Any opinions on British Gas "Priority Response™" breakdown cover policy

davie

I've just noticed British Gas will provide Boiler Breakdown cover called "Priority Response" for £2 per month which entitles you to a fixed price repair costing £99 up till 31st March 2009. (£160 or £130 outside London after that date)
I've got a 6 year old combi whch is beginning to play up so I think this must be very good value. (ie. Start their policy and then call them for a repair after 30 days or so) Anyone got any experience dealing with this particular Breakdown policy. It sounds to me quite a fair deal. Especially if it's cancelled after the end of March.

becky23w

I don't know about this specific one but I'd imagine they won't repair anything they consider to be a pre-existing problem. Most covers require a ASMI (annual service and maintainance inspection) to be done first (at a seperate cost to you) to check the boiler before agreeing to cover it. If not then I'd say its a really good deal.

1carminestocky

This is definitely the best way to get your boiler condemned and to receive a ridiculous quote for a replacement...

davie

I've checked their T&C's. Apart from waiting 7 days from date of application, there's no mention of having to have an annual inspection before cover starts and nothing about pre-existing problems.

See http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/energy/priority-response/tandc.html

becky23w

how long would you be tied into the contract afterwards? otherwise I'm sure everyone would take advantage of it - and rightly so!

davie

becky23w wrote: »

how long would you be tied into the contract afterwards? otherwise I'm sure everyone would take advantage of it - and rightly so!

Hi becky23w According to the link I've quoted, there 'may be a small admin charge' if policy cancelled in the first year. They also don't cover you for the first 7 days. For comparison, I've just contacted Worcester-Bosch (as this is the make of the combi-boiler I have) and they tell me that they will fix my boiler for a fixed charge of £210 inc VAT including parts but they can't come for 3 days. So I don't think £2 per month plus £99 for a next day repair is that bad. They also cover your 'friends and family' though not on next day repair so I guess you could even split the £2 cover with your relatives/friends.

Mind you, Worcester-Bosch also offered me a year's boiler breakdown cover for £85. I guess I just need to decide how likely a breakdown is.

Pssst

In many cases,they struggle to give same day service with existing contracts so god knows why they are taking on more work.

amaccallum

Our central heating stopped working a couple of weeks ago, so I signed up to the British Gas Priority Response at £2 per month and £156 call out to cover any repairs plus labour. I should have known it was too good to be true. Certainly, they sent an engineer out quickly, but he took one look at the combi boiler and, without even opening it up, said that because the heating light was out it must be a plumbing problem, not a boiler problem. And of course, he only deals with boilers and not plumbing. I then had to wait for another plumber (not through British Gas) to come and he opened up the boiler like you'd expect, and lo and behold discovered the problem within an hour. Nothing to do with the plumbing, it was definitely the boiler. He'd heard a lot of similar stories from clients about British Gas and had nothing good to say about them. I've since cancelled the £2 per month contract with British Gas, as there's not way I can trust them after that performance.

fedupfreda

Don't touch priority response with a barge pole -I have had BG come back to look at our boiler 5 times since november - and its STILL leaking.

Engineer came round last Friday to fit a new condenser unit - following night it was leaking again - waiting for them to come round again this Friday. Boiler is only 3 years old. I am absolutely livid. BG are not engineers - merely fitters. IMO could not engineer their way out of a paper bag.

bingo23

As a terribly unsatisfied customer of British Gas Home Care boiler cover for several years; at around £25 per month - numerous call outs - numerous missed appointments - unable to to resolve a recurring problem, which in the end I have researched on the internet and fixed myself; you may be surprised that i would recomend this service.

seriously £24/ year (+£160 in london for / repair if required) is a fantastic deal compared to over £260 / year for Homecare cover.
With homecare you don't pay for repairs but how often does your boiler break down?
Unless its something really drastic i won't call them anyway as they are muppets.
You could say this is a barbed recomendation but at £24 i'm quite happy to have them as a fall back

ps you don't need an anual boiler inspection which is included in homecare cover - modern boilers just don't need servicing

sharnad

I booked them on tuesday they came on thursday checked it out came back on friday to repair with circuit board and said leak and something with the pump fixed it but the leak is still there phoned this morning and they said someone will come out to fix and no further fee between 12-6
Well they have 2 more hours to show up this is 3 days off work now and another if they dont show today