British Gas do I have to buy a new boiler from them?

ollski

The long warranties are all based on an annual service to comply with the terms so you would have to factor that in to your calculations. Also obviously boiler only, no external pump, valves, rads, cylinder etc.

Bg are advised of parts availability by the manufacturers and they can only keep stuff available as long as they have supply. Obviously some smaller suppliers don't have the enormous turnover of parts bg have so you may find obsolete parts still stuck in their stockrooms years after supply ceased.

broxis11

bengasman wrote: »

Why would you pay around 200 quid a year ( if not more ) for a BG insurance if the boiler is already under warranty?


BG do NOT guarantee same day call out, and most certainly not a same day repair.
In fact, thousands of people that had been paying BG lots of money were told their boiler could not be repaired and had to be replaced at a cost of £3000 or £4000.

When you state facts such as the above, where do you get your figures from when you say this has happened to `thousands`?

furndire

A couple of years ago when we were in the midst of a really freezing cold spell - we had to keep getting BG (via service contract)out to sort out the boiler every 3 or 4 days, & then wait 3 or 4 days for a new part - they fixed it, but it went wrong again - they must have replaced just about every part in it - the attitude was we can fix it but you really need a new boiler!! we will keep coming back and fixing it (implied, but not said until you get fed up & have new boiler). The final time they had to fix it the part was going to take a fortnight to come, so they left us with 5 electric heaters as the central heating obviously didn't work.
We asked how much they could supply us with a boiler - by this time I think they must have been as sick as we were, and so when we haggled we got a new boiler fitted for £1000 - its not a combi - not at home at the moment, can't remember the name of it, but it is a top range one - we had priced round, and couldn't touch the price of it anywhere else - even though we have an account at plumbers merchants, it was going to cost us nearly that to but just the boiler without fitting - so in the end we actually got a good deal from BG. But beware their attitude is we will get that boiler working again and again and again even though they know that it is going to go again in a few days - even a few hours.
We had decided that the boiler did need replacing, but didn't tell them that.

bengasman

broxis11 wrote: »

When you state facts such as the above, where do you get your figures from when you say this has happened to `thousands`?

Any source you want really.
Complaints are public record once dealt with for instance.

broxis11

bengasman wrote: »

Any source you want really.
Complaints are public record once dealt with for instance.

Such as...?

gas4you

BG make up their own parts list. I have been to many boilers where BG have said no parts available any more. One phone call to my supplier and he has ordered it from the manufacturer for me, not had old stock sitting around.

The more BG say parts are obsolete, the more they can try to con a new boiler out of an unsuspecting customer.

ollski

gas4you wrote: »

BG make up their own parts list. I have been to many boilers where BG have said no parts available any more. One phone call to my supplier and he has ordered it from the manufacturer for me, not had old stock sitting around.

The more BG say parts are obsolete, the more they can try to con a new boiler out of an unsuspecting customer.

No sorry but they don't the parts list on the computer is built around information provided by manufacturers. That is not to say individual engineers don't misinform, i'm sure it does happen. Also not unusual for a customer to think the lack of a few parts means they cant get anything for the boiler. If I ever get an obsolete part (which is extremely rare) I always check with the manufacturers parts line just in case its substituted and the information has never conflicted

Lgas

ollski wrote: »

No sorry but they don't the parts list on the computer is built around information provided by manufacturers. That is not to say individual engineers don't misinform, i'm sure it does happen. Also not unusual for a customer to think the lack of a few parts means they cant get anything for the boiler. If I ever get an obsolete part (which is extremely rare) I always check with the manufacturers parts line just in case its substituted and the information has never conflicted

^^this. BG engineers don't make it up, we go by what's on the system! People complain when we tell them and complain when we haven't told them :cool:

lou-28_2

We had BG come to our home and quote us for a new boiler. They quoted over £3,000 which included Homecare. The fact that boilers have a 2 year manufacturers warranty meant that 2 years of included Homecare would be a waste of money. We declined their quote and got a company through MoneySupermarket who did the job for £1,000.

buzzy_bee_3

gas4you wrote: »

If you posted the make and model of your boiler, we may be able to tell you if that part is still available.

Thanks sorry for delay in getting back .... my boiler is a Potterton Prima 50F

Appreciate that a new good quality boiler will come with a manufacturers guarantee, what the Homecare 200 agreement with British Gas gives over and above that is cover for the whole central heating system, which does add peace of mind, though it is fairly pricey