HomeCare Customer of British Gas ?

DampProof

Beware... you would expect that paying a monthly fee for boiler and central heating cover would give you peace of mind. Not likely. My experience is one of blatant misdiagnosis in order to sell.
This is how the scam works. You have your yearly safety inspection and the engineer places an at risk sticker on your appliance. You panic and have a lot of expensive and unnecessary work carried out.
How do I know ? I can only speak for myself and the clerk of the court where I issued proceedings. We got chatting when she saw I was issuing papers and explained she had experienced the same. Fortunately for her she had a friend who was a Corgi registered engineer who advised her that there was nothing wrong with her boiler.
I instructed a Corgi engineer that I required a ' Landlords Safety Certificate' and took the 'At Risk' sticker off the appliance before his inspection. It passed with flying colours.
I am not suggesting that every safety inspection carried out by a British Gas engineer should be treated with suspicion. I'm sure there are a number of dangerous appliances out there. But you do wonder whats going on when I was asked to sign a 'Tomlin Order' as a condition of the settlement.

Tallymanjohn

Can you give a bit more detail? - you seem to have had the work done after having the boiler condemned, but what brought about the legal proceedings? I'm interested as a BG homecare customer who's just received the renewal notice.

hollydays

I pay just 6.25 per month for boiler cover only.I think this is excellent value.And that includes the yearly service-

Sazere

My parents have always had BG Homecare and I have to say the service we received has always been excellent. Every year the boiler has been serviced. Any repairs done immediately (within a couple of days if parts required).

Over the space of 12 months we had about 5 radiators that were rusting at the bottom and burst. Each time they came out same day (or we were Ok to turn off rad and drain the following day) measured up, ordered new rad, Plumbcentre delivered and BG fitted within a week.

All of this work was covered by the plan. OK the prices have gone up but still well worth it, so much so that my parents have transfered it when they moved house (another old system so worth the cover).

Tallymanjohn

I'm the same - never had any problems with BG - we have a fairly old boiler (being replaced shortly) which they have kept going. Every year we have to get them out to free at least one of the radiator valves, pumps have been replaced, service is done annually - all at short notice. We now also have the cover for plumbing & electrics included (having been stung by a call-out plumber who fixed a leak).

stugib

the service we received has always been excellent.

At the risk of adding a 'me too', me too!

Our boiler's fairly new but is temperamental (long story). They let us take out the insurance when it had broken down and came out and fixed it (cost us about an extra £100 over the year). Since then we've had them out a couple of times, the latest a couple of weeks ago which took 2 callouts, 3 hours labour and replaced a few parts. Dread to think how much it would've cost if I'd had to get someone in privately.

Would also be interested to hear what the legal proceedings were about?

Elmer_Dudd

British Gas did the same routine recently with my 76 yr old mother in law.
She had been paying into their homecare scheme for years and years but they suddenly and without warning condemned the boiler, told her the scheme would not cover repairs/replacement and and told her it would cost £4500 to get it sorted.:eek:
These people are maggots of the first order.:mad:
She was frightened witless at the time and panicking but the family got involved and managed to get it replaced for NOTHING by Age Concern due to her age and frail health.
British Gas You Suck!!!!!
Elmer

EssexGirl

I have been with BG Homecare for the past 4 years. We have an oldish combi boiler that has had to have only one callout in that time, and I can't fault them on that. But every year the annual service has been put back by at least a month, so the first year was in April, year 2 was in June, year 3 was in July and this year is in August. This means that they have gained 4 months service out of me, and I have had to phone them to remind them to come out for the past 2 years whereas before they sent me a letter asking me to call them to arrange. Not impressed by the customer care on this one. But they haven't tried to scam me as yet. Fingers crossed as they are due out to me in 2 weeks!!

Xbigman

Even if you are not being ripped off the maint costs for a low or medium user of gas central heating makes E7 cheaper to run these days. Makes you wonder why gas CH is such a selling point when selling a house?
Regards



X

seven-day-weekend

Always had excellent service from Homecare

Bossyboots

seven-day-weekend wrote:

Always had excellent service from Homecare

Same with my mum.

When they do condemn systems and tell you it is expensive to repair/replace, they are going by BG prices. Source it elsewhere and it will be cheaper.