SIGNING UP TO CORGI. ****DON'T AS THEY ARE A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!

 

BURN IN HELL!