Barclays Home SOS - Boiler issues

sumank

Hi Everyone,

Please suggest what can be done as Barclays and Warmsure aka EAGA.com left me without hot water or heating in the house for more than 14 days and finally didn't sort my problem. More over my wife is pregnant and have a kid of 6 years old and no alternative source of hot water. This was repeatedly explained to Barclays and Warmsure aka EAGA.com without any luck. I am hoping for some information on claiming costs and compensation back from Barclays / insurance.

Just to summarize....

I have my boiler insurance through the premier account with Barclays. My boiler started leaking on 30/04/2011 (Saturday). I raised the problem with home SOS and they were very prompt in sending the engineer on the same day to look at the problem.

The engineer looked at the leak and said the pump had to be replaced and that should solve the problem but when I pushed him to open the other cover of the boiler then he realised that the leak was from few other places and he said that the parts have to be ordered. He also suggested that the amount of money it would cost for the labour + parts will be same as replacing the boiler and he will suggest that to home SOS.

Unfortunately this being a long weekend nothing will be open on Sunday and Monday and things will move only on Tuesday.

I waited until Tuesday (03/05/2011) evening and called the home SOS to find that the engineer report was not yet submitted - had to push them hard but the engineer was not available and they will definitely get the updates on Wednesday (04/05/2011) morning. As you excepted, no response from home SOS till afternoon and I had to call them back again and push them. Later in the day they managed to get hold of the engineer and expected him to update the report by the end of day. The report was updated on Thursday (05/05/2011) again after me repeatedly calling and home SOS ordered the parts which they said might take 2-5 working days. To my surprise the parts were sorted only in 1 day - this I could find out when I called them. I asked them to fit them asap i.e. on Friday (06/05/2011). They looked at the available engineers and their procedure of minimum booking the engineers after 24 hrs they booked the engineer on Monday. I did push hard to some how sort it today or next day but no luck. Also I went to the Barclays bank and met my premier relationship manager to explain everything but no luck as he also had to talk to the same home SOS call centre.

Anyway, I had to take off on Monday (09/05/2011) for the home SOS to come and fix the problem. The engineer arrives at 14:30 and says straight away that the parts might not be sufficient. I felt like I was totally getting messed up. He tried to fix it but had to leave by saying all the parts were not ordered. He will raise a request to home SOS for the new parts and this will have to go through the whole loop again. I was so frustrated but could do nothing.

After this its been even bigger mess. As the amount spend on the full work is gone above basic threshold they have to get different approvals, etc and delayed it until Thursday (12/05/2011). I was calling them daily multiple times to both Warmsure aka EAGA.com (who work behalf of home SOS) and home SOS without any luck. Also I requested them to look into replacing the boiler as the cost is almost similar.

Finally on Thursday (12/05/2011) they agreed for the replacing the boiler but they came back with an excess of £1,220. I have a limit on the insurance for £1,000, as the total cost for the replacement is £2,220, so I have to pay £1,220. I was so confused. The best combi boiler - Valliant costs £900 and if you add £250 for the labour (higher side - you can get local plumbers cheaper), the total will be £1,150. Why should I get the boiler replaced by them? I asked them the same question and they came back saying those are the costs - take it or leave it. To replace the rest of the parts, they have to order them and not sure after fitting them my boiler is going to work. So, have to wait for more 1 week to know if my boiler is going to be fixed or not.

I can't wait for any longer as its already 14 days without hot water or heating in the house, I might replace the boiler myself as the parts and all might take longer.

Frustrating points:

1. Home SOS/EAGA never called me updating the status of the problem.

2. The EAGA engineers doesn't have a clue on what the problem is and what parts have to be replaced - this caused the mess and increased the labour charges as repeated visits were necessary.

3. Cost of the new boiler is out of bounds and trying to rip people off.

4. No escalation procedure what so ever in home SOS. The only way to escalate is to leave a complaint and within 24 hrs the manager will contact you and I raised this 3 times and never anyone called me.

5. There are so many parties involved with the claim
(a) Barclays
(b) Barclays Home SOS (work on behalf of Barclays)
(c) EAGA (Actual contractors)
(d) Subcontractors who work for EAGA

Over all, this has been a nightmare.

Thanks.

Suman Konkumalla