Quarters - Boiler Problems

ruthem215

I really hope someone can help with this as I really am tearing my hair out now. We currently live in quarters and have the oldest most rubbish central heating system! Had so many problems with it in the past, I've been posting my issues in the quarters thread. 3 weeks ago yes 3 weeks ago!!! We had a strange problem where the heating would sometimes work sometimes not, just pretty much doing its own thing. We had someone come and look at it, and he discovered more and more issues with the tank.

Apparantly it needed a new pump, a new thermostat, a new tank, the vent also needed moving. So this was going to be a big job, and of course with the RAF there was no rush as we still had our immersion switch as a backup as the engineer switched off the gas supply. We then discovered our immersion switch was faulty, sometimes worked sometimes didn't and often sparked a bright green spark. We had to rely on this as our only source of hot water, and as I say that was ALSO dodgy!!

Anyway as the days went on we had various ppl coming into replace various parts, switches etc. But all in all we waited 3 whole weeks to get the new tank, the vent moved and a new thermostat. So then the engineer went away and left everything heating up. So obv we were very pleased at the thought of having hot water and heating again.

But the dreaded system still isn't sorted. We found that after 3 weeks of messing and replacing various parts it STILL has the same problem. Which is that firstly once the heating is switched on the 3 radiators we have upstairs are instantly hot which of course is great, then it takes a further 2 hours or more for the heat to reach the downstairs radiators - ridiculous I know!!

Then downstairs the living room radiator just never heats up at all for some reason, stays cold. Then as the heating is set on a timer, once the timer switches off, the heating is supposed so switch off too! But oh no not with ours. Once the timer switches off the heating still carries on heating the house, all through the night and the morning, which is obviosly ridiculous, I've tried switching down the thermostat to 0, and the heating is still on.

It is a lovely sunny warm day today and this is unbearable, any one expereinced any of these issues before? and know what they could be? I'm just fed up of engineer after engineer coming in messing with it then going away for it still to have the same issues, and it takes soooooo long to get an appointment for them to come back out as I say only to mess with it and go away again. I'm due to give birth within the next 2 weeks and can't stand any more stress!!! No wonder our gas bills are EXTREMELY high!!! Its just been problem after problem with this system I'm fed up with it all! Does anyone know what they are doing????????? x

Marker_2

We had the problem of heating switching on then off randomly back when it was freezing, snowing etc. After 3 weeks of this and realising it was not 'our' fault, I rang MHS who kindly told me I would have to wait another 3 weeks for an appointment, and in the mean time put the fire on. Great for the living room but not so great for my child freezing in her bed at night!! If I wanted someone out then I would have to pay a fee.

2 days after that, my husband returned from a really rough exercise, the 3 of us were wrapped up in blankets shivvering in the living room!

I thought F K this, rang MHS and LIED and said we had NO heating (stupid me for initially saying it would come on for 10 minutes and stay off for for the following 10 hoefore urs and repeat the cycle :rolleyes:) within 2 hours someone was at the house fixing the heating.

Still have the same problem, of it going off and on, but this time it just goes off for approx 2 minutes. Have not informed MHS about it because I just cant afford the time off work to wait in for someone.

I suggest you write to AFF informing them of this issue - they should get onto MHS about it, always good to have an 'authority' backing you.

cgsac

You should write a formal complaint (ie print this email off and send it to the MHS complaints department). At the same time put on the bottom that copies are sent to the AFF and also your local MP.

Give it about a week and then write to your MP sending him a list of how long you have been waiting, how much its costing etc and how they just dont seem to care.

Whenever I ring MHS I write name of the "call centre worker" and quote them, dont be afraid to get them to repeat their name if you do not catch it. keep a record of who you have spoken to.

I agree that AFF should also be of use. Its also worth getting your Unit Welfare to write (or call with you there).

Best of luck. I make it a hobby to keep MHS on their toes by writing complaints at the first sign of bluffing. To me they provide an inexcusably poor service but you need to start an audit trail at the earliest opportunity to make it effective.

C

ICATQ

Audit trail is recommended. The main problem is alot of these 'discussions' are on the phone so you have no evidence. They all have email addresses, get it in writing!!

I would complain straight away and if that doesnt resolve anything take it up their chain and the Unit welfare chain as well. If they cannot resolve the problems then aske to re-housed.

They have a charter? Quote that at them too.

After several complaints, info copies to the head of whatever they were called at the time, Unit CO etc, after I moved into my last quarter only the supervisor was allowed to deal with me... got things done though! Never had such a good service. :-)

They think that the military is a soft touch as we wont complain and have no real recourse, how wrong is that!

gt568

ruthem215 wrote: »

So this was going to be a big job, and of course with the RAF there was no rush

I'm confused as to what the RAF has to do with this, being as repairs are carried out by MHS and the RAF have nothing to do with your FMQ.