Broken boiler - have I got a case?

grimkin

Hi there,

I had a brand new "Ideal" gas combi boiler fitted just over 3 years ago and yesterday it decided to stop working - I had the plumber in and he diagnosed a faulty circuit board.

I went online to source one of these - the cheapest it came in at was £200 - nearly half the cost of the boiler when it was new!

I rang Ideal first of all thinking that they would maybe sort this as a goodwill gesture but they said "sorry, out of warranty but we'll fix it for you for £245".

I've had to go ahead and buy a new one as my 3 year old is an icicle but I'm wondering if I can argue this as not lasting for a reasonable amount of time? I certainly expected a £450 boiler to last for more than 3 years!

Does anyone have any recommendations and is there a form letter anywhere I can use to argue this with the manufacturer?

Many thanks
G

neilmcl

You have no recourse against the manufacturer I'm afraid, it''ll be the supplier you'll have to chase for this.

George_Michael

I realise that this won't be of any help to you grimkin, but my advice would be to get rid if the Ideal boiler asap.

I also had one of these fitted about 4 years ago, and I had problems almost from the time it was fitted.
These ranged from non ignition (faulty electrodes), very slow startup (circult board fault), and constant sparking (cct board again).
The first 2 years was covered by Ideal, but each time I was left many days without a working boiler.

Eight months ago I decided that I had enough and had it changed for a Worcester bosch.
So far I've had no problems, and my gas bill is down by about 30% on last year.
I know it won't be a cheap change, but the difference it has made to my life is fantastic.

Hintza

Have you hgad the boiler serviced as laid out in the manufacturers schedule?

Priceyson

i wouldnt think you d have a case at all im a gas safe registered engineer and the boilers are designed nowadays to fault as you now know because the manufactuer makes money on parts , 450 for a boiler is cheap so you will have problems as a good worcester boiler is around the 950 mark!!

dori2o

Have you tried these people:

http://www.allsparesdirect.co.uk/index.html

I've had to replace the PCB in my Ravenheat boiler twice and used these people both times. Very reasonable price if you send the old PCB to them.

I'm not affiliated in any way to them, just used them in the past and their service is great.

zzzLazyDaisy

My old worcester bosch boiler died three years ago. I had it replaced by warm front on a grant. They installed an Ideal boiler and I hate it. It broke down several times during the warranty period so when the warranty ran out I felt I had no choice but to pay for monthly maintenance, and sure enough the problems have continued. When the temperature gets very cold, it simply stops working altogether.

I'll leave it for now as I can't face the disturbance of having it replaced (I had a bad flood last time because the engineer left a valve open upstairs), but when I can afford it, I'll pay for a decent boiler to be fitted.

dmliverpool

I would always suggest you or your landlord to get boiler cover. Also boilers have a mind of their own and require regular maintainence, i.e. with the pressure as most household plumbing has a leak somewhere. This lets air into the system and causes radiators that are the furthest away from the actual boiler to get air in them. This is resolved by bleeding them regularly.

The end result is that the boiler loses pressure, so you will be using a inefficient system and wasting your money (high gas bills) in addition to putting strain on the very expensive components which you are more than likely going to have to pay for. I am actually starting learning to be a gas fitter so I know a little.

Underneath all boilers is a tap that allows you to add pressure to your boiler. Turn the whole thing off, bleed all of your radiators until water starts coming out and go online to find out where this valve is.

Then turn the water setting off and restart the boiler. It is important to ensure there is no electric supplying the boiler, usually there will be a switch. Believe me I though my new boiler was finished and I tinkered in the dead of night and managed to get it fired up, I also had the pressure of a missus and child shivering to push me to get it resolved, so for me the cover is well spent a I dont want that to happen again.

Also I said if it has been running inefficiently it will strain these overly priced parts and if they are nackered you will have to get it repaired. I would say to everyone to follow my very basic guide to ensure you dont have to pay, and pay for cover. Please note most policies that cover boilers is for repair and not for a new boiler.

calleyw

priceyson wrote: »

a good worcester boiler is around the 950 mark!!

Yeah and they are just so fab :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:had to pay nearly £300 to have new circuit board, the dam thing is only just over 5 years old.

And it wrecked my christmas as no heating or hot water from christmas eve until the 4th of Jan and had to put off guests I had coming over as well.

Yours

Calley