Warm Front Grant saved me a fortune!

margaretclare

Hi Elhall

Further update: DH has now spoken to Interglow. Revised opinion: they look to be much more efficient than WF because their secretary, Nicola, had our details up on the screen immediately and knew exactly who we were and what we were phoning about. She said that the next thing planned to happen was an 'installation appointment' and she explained that because that was the next thing to happen it meant that the price was within the £2,700 grant, if it hadn't been we would have been contacted about the extra that needed paying. So it seems we don't need to pay any extra at all! (Good job, I need the hall re-carpeted and a pine chest-of-drawers to go in the hall, I need a new garden shed and I need the drive block-paved, next jobs once this is done!) Then there will be nothing at all that needs doing apart from regular repainting etc.

DH has had a long conversation with Steve at Interglow and has ironed out a lot of the possible questions like where/when/how etc. The 'room thermostat' to go in the middle of the house, where the existing one is, will be a wireless one. The boiler will go into the loft. They'll bring a few extra floor-plates with them. DH explained that we can't do the floor in advance because there's a pump and a motorised valve that have to be removed first. They can isolate the existing boiler and leave the gas-fire which is in front of it (Ideal Standard Glow-Worm) in working order. The central light that my first husband installed will be OK for them. The loft-ladder will be fine because it's a proper loft-ladder installed by our local builder. There's existing electrical supply up there for the old pump. What else? Well, we think it will probably happen early in the New Year - they're back to work on the 2nd January. Which is absolutely fine by us, given that we were starting to think in terms of Feb/March!

About WarmFront - since speaking to people at Interglow this afternoon we are not convinced that the quote didn't get sent from Interglow for TWO WHOLE MONTHS. They sound to be far too much 'on the ball' for that. We think it's more likely to be the case that WF 'lost' the quote. Whatever!

Apparently it will be the 2 young guys who did the survey who will actually come to do the work. That's fine. They work from the Chelmsford office, which is a heck of a lot closer to us than Royston, Herts.

Don't worry - DH will be here and he'll be watching like a hawk and asking all the questions.

Thanks again for all your help.

Margaret

Elhall_2

Hope it all goes well. It is possible for any office to loose paperwork.

Have they got the new system online yet were customers can check the notes on the system about their job? It was just at the planning stage when I left ECGS. It would be interesting to check that... but it doesn't matter now that it's all onthe go

margaretclare

Elhall wrote:

Hope it all goes well. It is possible for any office to loose paperwork.

Have they got the new system online yet were customers can check the notes on the system about their job? It was just at the planning stage when I left ECGS. It would be interesting to check that... but it doesn't matter now that it's all onthe go

I don't know!

How it was left when DH spoke to the service engineering supervisor/co-ordinator yesterday was that most probably that this will be done the first week they're back at work in the New Year. Which is fine with us. DH would not be at all happy about having the new system installed the day before we go away for 6 days, which is what WF suggested might happen. He'd rather we were here, in case anything goes wrong in the early days.

Again about the Staywarm scheme for older consumers - we've never been on it, but a few days ago I was quoted £82.40 for gas and electricity. Reading about the new boiler, it's estimated that customers can save up to 1/3rd in gas prices. That would reduce our monthly gas payments from £56 to approx £37, electricity at £28.50, total £65.50, so if we'd changed to Staywarm fixed for a year, that would definitely, definitely cost TOO MUCH!

So, the title of this thread is definitely true. Not only is the WarmFront grant going to save us a fortune i.e. £2,700 to be precise but the new boiler will save us in gas costs over time, estimated to be 1/3rd saving on what we're paying now. Gotta be good news!

Thanks again for your help.

Margaret

nova86_2

Did warmfront say they would send you a copy of the schedule as they have repeatedly refused when I have requested in the case of my Mothers grant.

This is my mothers experience so far.

She applied at the end of July and has been without heating since then, as the boiler was deemed unsafe. She was classed a priority due to her medical condition. We have had to chase them up at every stage. It took 3 weeks for the technical survey. The installers then took over 6 weeks to send the quote; warmfront took another month to send the excess letter. Another month has passed since we paid the excess.

She is due to have the boiler changed, no relocation, no new controls, a very simple straightforward job according to the installers themselves, yet there was a £300 excess to pay. The quote they submitted was double the quote of any local installer and £400 more then British Gas, which everyone says, is the most expensive. The grant is essential, as she cannot afford to do it even via the cheapest installer.

We paid the excess over a month ago and have since been told that the parts have arrived two weeks ago but the installers do not have anyone available to do the work. We asked about changing installers but were told the whole process would start again and any new installer would probably not be any cheaper.

As the full grant was used up, there was nothing left over for draft proofing and loft insulation that were recommended by the surveyor. Her home has been extremely cold and my mother has been in tears due to the whole saga.

Despite repeatedly calling warmfront we feel they have been extremely slow and just don't understand that her health is suffering due to the cold. Medical priority doesn't seem to count at all.

I've been reading the comments in these threads and would like to thank especially, Lady_k and Margaretclare's for your updates, which have been helpful. I am pleased for you lady_k that you haven't had to wait too long but am horrified by your experience of the installation.

While the scheme is indeed valuable I feel the whole procedure is flawed, I would not want any elderly person to go through what we have experienced so far.

Elhall_2

Ok, I can see that you are having problems.

Ask to see a copy of the quote, that will tell you what needs doing and why there was a CC to pay. When we can see in a little more detail we can say what's right and not.

I can see that quite a bit of time was taken, but this is not a priority scheme. There are no favourates, no way to be pushed forward. Everyone on the scheme is on there for a reason. Who gets the prioity? The lady with 2 small children, the old man with medical problems, the woman with terminal cancer? That's why it's done in a que system. That's what we always told our customers, however, as I've said before there are timelines that they have to follow with.

Can you post who the installer is? Phone them and ask exactly what is being installed, they should give you list... boiler, pump, valves, electrics... etc.

margaretclare

Hi nova86

Thank you for the kind comments.

We are still awaiting a copy of the schedule of proposed work. Chris on WF's helpline said yesterday that he 'would do his best' to get one out to us but 'couldn't promise anything'. DH will not allow any work to go ahead until he sees a copy of exactly what is to be done - he says that is 'just good business practice'. Otherwise, what redress have you if anything goes wrong?

Nova98, am I to understand that you paid this £300 excess up-front without even having an installation appointment i.e. date for the work to be done? That's something I have learned from my DH (who used to be Managing Director of his own engineering company) - we NEVER pay up-front. We never pay a deposit and we never pay in advance for materials for any job. I have experience in the past, and have heard of other people's experiences since, where money has been paid up-front but work has not been done, or there are mega-delays. Was this £300 excess payment actually required in advance by WarmFront as a condition of the work going ahead?

We knew that there was a possibility that the £2,700 might not meet all the costs and we were prepared for it - after all, the money is sitting in savings accounts at this minute. BUT we would not have paid it up-front - no way!!

I've thought for many years that in order to survive at all in this crazy world, it's essential to be alert, aware, articulate, able to 'fight one's own corner' if you like. I was asked for my comments on experiences as a surgical patient in hospital a year ago, just because I happen to be an older woman, and I said the same thing. 'Otherwise you could end up having a very miserable time in hospital'. The same with this. We've had to be 'on the ball' about it, we don't assume that things will happen automatically just because they're 'in the pipeline'. My heart goes out to people like your mother, Lady_K, and others, who have NO heating and are 'over a barrel' because they haven't got the resources to go elsewhere.

Our new boiler is going into the loft, the gas, electricity, water are all there, it should be fairly straightforward and it all comes within the £2,700 grant. We already have adequate insulation in the loft, double-glazing throughout, we can't have cavity wall insulation because this jerry-built 1930s bungalow has only single-skin brick walls. Modern boilers come with all the controls, pump, all as a package - the only thing different is the wireless heating control. If your mother's is a straightforward boiler replacement in the same place, I agree with you - why the £300 extra?

I hope you get something sorted out. I agree with Elhall - get on the phone.

Best wishes

Margaret

crinkly2

I have had a visit from Warm Front and they told me that they would repair my boiler if it broke down and replace if it could not be repaired. I am wondering after all the comments I have read. I must admit they were very good and soon installed extra insulation in my loft but as regards having a service agreement with British Gas WELL!! I had one for 14 years and all I got from them when called out was that "You need a new boiler" and each time was left for 4 days without heating and hot water. I sacked them because I was disgusted after their adverts boast that their engineers carry a large supply of spares. NO Way!! I have had to wait each time for 4 days because they have to get spare parts. Last time it was a small O ring and when they brought it, it was in a packet of them which made the engineer smile!! Oh! LOOk he said I have got a whole packet of them!! They conned my brother into buying a new boiler and charged him£4500. I had a private Corgi registered engineer do a service and it had never had one like it in all 14 years with British gas. He did a wonderful job so it is no wonder that he says he cannot take any new customers. You cannot go far wrong when someone works on recommendation

margaretclare

Hi crinkly2

I would completely agree with you about working only on personal recommendation. We live in a 1930s bungalow which has needed a lot of updating and we tend to do a 'big project' every year. We're lucky here - surrounded by builders and tradespeople of all kinds. I have horrible memories of a roof replacement years ago when my first husband and I were trying to do up a Pennine cottage (don't ask!!) so when we realised that the 75-year old asbestos tiles on this roof were slipping and cracking, we spoke to Dave the builder 2 doors down. He recommended a roofing firm, a local small business, and this man never advertises - he has a team and they were excellent. We've since recommended them to another retired couple a few doors along, they've had their roof done and are very pleased with it.

We've seen new boiler installations put in either side of us - the young couple who moved in most recently have had a complete installation, we saw the heating engineer, we know how long it took him, we've seen the work since and we've heard the comments from the young couple. They had the boiler put in the kitchen which we don't want, but then, they'd had everything ripped out and started with practically bare walls! Our kitchen was re-done about 5 years ago and it has picture tiles on the walls - we don't want it messed up, so we suggested the loft, which everyone who comes here agrees will be the best place.

I can only suggest, crinkly2, stay on the ball, keep a note of dates, who you speak to, what they say, what is suggested etc and don't be fobbed off by anyone. Clacton...the installers who are coming to us work from the Chelmsford office and they said they go all the way up the east coast, Herts/Essex/Kent/Suffolk. They're called Interglow, main office is Royston, Herts. It's possible you'll get the same.

Bear in mind the timescale that Elhall described and if it goes beyond the time, get on the phone!

I would agree with you about British Gas. That was how I came to be left without heating when I arrived back from the Middle East in 1992. They'd been and condemned the boiler in my absence and just left it! I had to try to get a new boiler installation just at this time of year - oh the hollow laughter and head-shaking. 'You want a new boiler just before Christmas, you're having a larf, ain't you, missis?' I eventually got it done but it wasn't the best job in the world. It wouldn't happen now because DH would not allow it, but he wasn't in my life at that time.

Margaret

Elhall_2

A condition of the WF grant is that CC's are paid up front before the parts are even ordered. I don't know of any installer that will go ahead before this, it's a requirement of the scheme. The installer has to inform WF that the cust has paid so that they will order the parts. If the installer does this when they haven't actually paid WF will not help in reclaiming the costs afterwards. Paying privately is different, but not with the scheme. Read the terms and conditions from when the WF inspector first came out, I believe that it is stated in there... don't quote me though.

Too many times have poeple not been able to pay or had checks bounce or a DD payment suddenly been cancelled after the first payment and the boiler has been installed. Sorry, but that's what the installers are upagainst. Now I understand what everyone is saying, and I agree, but having worked for a respectable company that is the 2nd largest installer under the WF grant I know that the installers have problems with the customers too.

Remember, the installers don't get paid by WF until AFTER the boiler has been installed and passed an independant quality check. If the customer can't pay then all the work the installers have put in up until that point go up the flue and they get nothing... at the point you get a request for a CC the installers have paid out an average of £80 - £120 on management/office and transport costs. It's in their interest to get the job done.

Sorry, that's the way it is.

margaretclare

Hi Elhall

Thanks for the clarification. I can see it from the installer's point of view (customers not paying!) As many of the customers will be living on benefits I can see that this can be a problem.

Read the terms and conditions from when the WF inspector first came out, I believe that it is stated in there... don't quote me though

No, in fact, what it says is: 'I understand that if the cost of the recommended work is higher than the maximum grant that is available, I will have to pay the difference. You will not go ahead with the work without first getting my agreement.' This was printed out by the assessor on his visit, copy to me, copy to the Eaga Partnership.

I've also checked the other letters from WF, before the assessor came, the detailed steps are outlined in simple plain English, and at no stage did anyone say that the extra payment would be required up-front. With us, it's not a question of cheques bouncing - our cheques do not bounce, the money is there in the bank! It's just that we both have bitter experiences from the past about money being paid up-front, deposits being paid, and then being messed about and fobbed off. Since we got together 9 years ago we tend to run this house as if it was a business, and we usually get good service because we know what we want.

However, it's not a problem for us, the parts have been ordered and the next stage was going to be the 'installation appointment', so that means that it's within the grant. Nova86's mother has paid the excess but is still no nearer getting the 'installation appointment', and it's just a week away from the date when everything shuts down for 10 days! I think she has reason to be very concerned.

Margaret