Homeserve

Amsfeld

I'm having major problems with Homeserve and one of their contractors. I've made two official complaints now to them over the phone, and I'm just about to write my second emailed complaint.

I'm going to put all of the facts of the complaint below, just wondering if anyone can come up with suggestions on what to say? I pay about £20 per month, and have paid my £50 excess. My electricity has been going off at the main board since 13/10/11 due to there being a poor earth supply into the property. Homeserve have acknowledged that they will fix it, but this is where my problems start....



I wish to raise a complaint. Here are the facts.

13/10/11
Problem with electrics, power repeatedly going on and off. Called Homeserve to get an electrician out. Paid my excess. Was told an Electrician would attend tomorrow (14/10/11) between 8am and 5pm.

14/10/11
Took a day off work unpaid. By 5:30pm no Electrician had arrived, so called Homeserve. Was told an electrician would be there soon. Electrician arrived at 9:20pm. Was unable to fix the problem, said to call out Scottish Power as they provided the earth connection into the property. I called Scottish Power straight away.

15/10/11
Scottish Power arrived to check the cables, said they didn’t provide an earth connection, and weren’t required too. Advised that they would carry out some checks in neighbouring properties and get back to us.

18/10/11
Advised by Scottish Power that there was nothing they could do, and that the Electrician would be able to earth the property. Called Homeserve to get the Electrician back out, to fix the problem as originally requested on the 13th. Was told the electrician would arrive between 3pm and 7pm tomorrow (19/10/11).

19/10/11
Took a day off work unpaid. By 7:30 pm no Electrician arrived, so called Homeserve. Was told electrician would be there soon. At 8pm I got a call from the Electrician’s office to say that they would be unable to attend that night. Because they had cancelled they said they would give me a more accurate time to attend tomorrow (20/10/11) of between 5:30pm and 7pm. I insisted on an early evening time and I made it very clear to them that I had to get up at 4am every morning for work. Email sent to Homeserve’s complaints department.

20/10/11
Left work early (unpaid) to make sure I was home in time. By 7:30pm no Electrician had arrived, so called Homeserve. Was told by “A” that someone would be there soon, but by 10pm at the latest. Logged a second complaint over the phone. Still no one by 11:45pm, so called Homeserve, but their call centre closed at 8pm. Nobody turned up all night. I got 4 hours sleep.

21/10/11
Called Homeserve from work at 8am. Spoke to "B" who called the contractor, and I was the informed that one of the Managers at the contractor would call me back ASAP. Rose also said that the contractor had tried to call me the night before, but the line had been engaged. I was in by myself, and the phone had not been used. At 8:20am, "C" from Walker Home Emergency called me to apologise. She said she’d send an electrician out before 3pm. I told her I would not be able to get home until 4:30pm. She said she would arrange for some one to come out when I was at home. She promised to call me with the exact time. Nobody called me back.
I arrived home at 4:20pm, and called Walker Home Emergency directly. Heather had gone home, but had booked me into the slot between 10pm and midnight. I explained that was unacceptable, but was told there was nothing they could do. I called Homeserve and spoke to "D", only to be told that there was nothing they could do either, and to listen to what the contractor had told me. When I pointed out that it was Homeserve I pay for the policy, and my excess, I was again told there was nothing they could do. I raised a third complaint. If I'm lucky I'll get 4 hours sleep tonight.

I now wait to see if anyone turns up.

scheming_gypsy

Amsfeld wrote: »

20/10/11
Left work early (unpaid) to make sure I was home in time. By 7:30pm no Electrician had arrived, so called Homeserve. Was told by “A” that someone would be there soon, but by 10pm at the latest. Logged a second complaint over the phone. Still no one by 11:45pm, so called Homeserve, but their call centre closed at 8pm. Nobody turned up all night. I got 4 hours sleep.

.

Homeserve is 24/7 so you shouldn't have any issues getting through to somebody.

Becles

I just called them out for the first time today and I'm not impressed.

Water started leaking out of the main feed for the bathroom basin, so I turned the water off at the stopcock. I rang up and they said someone would be with me within 2 hours and I had to pay the £50.

3 hours later a plumber arrived. He took a look and said he would need the bathroom sink removing and several tiles taken up to fix it. I asked if he would do that and he said no. I'd have to find someone else to do that and then ring Homeserve again and arrange for them to come back and mend the pipe.

I said it was unacceptable leaving me overnight with three children and no water. He just shrugged and said there was nothing he could do tonight. He then suggested putting the water back on and letting the kitchen ceiling fall in, so my home insurance would come out and fix it instead :eek: Needless to say I declined that and he left.

Rang my Dad and he came over. He managed to wiggle the pedestal to one side and lifted up a single tile and he was able to fix it for me and I've got the water back on now.

Now I'm annoyed that I've paid premiums so far, plus the £50 call out fee, and all I got in return was someone to turn up and say they couldn't help :mad:

Amsfeld

Unfortunately when I called after 8 to find out where the electrician was, I was told that they only take new claims 24/7, you can only chase up existing ones between 8am and 8pm.

Amsfeld

I finally got a phone call from the electrician at 11:40pm last night. He said he was 50 miles away, but would be with me at about 1am, did I still want him to come?. Despite the fact that I was due to get up at 4am, I said yes, just to get things fixed once and for all.

At 00:40 I got a phone call from his office to say that he wasn't coming, and if he had come out there was little he could have done in the middle of the night anyway. As you can imagine I had some difficulty controlling my temper seeing as I'd been promised that he would have been out early enough to get things fixed.

Looks like I'll be calling Homeserve again once I get to work....

scheming_gypsy

Yeah their CR department is only open between 8 and 8. You'd be better phoning them and telling them that you don't want that company dealing with it as they never turn up; they'll either send you another or allow you to get your own contractor and they pick up the tab.

Former_MSE_Archna

Homeserve has asked us to post the following:

[FONT=&quot]Please email some details of your complaint to [EMAIL="heretohelp@homeserve.com"]heretohelp@homeserve.com[/EMAIL] and the team at HomeServe will try and assist you if we can. Thank you. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]