Grants for new boiler

Well done, downshifter!

Your post gives an illustration of the variations that can be expected when dealing with this scheme, the differences between the individual installing firms, their surveyors, the timescale etc etc.

Here's what I wrote in the other thread (would it be a good idea to have these threads merged, MSE?)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=185956&page=6

We were told by the surveyors that our system upgrade, new boiler etc, would definitely be done before Christmas, however when speaking to someone on the WarmFront helpline that seems impossibly optimistic. Your timescale - applying in December and having the work done in November, that's 11 months. So anyone who's eligible and is having difficulty with their heating and hoping for an improvement before this winter really starts to bite - forget it, you may get it by spring or even next summer.

Many times I have almost said 's*d it, we could have had the whole thing done and finished by now by contacting a local installer' but the thought of saving £2,700 is just too attractive. I even thought of having the hall re-carpeted in time for family coming down for our 5th wedding anniversary on 14th January - this will be the last job that requires craftsmen coming in and out and it would be nice to have the house completely finished inside - but then, this is not the concern of most of the older people who're applying for this, it's all about keeping people warm and preventing them dying of cold this winter, not about me saving money for other purposes!!! I just feel sorry for anyone who is in a far worse state than we are. At least our heating is working, we're not cold, we're not like Lady_K and others!

Margaret

Hi. I had a new oil fired boiler in Feb 2006. I approached my Local Authority and got a grant of £500 towards the cost. Not much but not to be seezed at.Good Luck.
Elvinpeel.

I have just had a new boiler fitted with the warm front scheme, the grant is still £2700. In the past few years I had cavity wall installation supplied, which comes from the grant, my gas boiler then broke, I then re-applied for the boiler, which was granted. This was back in May 2006, it has taken from then until now to be fitted and working, so it is a long haul from start to finish. The only problem was the amount I had to contribute, which according to the accessors, the cavity wall and boiler came to the princely sum of £3900 approx. so my contribution was over £1000( you can get a loan from your council) so I am quite sure the contractors up the price of the supply and fit. I had got 2 estimates from other companies to fit and install a new boiler and the price quoted was just over £2000 so I still saved money, its just the length of time you are prepared to wait, I suppose I've been lucky to get it fitted and running before it gets really cold. The contractors were lovely and did a really good job and the boiler was fitted where I wanted it, nothing was too much trouble and the system is really good and I couldn't be more pleased. The only down side is the time it takes to get from A to B.

I have just moved into a maisonette, not on any benefits, although had two heart attacks, and had to go part time as work as security guard. Boiler needs replacing as over 15 years old, would like new combi boiler. Am I entitled to any grants please?
Baza

Slightly worrying this thread and tally's with the experience suffered by mu folks recently:

(sorry about the long post - rant!)

The workman from the company who came round was very friendly on his first visit; this week he came to check pipes etc etc.

By all accounts he was a right surly ***** today and rude to both my wife [who was round helping my parents] and my mum.
I can live with the "I won't be moving anything when I come to do the work; make sure this ain't here, that is gone; get someone to remove this cabinet [where the combi boiler will go in the kitchen] at your own expense"

He then laughed at the idea of the grant money covering the work and said we'd [I say we in lieu of dad] would have to meet the short-fall and it would be significant.
He also woldn't be taking out the old bakc-boiler or the gas fire that is its front-end. Or rather he could but it would be "private" job and he'd quote separately for it. Dad would thus be left with a non-functional gas fire in the living room and a "dead" boiler behind the chimney [to which there is access via a full-length wooden side panel].

Most worrying for me though was he insisted that my wife signed a waiver than if there was any problems with the piping etc following the install then he wasn't liable. He refused to go until this was done as it was an "integral" part of the job. The waiver [or rather a copy of it] - it refers to "old fashioned microbore" piping and how they recommend newer pipes and hence if there was problems after the fitting and a powerflush then they shouldn't be held to account if they block.
I understand that newer sealed systems require higher pressures and wider pipes and I presume that was his angle but over it all stinks to me, particularly as all we are doing is getting a back boiler changed to a combi system.
The waiver per se hasn't riled me, it is the fact that he thrust a piece of paper to my wife [actually 3: the other 2 were to agree he'd explained the work to them and a parts-needed list; quite how or why a customer should understand to agree to a parts list I have no idea] but the fact that he wouldn't answer her question on it, refused to leave it with her to read and sign (had to be done there and then and I can't leave until you do) and then got very angry when she asked him for a copy of it "why do you want one for?")

I also have alarm bells ringing when so much of things that were asked about were "not part of the grant money - but I can quote you separately for that"
This included taking out the backboiler/fire [I wanted to treat my folks by buying a new flat-panel fire to install instead]; I understand some fitters refuse to remove it but some do take it out during the job. I can understand not wanting to remove the boiler but to quote separately to remove the fire is ludicrous.
He also said he'd just cap-off the boiler/fire-front so infact we'd be be left with no functioning gas fire in the room - just a non-usable old fire attached to the wall!!

There was also the "when I come I ain't gonna move anything. You better pay someone else to remove that cabinet to make space for the combi, and if the rooms I need to work in aren't empty then I'll leave. This to 2 elderly disable folk!:mad:

I called the initially [very helpful] surveyor back and she flipped her lid and demanded that I make a complaint to head office [of WarmFront] with a view to someone else doing the work].

Will call on Monday but doesn't sound like WarmFront give too much of a care judging by experience here....