White Van Man or British Gas for boiler replacement

Yooj_2

Whatever the price of the WVM quote, you MUST get something in writing as to the scope of the work, what is included, and what is not included, the specification of the boiler, expected timescale of work, payment terms, warranties and how unforseen hiccups to the project are handled.

You must also validate his Gas-Safe Registration.

Yooj

gas4you

As far as I know an email quote will be just as binding as a written quote.

I do a lot of work that is quoted and arranged via e-mail only and it still forms part of a contract.

Verbal arrangements are still a contract, but more awkward to prove, obviously.

dori2o

gas4you wrote: »

If you have been given a written quote and accept that in writing, then this will form part of a contract between you.

1 years warranty is not much these days on a new boiler. Most come with at least 2 years, whilst many have 3-5 years at no extra cost.

You have the right to ask Gas Safe to inspect the installation afterwards, but as you say they are only interested in gas safety, or should be. You will find that most inspectors will look at nearly all parts of the job, as they seem keen to make out they know more than any installer and look for faults to fill out their report with.

I would go with an independent, but perhaps not this one. You really need the warranty in writing along with a proper invoice/receipt.

It is not always the cheapest solution to go for the cheapest quote.

I believe the 1yrs warrnaty will be on the installers work only. As you say most boilers come with at least 2 and upto 5 years warranty, but this warranty is on behalf of the manufacturer and is not the responsibility of the installer.

In fact from day 1, if there is a boiler fault, it is the manufacturers problem,not the installers,although in most circumstances the installer would go out to check, even if they then had to contact the manufacturer to resolve the problem.

Also please note that with most manufacturers, the warranty will be subject to annual services being completed.

gas4you

As the installer has supplied and fitted the boiler he will be the first port of call and responsible for how ever long the boiler warranty is.

f_t_buyer_2

lexie55 wrote: »

Ask for written quote, otherwise walk away. Is the price for installing same boiler as British Gas?

Not the same, but similar. BG qoutes its own BG 532 (manufactured by Worcester Bosch), and WVM - Worcester Bosch 28 Junior - should be OK for a 2-bed flat with 1 bathroom. In my case the major cost is remodelling the existing heating system, since a new boiler should be in a different location.

I recieved the quote by e-mail, and it was not the cheapest one, but I was impressed with the level of detail provided. Yet there was't anything about guarantees or certificates, and that made me nervous.

I think I'll ask for an extended quote with all this extra info and also check if I get a receipt in the end. If he refuses, I'll start looking for someone else.

Thanks everyone once again for such helpful advice!

f_t_buyer_2

Just to inform everyone of the latest events. I did go for a WVM, although a different one. The one I was writing about got annoyed with my requests for quarantees and stopped returning my calls. The one I finally contracted gave a more expensive estimate, but still it was £1000 cheaper than BG plus a 5-year guarantee.

I recevied a quote by e-mail and on paper, and I accepted it by e-mail. I paid by cheque on completion. The boiler works and everything looks OK. The only thing that slightly worries me is that he promised to e-mail the receipt yesterday, and so far there isn't anything. I called, but there is an answering machine. I believe since I paid by cheque, I can always prove the payment took place. But still I feel uncomfortable. Am I being paranoid? What are the dangers of not getting the receipt?

Would be grateful for some advice/reassurance.

Yooj_2

Probably a bit paranoid to be honest. Give the guy a week and then call him again. He is probably just busy.

Yooj