Gas boiler & CH cover

andrewd1

A few years ago I worked for HomeServe before they went national using thier own name and the Gas product was very bad as they just used local engineers to the customer, Not sure if they have thier own engineers now.
I did think about taking out the policy with them in June last year but went with BG as not much in the price and the service is better.

mutley74

andrewd1 wrote: »

A few years ago I worked for HomeServe before they went national using thier own name and the Gas product was very bad as they just used local engineers to the customer, Not sure if they have thier own engineers now.
I did think about taking out the policy with them in June last year but went with BG as not much in the price and the service is better.

Thanks for replies. Thought about this but in th end decided to go with BG. Used quidco for £40CB and if you click on products& services then you will find a tab "exclusive offers" which is a further 10% of monthly fee saving about £1.70 pm.

kmmr

keystone wrote: »

No thats not my point (see my other post) you have a CH engineer that you trust in the same way you keeping using the same garage for servicing your car. There is no point ringing round for someone you don't know at the very time you need someone you trust. Is that not obvious?

And furthermore the fault condition on the system was so basic when its pumping over (which it was) that it should have been the very FIRST thing they checked for. But she got a string of different people each with as little heating system knowledge as the other. I mean the circulators were changed on successive days for heavens sake!

Cheers

I pay for BG Homecare because I don't have a local trusted engineer. I have a job in another part of the city, and don't have time to check out 10 local engineers, and get to know them. I love this talk of 'a trusted local guy' - where exactly do you find them? And who I am to judge whether or not they are any good, or just telling me charming lies to cover their mistakes.

In the above situation - if the lady was using a trusted local engineer, who could have just as well missed the 'simple' problem, she would have been charged thousands for time and effort, even if they finally worked out what the original problem was. How is an untrained person supposed to know when the costs are reasonable, or the problem is super simple.

I had a similar situation where BG came out a number of times to fix a big fault. Or so they said it was a big fault - I didn't have to care, as they came out 4 times, and replaced the whole heat exchanger under the service contract. That is what I pay for. The comfort of knowing I don't have to worry about what is wrong, just that someone will come out and fix it. As a landlord I also have it on my rental place, which is proven invaluable!

mutley74

kmmr wrote: »

I pay for BG Homecare because I don't have a local trusted engineer. I have a job in another part of the city, and don't have time to check out 10 local engineers, and get to know them. I love this talk of 'a trusted local guy' - where exactly do you find them? And who I am to judge whether or not they are any good, or just telling me charming lies to cover their mistakes.

In the above situation - if the lady was using a trusted local engineer, who could have just as well missed the 'simple' problem, she would have been charged thousands for time and effort, even if they finally worked out what the original problem was. How is an untrained person supposed to know when the costs are reasonable, or the problem is super simple.

I had a similar situation where BG came out a number of times to fix a big fault. Or so they said it was a big fault - I didn't have to care, as they came out 4 times, and replaced the whole heat exchanger under the service contract. That is what I pay for. The comfort of knowing I don't have to worry about what is wrong, just that someone will come out and fix it. As a landlord I also have it on my rental place, which is proven invaluable!

I think using local trademen versus a contract service is all down to individual choice and also from personal experience.

We have had poor experience waiting for some workmen and being let down many times by them not keeping appointments to do work for us. And rather than ring around to find a plumber who can fix our boiler system if it ever fails, i decided to take a contract out for my folks. However, i do see it as just a good reason to save the monthly fee in a separate savings account and keepo a few plumbers phone numbers handy, but that option did not suit our needs.

ireneski

ireneski wrote: »

We have a contract with Homeserve for the boiler and systems. Each year the boiler chck up goes back an extra month. Installed in June 2004, we had our checkup in December this year.

Two weeks later the pump went. They installed a new bigger one, within 10 minutes of the engineer leaving it was pumping over on 3. They told us to turn it down, which as he'd installed the pump motor UNDER the pump, caused my husband to burn his hand. This didn't work, so it was turned down to one. Now we have another problem with pumping over, when the hot water comes on. The pump cannot be bled either as it's face where the bleed screw is, is jammed up against a joist.

We rang them, eventually getting through yesterday and were told an engineer will ring. Not today. We live in North Notts and the engineer came from the Wirral.

Find a good recommended local heating engineer. This service is complete tosh!

Rang again this morning and was told an engineer would ring us on Monday. With weather like this, when will he get to our house? Homeserve advertise 24 hr emergency line but that's not true. After 8 at night you can ring for claims only on an answer machine.:eek:

missile

My home insurance with Direct Line, has emergency 24 hour call out using approved tradesmaen. Maybe not the best or cheapest option but it gives some peace of mind for that unforseen emergency.

jatinmohan

ireneski wrote: »

Rang again this morning and was told an engineer would ring us on Monday. With weather like this, when will he get to our house? Homeserve advertise 24 hr emergency line but that's not true. After 8 at night you can ring for claims only on an answer machine.:eek:

My Boiler brokedown on 24th dec and today its 8th jan and still waiting for engineer to fix it.

jatinmohan

jatinmohan wrote: »

My Boiler brokedown on 24th dec and today its 8th jan and still waiting for engineer to fix it.

Homeserve boiler insurance is rubbish rubbish and rubbish .

jatinmohan

mutley74 wrote: »

I am looking attaking a gas boiler and CH cover for my folks.
I have read the notes on this main website by Martin.

Uswitc brings up quotes from Homeserve and Npower - but none of them include a boiler inspection. Do we need to buy this from them and if so DAK if they are expensive?

I am looking at getting a quote from BG website too.....
but any help/advice welcome.

I am the one suffering from broken down boiler on 24th dec 2009 afternoon and waiting for an engineer from Homeserve to come and fix it.today is 8th jan 2010 already spent £150 on eletric heaters from b&q to stay alive atleast. Stay clear from Homeserve . Telling you from experience

keystone

kmmr wrote: »

I love this talk of 'a trusted local guy' - where exactly do you find them? And who I am to judge whether or not they are any good, or just telling me charming lies to cover their mistakes.

Its called RECOMMENDATION - don't you have any friends or neighbours?

if the lady was using a trusted local engineer, who could have just as well missed the 'simple' problem,

Now you are looking for excuses to bolster your position. The problem she had is one of the most basic in the book with poor circulation in a vented system. The utility company providing this so called service sent various muppets round with no experience and even less knowledge. Why do they use them? - because they are cheap and the first diagnosis is nearly always "you need a power flush" which is, of course extra to contract.

How is an untrained person supposed to know when the costs are reasonable, or the problem is super simple.

Thats why you need to be able to trust the person you are asking to do they work.

That is what I pay for. The comfort of knowing I don't have to worry about what is wrong, just that someone will come out and fix it.

Even when they leave you without heat and hot water for 3 months?

Cheers