Warm Front Grant saved me a fortune!

margaretclare

Richard_S wrote:

My parents who are in their seventies and struggling to manage financially have recently been informed that their gas boiler is beyond economic repair. They have contacted Warm Front and been told that nothing can be done until April 2007, is this usual or have my parents been inaccurately informed?

Hi Richard

Look at my last post on 6th November. I applied at the end of June and when I spoke to Warm Front on the 6th it looks as if the work will actually be done in the New Year, January or maybe even February. That's an 8-month timescale, that's if it happens then! If it happens in March that's a 9-month timescale.

I've documented all that has happened, the to-ing and fro-ing, the phone calls, waiting in for people to come, several times I've nearly said 's*d it, our local installer could have done the job by now...' it's just the thought of saving £2,700 (I'm on AA) that is so attractive, that's the only reason I haven't kicked WarmFront into touch before now.

HTH

Margaret

Poppycat

I not its too late for you now lady_k but my advise to anyone if they think they can get a grant is to apply early. I am sure I mentioned last Summer as I don't want people to go through what I did last Winter.

I really hope you get it soon, I no exactly how you feel as I went through it last Winter although I did have some heating it was temperamental.

Best of luck

2Princess_Mum

My dad got a call from Warm Front earlier this year about the grant. when the surveyor came all they wanted to do was to draftproof the doors with that sticky tape thing they use, and my dad refused, as his expressed need was for a boiler. They said they couldn't do it, but at my dads insistence they relented. He had the work done and the workman the contractor sent installed the piping in such a way that it was not only an eyesore (pipe ran too low along the wall) it was also hazardous as everytime the larder door was opened it would bang against the gas pipe. I complained on behalf of my dad and got the workman (the contractors name has slipped me) to return to correct his less than satisfactory work, and can you believe he had the cheek to return with a face like thunder and make a point of the fact that he wasn't being paid to correct his poor workmanship? (should have thought of that before he planned where he'd put the piping).

My dad got a feedback form about the quality of the work undertaken, and had it not been for my reminders of the poor work and arrogant attitude of the workman, I think my dad's "no malice" attitude would have ensured the workmans reputation was on this occation untarnished. If you've done a rubbish job, then it's best to make it known. I only hope my dad returned the feedback form (although I bet he won't).

Lady_K

I rang warmfront and the quote is in from the installers its actually less than the £2700 max its between £2400 and £2500 cant rem exactly. She said its been approved by warmfront and all the parts are in stock so its just waiting for the installers to say when they can instal could still be a while though. She said the new boiler is going to be a vaillant ecotec plus 824 combination condensing boiler has anyone got one of these and if so how are they finding it?

margaretclare

Hi Lady_K

Vaillant Ecotec-plus 824 combi condensing boiler was the one we were going to get if we'd gone to our local installer (that was before we knew about this grant availability).

When did you apply originally?

BTW the latest thing - we're changing our fridge-freezer, it's recently started being noisy. It's still working perfectly well and would be OK for anyone who lived in a normal house i.e. upstairs/downstairs, but in this bungalow we tend not to close any of the doors and the bedroom is right next to the kitchen.

Only problem is, we can't get another one in the colour we chose - they don't make them any more, it has to be polar white (or silver, which would look worse than white). Hotpoint will replace for £160 which is a very good price, never mind the colour. Anyone want a perfectly-good 3-year old Hotpoint 'A' rated stone-coloured fridge-freezer? We'll put it on freecycle if not.

Margaret

Lady_K

I applied in late september but I'm not sure when they are fitting it, I'm not getting myself in the frame of mind that it will be before christmas as I the liklihood is slim.

What size is your house margaret? as I was a little worried about the size of that boiler as the ch output on the valliant that I have now is higher than the ecotec 824. I did phone warmfront as I was concerned that I should have the next size up and offered to pay the extra because even the one I have had has struggled to keep the house warm. My house is single brick and cannot have cavity wall insulation plus its all wooden floors with air bricks to keep the circulation under them so its a very difficult house to heat, its semi 3 bedrooms. My present boiler has a central heating output of 22kw and the ecotec 824 is 19kw but baring in mind the one I'm having taken out hasnt been enough to heat the house too well I am a bit concerned.

Warmfront rang the installers and the lady on the desk said our inspectors wouldnt put a boiler in that wasnt sufficient. I wasnt happy so phoned them myself and the girl said it was fine and big enough, I did ask to speak to the installer but she said she could deal with it. She then said anyway it was the only boiler that they offered on the warmfront scheme so it was either that or nothing.

I then rang warmfront back to ask if this was right and they said no but it might be the only valliant one they did with that installer but there were others. They requested a technician ring me from the installers to answer my questions, he did and told me the boiler was almost the same as the one I have already but updated. He said it would be enough to heat all of next doors house aswell so not to worry. I told him my concerns because of the house being single brick and wooden floors but he still said its ok so I'll just hope it will be. Warmfront have told them that if they fit the boiler saying its ok and it turns out on thier inspection afterwards that it isnt they have to fit another at thier own cost so just hoping they are right.

In the mean time before I spoke to either of them I had emailed valliant uk to ask about this and thier opinion. Since then I have recieved a reply and this is part of it:

This boiler is for smaller houses, two up & two downs, up to around 8 -
10 normal sized rads

The plumber should work out the heat loss of your house & advise the
boiler from that

By putting TRV's on all rads, room stat & other controls will help the
boiler as well

I would say you would really want the ecoTEC plus 831 for the better
flow rate of 12.7ltrs a min

margaretclare

Hi Lady_K

We live in a 2-bedroom 1930s bungalow, also with single-skin brick walls. I think it qualifies as a 'smaller house' according to the information you were given which is why we chose the Vaillant Ecotec. This is a nice warm little house - my late first husband did a good job of loft insulation in 1991 and once it gets warm it stays warm, so no worries there.

However, we were told that our installer is using Baxi, and which one, we don't yet know.

Best wishes

Margaret

margaretclare

Hi Lady_K

We live in a 2-bedroom 1930s bungalow, also with single-skin brick walls. I think it qualifies as a 'smaller house' according to the information you were given which is why we chose the Vaillant Ecotec. This is a nice warm little house - my late first husband did a good job of loft insulation in 1991 and once it gets warm it stays warm, so no worries there.

However, we were told that our installer is using Baxi, and which one, we don't yet know.

Best wishes

Margaret

Elhall_2

The Vaillant Boilers are VERY good. We had next to NO call backs to problems with these boilers, compared with the Ravenheat boilers which we were getting 2/3 weekly. Saying that I've had a Ravenheat for 3 years, keep it serviced and have had no problems.
Didn't have much Experience with the Baxi's, stopped using the Baxi Solo range when the new laws came in during April. Baxi did have good customer service from what I remember, and didn't have the same issues that the Ravenheat ones do...
Hope that helps

rasen45

I must be lucky we had warm front and insulate the loft and walls, when
we had adisabled wet room done the plumber had to go into the loft, and came down told us what a ****** mess up there,i complained, after much
two and frowing we got put right, the firm who did it,said there was nothing
wrong with it.