British Gas just turned my boiler off - it's not safe

jap200

We have an 8 year old condensing boiler - Keston Celsius 25. It has been unreliable from the outset, but has been running well recently. We decided to go onto the British Gas Homecare boiler cover and had the engineer out this afternoon for the first service.

He said that there is a leak in the flue pipe that could cause gases to escape into the garage (where it is situated) and that it is in generally poor condition. We have had annual services on this boiler and no one has ever noted any problem with the flue before.

He is going to come back tomorrow with someone else for a second opinion, but his feeling is that a repair will cost £300- £400 (why?) and that we would be better off replacing the boiler - he would say that wouldn't he.

I know I am being sceptical, but I thought that it was unlikely that we would get away without something like this - or a powerflush which is the other thing BG seem to recommend all the time as they charge extra for it.

Its the 8th of December and I am now left wondering what to do - can we get this sorted before Christmas? We have a load of relatives coming and don't want to be cold!

lrr_2

Did they do your last annual check, if so I would be querying why it has managed to get to this point (poor condition) and not picked up on in the last check.

I would get a second opinion from someone else and even if you do need a new boiler, I wouldn't get them to do it as they are expensive.

good luck

EliteHeat

BG engineers are encouraged or required to generate x number of sales queries per month.

Parts are available for this boiler, so you should be able to get it repaired.

phill99

Irr is right. Get a qualified local gas fitter in (Gas safe registered) for a second opinion. A boiler should last more than 8 years. I'm sure a local fitter will charge you less than the £300 you jave been quoted. Also remember their fitters are pressured to get people to have new installations so there may be a motive.

jap200

lrr wrote: »

Did they do your last annual check, if so I would be querying why it has managed to get to this point (poor condition) and not picked up on in the last check.

I would get a second opinion from someone else and even if you do need a new boiler, I wouldn't get them to do it as they are expensive.

good luck

No - as I said above, this is was the first service by BG which the boiler needs to 'pass' in order to be covered by their scheme.

I will try and get someone else out for a second opinion as you suggest.

andrew-b

Seems to have been a spate of BG homecare problem threads here recently! Just to reiterate on them all..ditch BG!

There may well be a leaky flu (and if it's suspect then it really is better to be cold than dead!) but if parts are available as EliteHeat has said then you certainly shouldn't be paying out for a new boiler. Don't take BG's word for it when inevitably they tell you the parts aren't available (not cynical or anything!!) - i'm sure they must have a little broom cupboard somewhere with a few available parts in though i'm not sure any BG employee knows where it is! If BG do fix it with parts then my money is on "powerflush" being the next item on their sales agenda for your system!
Perhaps the BG parts broomcupboard has actually been commandeered for their fleet of powerflush machines?

Tom_Jones

BG will condemn everything unless it is a perfect install, I once had an engineer condemn a system because the flue was 10mm too short.

They are encouraged to fail systems, as they get a bonus for extra work generated.

NotJeremyVine

Hi

The Keston Celcius 25 was a very good boiler spoilt by niggling faults and intermittent spare parts supply problems. The air inlet and flue uses standard Mupvc 2 inch waste pipes, which any decent plumbers merchant can supply. These are just solvent welded like kitchen and bath waste pipes. Whoever said that it would cost £400 to repair it is talking out of their rear end IMHO.

But is it the flue leaking or the condensate pipe, or is the leak coming from inside the boiler casing ? - the latter should be 22mm standard overflow piping, also solvent welded.

You might want to ask for advice on the uk.d-i-y newsgroup because there is a very knowledgable chap called Andrew Gabriel who has one of these boilers. Avoid BG - they will always try and con you into replacing a perefectly good boiler for a hideously overpriced new one.


Cheers

rosekitten

this has really put me off BG,bet they
give you the hard sell when he gets back to you
with the second opinion guy,stand firm.there are
plenty of good gas men out there who could
sort this for you for a lot less than they will quote.

ormus

BG did the same to me about ten yrs ago now. (not this house).
i got another plumber in.
he charged me 250 quid to fix the boiler, inc a set of 8 x TRVs for all the rads.

Canucklehead

jap200 wrote: »

We have an 8 year old condensing boiler - Keston Celsius 25. It has been unreliable from the outset, but has been running well recently. We decided to go onto the British Gas Homecare boiler cover and had the engineer out this afternoon for the first service.

He said that there is a leak in the flue pipe that could cause gases to escape into the garage (where it is situated) and that it is in generally poor condition. We have had annual services on this boiler and no one has ever noted any problem with the flue before.

He is going to come back tomorrow with someone else for a second opinion, but his feeling is that a repair will cost £300- £400 (why?) and that we would be better off replacing the boiler - he would say that wouldn't he.

I know I am being sceptical, but I thought that it was unlikely that we would get away without something like this - or a powerflush which is the other thing BG seem to recommend all the time as they charge extra for it.

Its the 8th of December and I am now left wondering what to do - can we get this sorted before Christmas? We have a load of relatives coming and don't want to be cold!

OP...what is the verdict then

Canucklehead