Service Contracts with British Gas

joydey

I am new to the site - so hope I am posting this in the correct place. I have just taken out a service contract for central heating with British Gas. I was told that the cover was for ALL PARTS AND LABOUR. I wasn't told about any exceptions or exclusions - but having called them out was told that the system is full of sludge and needs a power flush which, guess what? IS EXCLUDED from my ALL PARTS AND LABOUR contract. The cost of the power flush undertaken by British Gas, surprisingly, is more than £200 above the cost of an average independent power flush. Of course British Gas consider they have no legal obligation to have informed me that there were any exclusions to the policy (albeit of course the wording is there in the Terms & Conditions) They kept reiterating that the policy covered ALL PARTS AND LABOUR ... but state that sludge is an "upgrade" or "a foreign body that is causing the system to fail"! If I get the power flush done by an independent contractor - then if anything goes wrong then British Gas can use that to avoid fixing future repairs - should anything else go wrong.

Does anyone else have such a contract? It would appear that I have no choice but to pay British Gas' inflated prices for the power flush - in case they use the "get out" clause - in future - if I employ the services of an independent (reasonably priced) heating engineer ? Any helpful suggestions please?

I forgot to mention that British Gas carried out an initial inspection whereupon no problems were found.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Loads of reports on this subject. It appears to be BG's 'get out of jail' card.

kippen_noedel

joydey wrote: »

I am new to the site - so hope I am posting this in the correct place. I have just taken out a service contract for central heating with British Gas. I was told that the cover was for ALL PARTS AND LABOUR. I wasn't told about any exceptions or exclusions - but having called them out was told that the system is full of sludge and needs a power flush which, guess what? IS EXCLUDED from my ALL PARTS AND LABOUR contract. The cost of the power flush undertaken by British Gas, surprisingly, is more than £200 above the cost of an average independent power flush. Of course British Gas consider they have no legal obligation to have informed me that there were any exclusions to the policy (albeit of course the wording is there in the Terms & Conditions) They kept reiterating that the policy covered ALL PARTS AND LABOUR ... but state that sludge is an "upgrade" or "a foreign body that is causing the system to fail"! If I get the power flush done by an independent contractor - then if anything goes wrong then British Gas can use that to avoid fixing future repairs - should anything else go wrong.

Does anyone else have such a contract? It would appear that I have no choice but to pay British Gas' inflated prices for the power flush - in case they use the "get out" clause - in future - if I employ the services of an independent (reasonably priced) heating engineer ? Any helpful suggestions please?

I forgot to mention that British Gas carried out an initial inspection whereupon no problems were found.

As long as its a fully qualified person doing the job and you get a receipt you should have no problems. If they refuse to accept this it would be classed as a restrictive covenant and illegal under EU law.

I got offered a better deal with BG called EnergyExtra50 it's £2pm but you pay a fixed fee for any work of £99 and if you take it out with an existing problem it's an extra £50. Annual service costs £50. the scheme covers plumbing, electrics & gch

problem is I didn't see anything other than a thing called Priority Response on their web site, which has higher costs

cfw1994

Hmmm....interesting! I have been disappointed how much their costs have risen, and was considering the "Priority Response" one at £2 pcm. Only covers boiler/plumbing, but instead of £99 per call out, they will only charge you a max of £127.....

....but the one you found is certainly interesting: in ~11 years we have *never* called them out, so taking the low chance of being hit with £99 regardless of problem (assuming that is how it works ?!) sounds fair....

As you say, no details on their web site of the "EnergyExtra50". I must call them to find out more !

cheers

Gerrard_8_lfc

Energy Extra is new and give credit towards your gas and electric if you are with us.

P.s energy extra can only be offered by select employee's like myself :P lol not but not everyone can give this so correct phone numbers matter.

Sludge in your system is with hard water and causes many of problems. As someone said yu can get it done independantly or by BG dont want to go ahead with it ? terminate your BG contract end of . Problem sorted

(If only I spoke to more customers)

Cardew

Gerrard_8_lfc wrote: »

Energy Extra is new and give credit towards your gas and electric if you are with us.

P.s energy extra can only be offered by select employee's like myself :P lol not but not everyone can give this so correct phone numbers matter.

Sludge in your system is with hard water and causes many of problems. As someone said yu can get it done independantly or by BG dont want to go ahead with it ? terminate your BG contract end of . Problem sorted

(If only I spoke to more customers)

I have just been offered, and accepted, the Energy Extra at £2 a month.

I got the impression from the letter that it is only for BG Dual Fuel customers - is that correct?

As a matter of interest does remaining on the system tie you to BG Dual Fuel? - I have yet to receive my pack.

I am on Fixed April 30 2010, but unless BG offer a competitive tariff when it ends, I may switch.

From what I have read, the suspicion about the 'power wash' procedure is that it has become a money making scam by some BG fitters(and others) under pressure to maximise income.

When the BG Homecare/3 star plan covered everything(or appeared to) it was never necessary(apparently) - now it seems to be normal. "Pay £xHundred Sir before we start looking for faults"

I really don't know if that is fair, but it is certainly a widespread impression.

Bobjob_2

BG Service had me over a barrel for this same problem. It cost £800 to fix it (it would have been £750 a month earlier, but I was a few days late in accepting their quotation and their prices go up all the time). BUT I have had horrendous problems with a useless overcharging plumber in the past and so many in the Yellow Pages are dodgy. Also when I had a mysterious electrical problem with my boiler after some building work was done BG Service were willing to come back four times in order to get to the bottom of it, at no cost to me. (In the end it was actually a short circuit caused by a builder, but still no charge from BG Service) So they can be pretty good and reliable. But you pay for it, through the nose.

Gerrard_8_lfc

Cardew wrote: »

I have just been offered, and accepted, the Energy Extra at £2 a month.

This will give you cheap repairs because you have your fuel with us. e.g. £99 for your boiler including parts and labour. also your drains and plumbing for £50

Cardew wrote: »

I got the impression from the letter that it is only for BG Dual Fuel customers - is that correct?

Yes You must have Dual Fuel to get the credit but as far as I am aware you must take Energy Extra 200 or 400 to get the credit.

It is the reward system to our customers.

Cardew wrote: »

As a matter of interest does remaining on the system tie you to BG Dual Fuel? - I have yet to receive my pack.

No but currently with the deal you are on you are better off with BG than without. ( A risk you took has paid off.)

Cardew wrote: »

From what I have read, the suspicion about the 'power wash' procedure is that it has become a money making scam by some BG fitters(and others) under pressure to maximise income..

Hard water needs removed as it causes many problems with or without BG homecare. Engineers are not comission based. (as we have been told)

Sorry for replying so late.

Cardew

Gerrard_8_lfc wrote: »

This will give you cheap repairs because you have your fuel with us. e.g. £99 for your boiler including parts and labour. also your drains and plumbing for £50


Yes You must have Dual Fuel to get the credit but as far as I am aware you must take Energy Extra 200 or 400 to get the credit.

It is the reward system to our customers.


Hard water needs removed as it causes many problems with or without BG homecare. Engineers are not comission based. (as we have been told)

Gerrard,

Thanks

I am a little confused by your reply.

The scheme I have been offered(and accepted) is called 'Energy Extra 50' and replaces 'Dual fuel Extra'(which was zero cost)

This is now CH, electrics, plumbing and drains repair for a fixed price of £99 (not £50 for plumbing)

What is Energy Extra 200 or 400?

Whilst the individual fitters might not be on commission, there is certainly pressure to make the organisation profitable, and 'power flushing' seems to have grown in importance recently!!!

My objection is that there is no diagnostic procedure to say it is required, and no proof afterwards that it was necessary. An expenditure of several hundred pounds for ?????

jimmyk_2

why dont you get the flush done by your independent.dont tell bg and act innocent..mind you powerflush is a con.in the long lost golden days of the gas board they would have taken each rad off the wall and flushed it through with running water..privatise the company,"to make gas cheaper" hey presto powerflush. £400 thank you

Gerrard_8_lfc

Cardew wrote: »

Gerrard,

Thanks

I am a little confused by your reply.

The scheme I have been offered(and accepted) is called 'Energy Extra 50' and replaces 'Dual fuel Extra'(which was zero cost)

This is now CH, electrics, plumbing and drains repair for a fixed price of £99 (not £50 for plumbing)

What is Energy Extra 200 or 400?

Energy Extra give you repairs for your Plumbing and Drains and Electrics for £50 im almost certain ( I will check) This also includes your Fixed home electrics.

Energy Extra 200 is basically homecare 200 but people with Dual Fuel will get £20 Credit each year. Energy Extra 400 is "homecare" 400