HomeServe Water Pipe Policy

WLM21

I have received letters, probably at least once a year asking if I want to take out, what seems to be a water pipe insurance scheme.

The current price is only £11.88 per year

The informationon the letter states that if any damage occurs to the underground water supply pipe, then this could be fixed for no charge. It goes on to give ample prices for possible works

Locate, excavate and repair a water supply leak, without cover could cost £381
Replace a 5m section of pipe under a concrete path, without cover could cost £540

The policy seems cheap enough, but what are the chances of these events happening? The house is 40 years old (approx) and everything has been fine so far.

I'm tempted, just in case ....but what do the readers suggest ??

many many thanks !

Gerrard_8_lfc

Its cheap enough check with your water board and council to see if they cover it free as some of them do.

BG offer it for £1.79 but if you stay in a rented house flat or maisonette the policy is useless.

rob.smyth

well i think it's like insurance. you pay now to cover any unfortunate future events. home serve is not a part of the water company though - they are an independent private co. just to share with you, my friend lives in Southampton and was covered under homeserve. their service is slow and lack of good customer service element. not sure whether my friend was simply unfortunate and it was one off incident but the amount of time he took to sort the problem out with homeserve was massive and not worth it.

juliecallum

rob.smyth wrote: »

well i think it's like insurance. you pay now to cover any unfortunate future events. home serve is not a part of the water company though - they are an independent private co. just to share with you, my friend lives in Southampton and was covered under homeserve. their service is slow and lack of good customer service element. not sure whether my friend was simply unfortunate and it was one off incident but the amount of time he took to sort the problem out with homeserve was massive and not worth it.

HOMESERVE are a nightmare, stay clear, They will say you are not covered even when you are, If you call them have your policy handy and check ALL what they say, Their conractors are useless and how the electricians ever got their qualifaction is beyond me....

MY STORY:mad:


Called Homeseve because consumer unit crackling and sparking, Assistant said sorry your not covered as it is not an emergany WHAT!!!, spoke to supervisor and said cancel my cover, Oh ok we will send someone out, 2 HOMESERVE electricians later, no fault found, Oh ok, I will try an electricion out of the phonebook, 2 minutes in the property and identifies problem, consumer unit very dangerous and could go on fire any time now WHAT!!!!!! cue call back to homeserve whilst my emectrician still in property, Sorry your not covered for consumer unit, OK so your electricians put my life in danger by not identifying problem and my electrician takes two minutes to identify, My electrician speaks to HOMESERVE,(himself angry at what they have done (OR NOT DONE) OK
we will come out and put new consumer unit in free of charge Great...
Job Done, just to be on safe side my electrician pops back to check on work, UH OH consumer unit not earthed, This is in regulations that they must be, Cue call to homeserve, Not our responsibility its upto you to earth unit... WHAT!!!! another argument and complaint, electrician comes out no problem it will be fine, OK now I am losing the will to live, just leave it as assured not dangerous.... 2 months down the line, BANG, all sockets blow, I know!! call HOMESERVE, sorry your not covered you have called us out 3 times this year that is the maximum, BUT could it not be a fault with the consumer unit (STILL UNDER GUARANTEE) and also sure policy states UNLIMITED electrical call out, Speak to supervisor, NO sorry I have read the policy document YOU ARE DEFINATELY NOT COVERED, Ok so I have the policy in front of me there it is in black and white UNLIMITED CALL OUT......... Oh right we will get electrician out...... She arrives (same one as other times) Its your dishwasher, dont use it and buy a new one, BYE.... Ok suddenly a thought, I will just try another socket just in case, No Bang, dishwasher fine, ok I will try another appliance in that socket BANG, Its the socket NOT the appliance....... Call Homeserve (This was Saturday just gone) explain problem, Ok I will find the details and call you back in the next twenty minutes. Guess What I am still waiting, Cue call to bank cancel D/D, an E-Mail to Watchdog, Complaint to homeserve, and I will tell everyone who will liste,

Thankyou and sorry for the long long message:T

WLM21

Thanks for your replies

I actually opted for it anyway .. for the price it didn't seem too bad.

I learnt my lesson the hard way about insurace a few years ago,

had a dog and always meant to take out insurance, but never got around to it, as I was caring for my elderly father.One day the dog bit somebody, probably in self defence, but anyway, i had to pay out £1500 compensation. the insurance woul dhave been cheaper I am sure.

deanos

Things are changing soon apparently, the pipe will be covered up to the point of entry into your home, so will the sewage pipe, not sure on timescales tho could be a year away

dopester

I'd definitely first take a read of this before applying for this particular insurance.

How would you cope if your water supply pipe burst? asks the official-looking leaflet currently being sent out to millions of water company customers.

continues here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2005/feb/05/utilities.jobsandmoney