Warm Front Grant saved me a fortune!

GF3_2

I applied for a Warm Front grant for my Mother. She is on a Pension and qualifies for a grant. I applied because her gas boiler appears to have packed in, the boiler and the whole central Heating system is 30 years old. Today an assessor from Warm Front (I live in Wales where the scheme is known as HEES "Home Energy Efficiency Scheme" and is delivered by EAGA partnership) came out had a look around, he said she could have the loft insulated and the cavity walls. He also said that an engineer will come out to look at the boiler with a view to repair or replace it. It did seem important to the assessor that the boiler was "not working" , I got the impression that if the boiler was working it would not be replaced just because of age. He asked me about 3 times to confirm that the boiler was "not working" at this moment. He also asked my mother if she wanted to have a "check to see if she was getting all the benefits that she may be entitled to" ...could anyone give me any more info on this check..such as how this is done, and who does it?

Lady_K

After waiting 4 weeks again since my last phonecall to warmfront when they said they would call me back but it would probably be the next day rather than that day I rang them back last week, last friday to say I hadnt heard from them. I havent heard anything from Kershaws either in all this time about them coming to put right the stuff the inspector said had to be put right plus the heating that isnt working right. They had kicked up the biggest fuss because I said I just did not want the original engineers back again because they just were not doing the job right.

Warmfront then re-contacted Kershaws and at last they instructed a different engineer to come out to me. He rang me at 11am this morning saying could he come round in about an hour I said yes. He has been and he came accross as very professional and listened intentively which was nice to actually be listened to. He is someone that troubleshoots Kershaws problems and they had told him all he had to do was repoint the brick that was damaged when they pulled the pipes away from the outside wall.

He looked round and he said the radiator in the bedroom that they damaged and replaced with a new one smaller than the original is not big enough for the room. He said it was not right to replace it with a smaller one and the engineer should never have put it in even if he was given the wrong size he should have come back again with the right size.

He couldnt believe the pipes they left like bagpipes in the bathroom and took a photo on his mobile phone to show kershaws. He couldnt believe that only after me refusing to sign the customer satisfaction form when they installed it the engineer only then took away 2 of the 4 pipes and left the other two just there he said it made no sense whatsoever.

He said if the system had been powerflushed I would have known about it and described there would have been long pipes going through the house and a big blue machine which there was not. He also said it takes 2 hours to powerflush so it was clear it hadnt been done. He checked the radiators and said he could tell with them too they needed doing. He said the air in the radiators wasnt air it was gas a build up of gas from the oil sludge in the radiators that the powerflush would have taken away.

He said we will start with a powerflush and hes going to remove the pipes in the bathroom and ask about replacing the too small radiator in the bedroom. I didnt mention the ripped brand new bedroom vcarpet in the little bedroom I just want the system working right. Hes going to repoint the bricks and remove the thermostat in the hall they left on.

He said I am the third person this week from the same engineers that havent had a powerflush and other problems. He smiled when I told him the engineer had told me the rads were cold at the bottom because hot air rises and its normal and also when the engineer opened the front of the boiler and turned some taps saying he was powerflushing the system. And when they were installing and I was suspicious they werent powerflushing so I asked and he said yes weve done a bit but we will do a bit more later.

Its ovious they just didnt want to be bothered with doing things, skimped on whatever they could and were prepared to leave me with inferior work, a heating system not working properly and some radiators only half full of water. I was told that thier job was to put a boiler in and the rest was up to me, I had to pay a plumber to put that right but I knew it wasnt right so have persued it.

The job wont be done until the things are corrected, the new engineer has told me what needs doing in his opinion so far and its up to kershaws to give the ok for that. If the powerflush does not correct the problems other things will have to be looked into and again thats if Kershaws give the go ahead.

The difference in the engineers was massive this bloke knew what he was on about and was very nice and polite and obviously cared and I did not feel at any time any different to a normal paying customer he was verey respectful and said I had to complain as if thew system is faulty later on I'd end up paying and they should do the job properly

Just going to wait to see what happens from here now but I'm hoping

margaretclare

Hi Lady_K

Well, three rousing cheers! At last, at last, you got a competent engineer who did his job in a professional and efficient manner. I am glad you stuck to your guns and didn't let it rest. How many other people are having sub-standard work done by Kershaws? Goods and services are supposed to be 'as described' and 'fit for purpose'. Just one small point - don't feel you're in any way worse than the 'normal paying customer'. This work is being paid for from taxes, and I'm sure you've paid enough tax in your time.

We haven't had a moment's trouble from our new system that was installed in early January. It works well and hopefully will be saving us money by using gas more efficiently. I got the new hall carpet that I wanted and it all looks nice. We couldn't have been more pleased with the 2 men who did our heating - they were great.

The problem we're having at the moment is with our top-of-the-range king-size mattress - we bought our new bed in October 2005 and 6 months later had the mattress changed. Now it needs changing again - a new mattress should not form permanent depressions as if 2 hippopotami have been sleeping on it. We've chosen a different make and model this time and it will be replaced in about 3 weeks' time. So, even if you pay the earth and go for top-of-range, it doesn't always mean there'll be no problems.

Best wishes

Margaret

Lady_K

Thanx Margaretclare

Well at least hes had a look and given his opinion, its if the work is carried out which is the important thing, I'll only feel like celebrating when that happens

Funny you mentioned your bed, I had a problem with a silentnight bed just after Christmas it was the most expensive one as I have problems sleeping and I wont be buying one of them again after this. The inside of the base collapsed at the head end, it wasnt misused and I'm the only one that sleeps in it. They did replace it but I had to really complain to get it. They didnt take the old one away so I cut it open once they had brought the new base round just to see what had happened and I was quite shocked. I really dont think they are worth all the money. The frame is very thin wood about 1.5/1.5 inches and the springs inside the base are quite pathetic, hardly any at all and thin nothing like they lead you to believe and the padding was really thin aswell it totally put me off them. No wonder it collapsed

Sad_Molly

Lady K

I also had an inspector out, he was wonderful, said the system wasn't working properly and Kershaw's wouldn't get paid until it was fixed, he got on to Kershaw's himself. Within a few days I had a different Engineer from Kershaw's, he was polite, professional and efficient, he said he was a 'trouble shooter' from Kershaw's. He diagnosed the problem and then came back the following Saturday and corrected the work. I'm just so pleased that you are making progress and hope it is sorted out very soon for you. Good luck

Lady_K

I wonder if it was the same man that came to my house, I wouldnt be surprised because he said he goes all over the place for them. He said hes in Cornwall this week though with work so it wouldnt be for maybe 10 days but I don't mind so long as its sorted in the end.

I also at last today got a call from warmfront asking if the problems were sorted yet and they said they would be ringing again in a week or so to see if things have been done

Thanx Molly hope yours turns out fine too

BlondBoy

Hi all

Fascinating thread. Sorry to hear of so many travails though on what from the outside looks like a terrific scheme. I wonder if anyone can advise on my parents' position.

They've had their annual BG safety check and the living room fire has been condemned. There's a back boiler behind it and they warn that will probably be condemned next year. Both BG engineer and a CORGI installer recommended by a neighbour say a. it's nigh on impossible to get the required part for the fire and b. it's good money after bad as the back boiler will be condemned shortly anyway so the fire would have to come out. They couldn't replace the back boiler because the flue/ventilation arrangements are nowhere near current standards. So it's a question of installing a combi boiler and maybe an electric fire where the fire/back boiler is now.

They're 78 and 80, and would really really struggle to come up with the 3k quoted. So made a Warm Front application today - all accepted in principle as Dad gets Attendance Allowance. As in many cases, they stressed the boiler would only be replaced if it isn't working. So, here's the rub - what are the chances of getting a combi boiler under Warm Front, given the back boiler is still functional although under a prolonged death sentence?

Mum has pretty advanced leukemia and needs some draining treatment quite regularly and Dad has advanced Parkinson's. Obviously I can't risk waiting for the boiler to give up and then start the process, as no heat in the winter would be extremely bad news to say the least.

I'm think I'm getting my head round the process thanks to this thread - is there any way for the installer to proceed on the basis that the boiler will imminently be condemned and work from there? Or do we really have to wait until it dies/gets condemned – and immediately disconnected like the fire – and then wait at least six (potentially cold) months to get a replacement?

Their central heating/hot water works fine now. Do they really have to do without both for six months to get a replacement under Warm Front or is there a way around it so we avoid these problems before they come up?

Any advice gratefully received.




Chris

margaretclare

BlondBoy wrote: »

They're 78 and 80, and would really really struggle to come up with the 3k quoted. So made a Warm Front application today - all accepted in principle as Dad gets Attendance Allowance. As in many cases, they stressed the boiler would only be replaced if it isn't working. So, here's the rub - what are the chances of getting a combi boiler under Warm Front, given the back boiler is still functional although under a prolonged death sentence?

I'm think I'm getting my head round the process thanks to this thread - is there any way for the installer to proceed on the basis that the boiler will imminently be condemned and work from there? Or do we really have to wait until it dies/gets condemned – and immediately disconnected like the fire – and then wait at least six (potentially cold) months to get a replacement?

Their central heating/hot water works fine now. Do they really have to do without both for six months to get a replacement under Warm Front or is there a way around it so we avoid these problems before they come up?

Hi Chris

I think I can set you straight on this one, and if you search back through my posts on this topic you'll see that we went down exactly the same route that your parents are thinking of going down.

I was awarded AA for 2 years (it expires in July) and we were intending to replace our boiler anyway, but because of AA i qualified for the £2,700 grant.

I replaced an old wall-mounted boiler with the combined gas-fire and back boiler, that was back in December 1992 when I arrived back from working in the Middle East to England in December and a condemned boiler!! But that's by-the-bye.

About replacing the back boiler which had become less efficient - I contacted WarmFront at the end of June and early this January we had a modern condensing combi boiler installed in the loft, which was the best place for it.

To have a boiler put into the loft you have to have a proper loft-ladder already installed, plus flooring and lighting (we had all that). We had a very efficient professional job done within one day in January and we have had no problems at all since then (I feel so sorry for Lady_K!)

We didn't want the back boiler removed because it would have made such a mess of everything - we asked if it was possible to leave it in place but to disconnect it: we were told 'yes, no problem'. We did want the gas-fire left in place and working, for the rare occasions when we need it (only if the weather turns very cold!) It was all done according to our wishes and we couldn't be more pleased.

So no, your parents don't have to wait until the boiler 'dies'. The fact that BG have given their opinion on it should be enough.

When the surveyors came to see ours, they asked 'was it working'. DH said it was, but the heating control had stuck, it was using too much gas and he couldn't replace the control himself, not having the right spare parts. They took one look at it and said 'well, we're not installing those any more anyway, they're not allowed as a new installation, therefore we haven't got any parts for it'. So they went straight for the new boiler.

The ONLY thing to remember about combi boilers (and I am constantly forgetting) is - don't flush the loo and then expect a hot shower immediately because the water will be cold until the tank has refilled itself. Likewise, don't go and fill the kettle when DH is in the shower! In other words, hot water will only work if another tap isn't being turned on, or the loo not being flushed. However, that is really a minor detail, and it has all worked very well indeed.

HTH

Margaret

Poppycat

I have just applied for a warmfront grant in our new house. But when the guy from Warmfront wanted to find out what our incomes are along with tax credits/children tax credit its them that has bumped up our incomes above the threasold.

So now they only way I can get one is by applying for council tax credit which we did get until we moved, although we are worse off now than say 3 months ago as we pay more mortgage, more council tax etc yet our incomes having increased a huge amount since we applied last time some 18 months back.

BlondBoy

Margaret

Many thanks for that. Much appreciated. Think I can see a way forward with that. Was just very worried that everyone so far has said 'the boiler must be broken'. Feeling a bit more confident now!

And know exactly what you mean about the combi boiler. Got one where I live and the amount of times there's been blue language from the shower when someone else fills the kettle is beyond counting!

Many thanks once again


Chris