Guarantee three year old boiler

[marmite123]

Hi

Hope someone can help....

 

. I had a new central heating system fitted (including boiler) almost three years ago.

 

It has been serviced three times and has been fine up until about a month ago where I have had to top up the pressure every day.

 

Yesterday I got the message on my thermostat saying boiler over run and

 

then about an hour later there was the most horrendous noise which panicked me to the point I switched the boiler off.

 

My problem is,

I have got out my paperwork thinking I will ring them tomorrow

 

but it says 'if you don't register your guarantee within 30 days, unfortunately you will only have a 12 month guarantee'

 

I didn't do this for two reasons

(and I do admit to being a bit dim here)

The guarantee form was tucked away in the bumf.

I assumed the boiler would be fit for purpose for at least 15 years....

 

I'm now without heating as I dare not switch it on and can't afford to pay someone to come out.

 

Have I any rights at all?

or just screwed and have to start saving to fix it myself?

 

Thank you.

Would appreciate anybody's wisdom or experience in the same or similar problem

[ashmk]

The sales of good act has got you covered. I don't have much time so can't explain, someone else will no doubt but don't panic, you should be ok.

[marmite123]

Oh thank you for a chink of light! Really appreciated

[dx100uk]

warranties are in ADDITION to your rights under soga.

 

you should contact the company you PAID the boiler for.

 

and ask them to come look see as you think the boiler is faulty now under

SOGA 'fit for purpose' clause.

 

dx

 

 

dx

[ericsbrother]

What make of boiler is it? Some,like Worcester wont quibble too much as long as the installation/service was properly signed off (should be otheriwse gas engineer breaking law) but others will argue to toss over the smallest details. If they offer a guarantee for 3 years then they offer a guarantee, regardless of filling out bits of card. this will prove a poor argument for them if they stick to it.

[marmite123]

What make of boiler is it? Some,like Worcester wont quibble too much as long as the installation/service was properly signed off (should be otheriwse gas engineer breaking law) but others will argue to toss over the smallest details. If they offer a guarantee for 3 years then they offer a guarantee, regardless of filling out bits of card. this will prove a poor argument for them if they stick to it.

 

It's an Ideal and fitted by gas safe person. The guarantee said if I filled in said piece of card it would be guaranteed for five years.......

[ericsbrother]

It is guaranteed for 5 years then . A piece of card is not going to make the boiler not break down so an argument about liability due to you not registering will not impress a judge. Basically they say that 5 years is how long they guarantee their goods for.

[marmite123]

I paid an independent gas engineer to fit the system, so do I go back to him and ask where he purchased the goods?

[marmite123]

It is guaranteed for 5 years then . A piece of card is not going to make the boiler not break down so an argument about liability due to you not registering will not impress a judge. Basically they say that 5 years is how long they guarantee their goods for.

 

Thank you for this advice. I thought I had nowhere to go with this one, apart from having the luxury of heating for a little while after 10 years of saving for it.... That'll teach me lol

[slick132]

Hi Marmite,

 

The scary noises suggest the water in the heat exchanger got too hot, effectively boiling and this would sound like someone was banging the pipework hard with a hammer. The boiler has sensors that detect the problem and would shut the system off.

 

There can be several causes for this happening so you could get back the engineer who installed to investigate. He should be able to diagnose the fault and can then advise on the cost to remedy. He'll also advise if the issue is something that the warranty should cover.

 

Alternatively, speak to Ideal and see if they have your boiler shown as covered. They can then advise on the costs of sending out one of their own engineers. However, if they do not accept the fault as their responsibility, their costs may well be higher than calling your own local engineer.

 

Other option is to speak to family or friends and get a recommended engineer to come and advise.

 

[marmite123]

Well I think I might have had a result.... I called Ideal and told them about the horrendous noise the boiler was making and am without heating. They said they have received my guarantee which is now set up (I sent it a few weeks ago and the worry was it said if I didn't send within 30 days I would not receive the full 5 years, only 12 months??!)

 

They are sending an engineer round next Thursday to have a look.

I did say I thought it was dangerous, so maybe that's why they are not arguing but I wasn't exaggerating - the noise was so bad and getting louder and louder my instant reaction was to get out of the house. So we'll see....

Oh some helpful person at work has said they will charge you for call out and labor if it needs fixing. Thanks for that I thought but seriously

thank you for all who have responded and who have really been helpful - I may need you again

[slick132]

Hi Marmite,

 

Thanks for the update and let us know how it goes.

 

Did Ideal confirm the terms of your boiler cover - ie are you covered for parts and/or labour, and for how many years.

 

Some schemes offer parts and labour for 1 or 2 years, but then parts only for the remainder of the 5 years. After that you have to pay their labour charges which I'd expect to be around £100 to £150 including VAT.

 

[marmite123]

Thank you slick. No they didn't confirm anything (spoke to call center person who gave me bog standard reply about making the appointment and confirming who I was) but it will be something I intend to follow up. Feel quite relieved that at least someone is coming out without having to have a battle TBH. I will be refusing to pay anything for this call out and as far as I am concerned the boiler is not fit for purpose, which is another story

I might be being a little over ambitious here but I would like a replacement. I have no faith in a three year old boiler that's already started to cause serious probs

 

again that's definitely another story

Thanks again - will keep you posted

Hi Marmite,

 

Thanks for the update and let us know how it goes.

 

Did Ideal confirm the terms of your boiler cover - ie are you covered for parts and/or labour, and for how many years.

 

Some schemes offer parts and labour for 1 or 2 years, but then parts only for the remainder of the 5 years. After that you have to pay their labour charges which I'd expect to be around £100 to £150 including VAT.

 

[slick132]

Hi Marmite,

 

I doubt you'll get a new boiler but you should be able to keep the current one serviced and running properly.

 

Personally, I would speak to Ideal again to confirm that the visit will be at no charge to you.

 

Also, I'd not be happy that the visit is scheduled for a week away when you have no heating in the meantime.