disgraceful boiler cover .scottish power

Susiecoo

We were left with no heating or hot water for 10 days in the middle of December with 3 young children including a 5 month old baby. The engineers were unfamiliar with our boiler and incomplete parts were sent out when they were trying to fix the initial problem of our shower running cold. When the boiler stopped working after their engineer left, SP refused to send anyone to reassess the new problem until the complete part was in. We were fobbed off and lied to on countless occasions and took time off work when they said they were coming for them to not turn up. In the end it took 10 days for someone to come out and it turned out to be as simple as a tripped overheat switch which had caused the problem. We also needed a new heat exchange plate. The engineers were rude and unhelpful. We wanted to speak to the complaints dept but still haven't heard from them more than two months later.
The service is an absolute disgrace and I would advise anybody considering signing up with SP to look elsewhere.

ILW

I seldom recommend large companies, but we have a service plan with BG and they have been faultless.

dom2599

The only time i got any reasonable responce from SP was when i stated they were in breach of contract and that i would start looking in to claiming compensation for this, this seemed to focus them a bit, to the point of sending me a cheque as 'a gesture of goodwill' guilt money more like.

iluaf

Having been on the radio & had tv crew to our house, SP sent an engineer to our house same day. He condemned the boiler. An engineer weekis ago said it wasnt a viable repair so why did SP keep trying to repair it - according to this engineer it was very dangerous. Well peed off with our experience. As a family we have been mostly without heat & hot water since October - Thats 4months. FOUR MONTHS. DISGUSTING.

bosphorus

We have a Vaillant boiler which is only four years old and only problem we had with it so far is that sometimes it would not start up by itself due to insufficient pressure. I had a cover before with Homeserve whose engineers did not seem capable of solving the problem which was referred to Vaillant's own engineer in the end.
I have been a customer of SP since 2004 and I was offered to signup for Scottish Power's platinum energy boiler care cover which is included in the tariff fee. We had the same problem with the boiler recently and called out their engineers. First time, no problem engineer was on time but didn't look that competent to me. The problem reoccurred the following day and had to call them again but following two days didn't occur so I cancelled the appointment. Then it occurred again and I called them again. The appointment was for the morning then they changed it on the day of the appointment to early afternoon due to running late, I had to cancel it around 3 o'clock as I had to leave. I rebooked it for the following afternoon (23.02.2012) between 1-6 as if that was not wide enough time range they said they might attend after 6. I had to cancel it again as I do not know how they late they would be or whether they would turn up at all, I cannot wait around for these people expecting them to turn up not knowing if they would or not attend. It sounded like SP only works with a single engineer around Portsmouth area. I was thinking that this would be bad as it's a package service but didn't think it would be this bad.

ihateyes

bosphorus wrote: »

We have a Vaillant boiler which is only four years old and only problem we had with it so far is that sometimes it would not start up by itself due to insufficient pressure. I had a cover before with Homeserve whose engineers did not seem capable of solving the problem which was referred to Vaillant's own engineer in the end.
I have been a customer of SP since 2004 and I was offered to signup for Scottish Power's platinum energy boiler care cover which is included in the tariff fee. We had the same problem with the boiler recently and called out their engineers. First time, no problem engineer was on time but didn't look that competent to me. The problem reoccurred the following day and had to call them again but following two days didn't occur so I cancelled the appointment. Then it occurred again and I called them again. The appointment was for the morning then they changed it on the day of the appointment to early afternoon due to running late, I had to cancel it around 3 o'clock as I had to leave. I rebooked it for the following afternoon (23.02.2012) between 1-6 as if that was not wide enough time range they said they might attend after 6. I had to cancel it again as I do not know how they late they would be or whether they would turn up at all, I cannot wait around for these people expecting them to turn up not knowing if they would or not attend. It sounded like SP only works with a single engineer around Portsmouth area. I was thinking that this would be bad as it's a package service but didn't think it would be this bad.

correct they use sub contracters, namely Carallion.

Not flush on numbers either, so the engineers do some mileage everyday. probably dont do many jobs either each day due to this fact.

sandra111

i have home comfort boiler cover with Scottish power, recently i had a breakdown on my boiler, a engineer called out,and said i need a new fan, Scottish power called me saying my boiler had been valued at less than the part needed to repair the boiler, they valued my boiler at £280.00 lol yet i cannot pay this amount to get a replacement boiler. basically they have left me without hot water and heating, had they told me in advance of taking this policy out that the value of my boiler was less than most repair costs of the boiler i would never had taken the cover out, but they wait till i needed a repair to tell me. the fact is that Scottish power boiler cover will not repair any boiler if they "in their opinion" think your boiler is worth less that the repair cost. and they will dump you no matter how much you paid in to their system, or whatever position you're in (no heating or hot water).

macman

najma wrote: »

Interesting reading all these comments however i wanted advice on what i can do?
I am a single mum with four children and have been paying scottish power for home comfort boiler cover.

I have been without heating and hot water for 2 weeks now and scottish power home comfort have now told me that my boiler is beyond economical repair. It is a vaillant 831 fitted in sept 2008 and still retails for £1000 +

their engineer has come round 3 different times initial problem was a small leak, the engineer when fixing the leak did not fit the pipe in the boiler correct so when the pressure increased water gushed in the boiler and now after coming out 3 time and waiting 2 weeks they are saying because the water has gone every where i need a new boiler and they wont do it.

I have been quoted £1000 for the same boiler and £200 labour

I cant afford this, i have a 3 year old and i am really strugling. I have contacted citezens advice, complained to scottish power and also contacted offgem. however no one has helped me.

Is there anyone one on this forum that can help. Energy companies make billions out of poor people like me

Get an independent GSR RGI (who knows Vaillants) out for a second opinion. They are quality boilers and should last more than 4 years if properly installed! If the damage was caused by their ineptness, then start a small claims process against them for the cost of restitution. That is why you will need an independent to assess the damage and the cause.

Tonanti216

I see from the earlier comments here that not much has changed with SP and their services!

12 phone calls (£8 worth)
12 Promises
12 Failures to deliver
2 Missed Boiler services

£192 of annual premiums

Purchased the product in Aug 2011, inspected in Nov 2011 with service due 12 months later (Home3 say it NOT 12 months it's 14 - NOT TRUE)
Eventually service is scheduled for 20 December but the engineer called on the day to say he was broken down. More phone calls, rescheduled for 17 Jan and the engineer simply didn't turn up. More ranting despite promising myself I would be rational and reasonable. Called ScottishPower (the actual ScottishPower) and very helpful lady took on the complaint. Home3 had closed it the moment the first appointment had been set up and failed to address the multitude of complaints of failed promises and out and out lies. Have now re-opened the complaint and I wait with baited breath.

Is there ANYONE in the market place supplying Central Heating / Boiler cover you can trust to do what they say they will?

ishareeb

Hi I took the boiler cover from scottish power around september 2012 , it was cheaper than any other cover.
But that's the worst cover for anything I ever took. When my boiler broke down i reported 2 months no one called or came. free number 0800 to log your claim but after that every time I called it was a 0844 number ,

one time I was on the phone for 43 min but no answer. Finally today I cancelled the
Cover for good

Please dont waste your money on scottish power boiler cover

Please please please.