Warmfront grant for heating?????

susi

My parents were awarded a warm front grant to replace their solid fuel boiler for a gas one. The Chap went out to their home and assessed it. He told them they would just replace the boiler and leave the existing radiators there, they were told the grant of £2700.00 should be ample for this. Anyway they have jsut received a letter stating that the total cost of replacing the boiler is £3390.35 and they will have to pay the balance. Would it really be this much for just a boiler????? My daughter had a full system installed for just over half this price. All I can say is it must be one hell of a boiler!!!!! Is this some sort of scam to get people to part with their money or are the heating people ripping off warm front, surely a boiler dosent cost this much...............................

Skiduck

it's not a scam (warm front)- but the quote is very high for a boiler change - 1800 plus VAT for a new boiler- bit of pipework and condense configuration - are you sure he is not converting it to a fully pumped system aswell?

susi

No just changing the boiler, it seems very high and when they first came to assess the chap said it should more than cover the cost.

kat21

you shouldnt need to pay anything if its a replacement and part of the goverments incentives to reduce carbon emissions.
http://www.nea.org.uk/Grants_&_Help/Grants
Local council grants
You may be able to get energy efficiency grants and discounts from your local council. To qualify you may need to be a pensioner and/or claiming certain benefits. To find out if you’re entitled to anything, contact your local council.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Bfsl1/BenefitsAndFinancialSupport/BenefitsAndFinancialSupportArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10018946&chk=TCfmAC
my central heating boiler costs less than a thousand pounds so, not sure why your replacement boiler is so expensive, but I would contact somebody other than the installer for advice as it sounds like a rip off to me try trading standards or your local citizens advice
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2. Warm Front Plus Grant
Warm Front Plus is aimed at householders or partners aged 60 and over in receipt of an income based benefit such as:

Income Support; Housing Benefit; Income Based Jobseekers Allowance.

The grant maximum for WARM FRONT PLUS is £2500.

As well as the measures provided by WARM FRONT, WARM FRONT PLUS may also provide the option of a gas or electric central heating system for main living areas depending on existing heating provision. Security improvements for households in high crime areas may also be provided (separately funded by the Home Office)

If you think you are eligible, register your interest in WARM FRONT by contacting the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
FREEPHONE - 0800 512 012
kat21

seneca

Hi everyone,
I’ve just joined this form and here’s my story, well actually it’s my Mum’s, but I thought I’d get your views on it. She applied for a warm front grant back in February because here boiler was playing up and was rather old. Her old boiler is in a utility room downstairs and she has a hot water tank in an airing cupboard upstairs in the spare bedroom. It’s quite a big cupboard and there is only room for a single bed in the room. A constant complaint when her sons/daughters come to stay with her is that the tank is always making noises in the night and when it come on in the morning it makes an almighty racket. Added to which if the room was a bit bigger, ie. the airing cupboard was removed, she could use the space for her hobby (sowing- which is currently all over the house.) I thought that if she got a new boiler put in into the utility (in place of the old boiler) she could get rid of the airing cupboard and make the room into a hobby/guest room. Then she got a visit from an engineer sent by Warm front from a company named Harland Rise. He told her the only place a new combi condenser boiler could go was in the airing cupboard upstairs, in place of the hot water tank. He said the utility room would mean the flue was too close to a window and the neighbours boundary, so that was out. The garage was a non starter because the flue would have to go through the flat roof, something his company refuses to do. He told my Mum, and her friend who was there for support, that the airing cupboard was the only place. She reluctantly said ok and signed for it. Now she has changed her mind and is thinking she would prefer not to take the grant and to pay for a boiler herself, and have it in the garage with the flue coming out of its roof. Or maybe find someone who could re-route the flue so it is not near a boundary or window. I thought the saving of £2700 was a lot to give up, but she was adamant. Now she got a letter saying the cost of the new boiler is £800 and the work is £1900. The grant would cover everything. This seems a bit cheap for a boiler, and a bit expensive for the work of fitting it in. Has anyone any experience of Harland Rise? There refusal to site the boiler somewhere else and excessive costs has made me suspicious. Are they trying a scam whereby they fit a cheap boiler and inflate their fitting fee. I know they are approved by Warm Front, but I am not impressed. Also, as she has signed for the boiler and the company says they have ordered the parts, does this mean she cannot cancel. If she could do you think Warm front would still consider her for a another grant ie. Loft insulation?
We’re in a bit of a tricky situation at the moment and don’t know what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

cattie

If the assessor has told her there are reasons for the boiler not being able to be installed in the places she wishes, then it is unlikely that any registered gas fitter is going to say anything different.

There are strict rules & regulations regarding the siting of boilers & these are for safety issues. The regulations have tightened up over the years & in some cases what was permitted even 3 or 4 yrs ago would not be passed now.

The other thing your mother should be thinking about is that she will be gaining space after all as a combi boiler doesn't need a hot water tank, so that will go. So, if she wanted to she could have the airing cupboard ripped out & a smaller wall cupboard built around the boiler to hide it. This would increase the floor space. The cupboard would need to have ventilation vents fitted to meet regulations though.