We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
British Gas replace boiler for £4266.51
Options
Comments
-
Ugnaught - my old combi boiler packed in during the summer so I got 3 quotes on an energy efficient replacement. All 3 quotes were for the same model of boiler (a Worcester Bosch) and were as follows:
British Gas £3400
HelpLink £3000
Local Independent £1600
The local company had been recommended to me by a colleague and were eager to "make good" the recommendation. They actually came round to see if the old boiler was viable to be repaired first (and didn't charge for that visit).
When getting the quotes I also explained to each of the potential suppliers that we were planning on extending in a few years time so would need to move the boiler then. Not a problem according to HelpLink or the independent, but the BG man said "you can't move a boiler" and when I asked why all he could say was "it's health and safety." I work in the Chemical industry and have some health and safety qualifications, plus my dad is a plumber and used to be Corgi registered, so I know that this is absolute crap. British Gas are out to make ridiculous amounts of cash, any way they can, simple as.
Bin the quote and the contract, hell even threaten them with court action for pressure selling to an OAP if it gets you out of the contract. Then find a recommended local independent company to come and do the job.Mortgage 1 Oct 11 - £118k @ 1.29%(BR+0.79) July 14 £118k
Mortgage 2 Oct 11 - £17k @ 3.19%(BR+2.69) July 14 £3k (£0 after offsetting)
Mortgage total Oct 11 - £135k July 14 £121k (£118k)
Reg Savers (6%) - July 14 £5.1k
ISAs - £0.6k
Santander 123 Acc (3%) - £5k0 -
Oh I get it now. I must be blind. It says £0.00 for GD assessment - it continued from the previous page.
My heater advisor rang back at 8:19pm but wasn't able to explain why I needed 24 metres of piping. I said I thought it might go under the landing but then he went on about the width and it needing to to attic etc. talking a lot not answering my question and other technical stuff.
I asked if would use a key hole saw. He got uppity and more agitated "you're asking me what tools I should use!? Your not a plumber". I was worried about the installers lifting up loads of floorboards when a key hole saw will do - he didn't know what what one was! He said zip saw or circular saw. Google says zip circular saw is for floorboards.
I told him that my aunt paid £2200 for similar and that people on moneysavingexpert say I should cancel and get an independant. He did say do you want to cancel but I chickened out but that I'll keep in touch.
The winter is almost over now. I hope dad isn't bothered either way if i cancel or not. We coped ok with electric heaters since 2010.
On 15 January dad got a call from the Energy Helpline
On 31 January dad got a call from British Gas, the same mobile number of the BG heating advisor.
I think if i asked dad he'd disagree with canceling. I can send an email to [EMAIL="cancelinstallation@centrica.com"]cancelinstallation@centrica.com[/EMAIL] or just leave a message to the heating adivisor. Maybe its a bit late now to ring the heating advisor. I'll let him sleep on it to let him calm down (that's if he is able to sleep well at night - he has a dog for company) then leave a message on his voicemail tommorrow.0 -
You're on a bit of a loser here. Your dad wants it, your dad's paying for it and your dad's happy with the quote. You've told him he can get cheaper yet he doesn't want it, if you press it and force it and he gets it fitted by someone else the day it goes wrong it will be your fault.
You could ask the quoting guy if there is movement on the price (I'm certain there will be), although you would need to go through your dad for data protection.0 -
data protection? privacy?You could ask the quoting guy if there is movement on the price (I'm certain there will be), although you would need to go through your dad for data protection.
The quote salesman guy said he like other BG quote guys are all independent just remotely computerised working for BG (a franchise like McDonalds?) so I suppose if the salesman quote guy isn't happy, cos I'm not happy then that's ok. Maybe it depends if i cancelled it directly to BG via email.
Before I made the call I was hoping the quotation heating advisor would lower the price when i said i was thinking of cancelling. I even said that my aunt paid £2200 but he didn't see it as a haggle, just asking if i'd like to cancel.
He was a bit surprised me saying I'll have a look under the floorboards in the attic. I have done, but only 2 floorboards, and I'm not happy about the upheaval moving furniture to remove more floorboards I don't know how they'll get to, just cos he said it was "regulations" to have a feeder pipe in the attic. These regulations don't apply do proper independents do they?Three quotes from recommended RGIs should sort out the wheat from the chaff.
Stories such as yours make my blood boil.
Can anyone recommend any boiler installers in the Macclesfield area?0 -
Can anyone recommend any boiler installers in the Macclesfield area?
Trying posting here. Further advice is available here. Most people have had very limited experience with getting the trades in and usually appreciate someone who will take the time to answers questions and provide full specification quotes in plain English; that is how we operate.0 -
British Gas just go around hoping people don't get other quotes, they prey on elderly people using a name they 'can trust' and charge double the going rate for the privilege. It's scandalous.0
-
11:06am Got a call from British Gas on 08009 number, both me and dad pick up phone
"We got an email to cancel just rang to check, do you wish to go ahead?"
i say no dad says yes
13:45 they call again
only I speak
BG say could get someone in tommorrow, he will get his deposit back, why decide cancel?
me: aunt paid £2200
BG say will get a revised figure, n call you back
I say dunno what floorboards will be removed, could be a lot of furniture moved, massive amount of disruption, no explanation of 24 metres of copper pipes
people are saying you prey on elderley and vulnerable. On the moneysavingexpert forums they said its an outrageous price. I told our relatives as well.
BG: A lot of questions there. I know we've had a lot of bad press. Was it (name of plumber)?
yeah
BG: need to speak to account holder, when will he be next in?
dunno0 -
how old is the current boiler? The new condensing boilers usually require different size gas pipes to the exisiting ones, and they need to run from where the gas enters the property to the boiler. I've just had mine replaced with BG, came in only a couple of hundred more than local suppliers, so I was happy, but I did give them my rock bottom price. I either had the option of taking up the floor boards in 2 rooms, or rooting the new pipes outside (which I went for).
Discounts on offer inlcluded several hundred off for saying I'd get a quote from BG for supplying my gas/electric - the salesman just told me to ignore the call, which I did.
When I said I wasn't happy with the price, he dropped it. They're always keen for you to sign on the day, but I said I wanted to check out his quote further (and agreed a few days later).
In theory, they are supposed to make good everything, and put stuff back if they've moved it. - doesn't always happen though!0 -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9163676/British-Gas-boiler-parts-three-times-cheaper-at-BandQ.html
Didn't bother to mention this on the phone to BG.
Well not any calls today since that except a missed call from the Swansea number that wants us to switch energy providers. My dad didn't shout at me. Infact he didn't say anything. I wonder if British Gas will want to speak to 'the account holder' tommorrow about their "revised figure".
The old boiler dates from 1992 october, so its 20. But it failed in 2009.they need to run from where the gas enters the property to the boiler
Gas pipes outside in the garden? and water pipes round the walls of the house to get to the 1st floor?taking up the floor boards in 2 rooms, or rooting the new pipes outside (which I went for).
Did you see the TV show on Tuesday 11:05pm The hunt for Britain's metal thieves.
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/heating-terms
6. We may need you to lift carpets or take up all or some other floor coverings, including tongue-and-grooved floor coverings and parquet hardwood, rubber or tiled floors, so we can complete the work. We will give you as much notice as possible if we need you to do this. You can call a specialist contractor to do this work or we may be able to do it for you at an extra cost. If we do any of this work for you we will only be responsible for any unnecessary damage caused directly by our negligence and it will be your responsibility to put the flooring back once the work is completed.
7. We will take care to carry out the work without causing damage to your property. If we cause unnecessary damage because of negligence we will put it right. Sometimes the work means we have to create access if there is not enough pipework or wiring in place to install the boiler, and this can cause damage to things like inside and outside finishings such as wall coverings and paint. You may need to redecorate, repair or restore certain areas once the work is completed – this is not included in the price we quoted and you will be responsible for this.
ignore a call from who?Discounts on offer inlcluded several hundred off for saying I'd get a quote from BG for supplying my gas/electric - the salesman just told me to ignore the call, which I did.0 -
British Gas just go around hoping people don't get other quotes, they prey on elderly people using a name they 'can trust' and charge double the going rate for the privilege. It's scandalous.
How stupid, of course that is not how they operate as a business. They quote and price at a cost that is viable to the company and on a par with other national providers. Many customers, but particularly the elderly, are happy to pay the higher cost because they are comforted by the back up guaranteed by the size of the organization. Customers who don't need or want this will go independent.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 351.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.7K Spending & Discounts
- 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
- 599.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.1K Life & Family
- 257.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards