British Gas!!!! Grrr

The_Bridge

I've posted on here recently about this boiler; So British Gas came to change the flow switch and right at the end of the job the engineer found that the combustion latch is broken! He called up Ferroli and they don't have that part anymore, so I NEED A NEW BOILER!

The boiler is considered a risk and has been switched off meaning no hot water/heating obviously. This is the fault of BG! The boiler was inspected 2 weeks ago and passed therefore allowing me cover. So either they broke it or didn't see the latch couldn't shut [Yeah right]...

Now I have to pay for a new boiler and they're going to give me a quote. I've already complained because this is so inconvenient. Someone will call me back frm BG but I will demand a discount.:mad:

The_Bridge

By the way this Slough, Berkshire area. If anyone has recently had a boiler replaced please let me know costs. I need a 30HE Combi boiler

macman

Why on earth would you ask BG to fit the replacement given their incompetence and overpricing? Even with a 'discount', they typically charge 40% over the going rate.
Find an independent local RGI who will do a good job at a fair price (but don't fit another Ferroli).
NB: have you checked with another RGI to see if the part really is unavailable? BG frequently claim this in order to sell you a new boiler when the old one is repairable.
Having said that, you may struggle to find a RGI who will touch a Ferroli.

The_Bridge

macman wrote: »

Why on earth would you ask BG to fit the replacement given their incompetence and overpricing? Even with a 'discount', they typically charge 40% over the going rate.
Find an independent local RGI who will do a good job at a fair price (but don't fit another Ferroli).
NB: have you checked with another RGI to see if the part really is unavailable? BG frequently claim this in order to sell you a new boiler when the old one is repairable.
Having said that, you may struggle to find a RGI who will touch a Ferroli.

I called Ferroli myself and it has been discontinued..

To be honest the boiler is absolutely rubbish and I knew I would end up buying one some time or another.....I'm looking now for local people now....i was told i should pay no more than £1,500 for a Potterton/Main....

macman

But the part may still be available in someone's stock...
I'd be looking at WB or Vaillant.

ihateyes

The_Bridge wrote: »

The boiler is considered a risk and has been switched off meaning no hot water/heating obviously. This is the fault of BG!

are you unhappy the boiler has been turned off?
would you rather risk your house/family?

are you an engineer?
you can say 100% this is BGs fault???

i imagine all answers are NO, bar the top one.

Lgas

macman wrote: »

NB: have you checked with another RGI to see if the part really is unavailable? BG frequently claim this in order to sell you a new boiler when the old one is repairable.

Comments like this really wind me up :mad: BG engineers go on the information supplied by the manufacturers on the parts screen. If it says the part is obsolete, the process is for BG engineers to ring the manufacturers to double check. Contrary to popular opinion we are not liars or salemen/women! I'd rather find and fit the part then break the news that the boiler has to be cut off and go through the long process of capping off, labelling, filling out paperwork, arranging a quote etc etc. And no £10 is not an incentive for doing all that before anyone mentions it :cool:

OP - Ferroli's are awful like you said, and whoever you had in to service or repair it, the broken latch would still have been noticed and you'd still need to buy a new boiler.

alleycat`

Lgas wrote: »

OP - Ferroli's are awful like you said, and whoever you had in to service or repair it, the broken latch would still have been noticed and you'd still need to buy a new boiler.

Fair enough, but how did it pass an inspection 2 weeks ago, by BG, and suddenly this part is now broken off?

If we take the Op at face value and they haven't tinkered with it then it is very, very unlikely it just fell off on its own accord.

Don't disagree about how bad a Ferroli is mind.

OP:- you'll get a lot of mixed views on which boiler to go with.

WB, Vaillant and Remeha are the most often suggested on here.
They all have positives and negatives.

Every time i've heard of a quote that includes BG v's any independent RGI, BG are almost always a lot more expensive.

macman

Lgas wrote: »

Comments like this really wind me up :mad: BG engineers go on the information supplied by the manufacturers on the parts screen. If it says the part is obsolete, the process is for BG engineers to ring the manufacturers to double check. Contrary to popular opinion we are not liars or salemen/women! I'd rather find and fit the part then break the news that the boiler has to be cut off and go through the long process of capping off, labelling, filling out paperwork, arranging a quote etc etc. And no £10 is not an incentive for doing all that before anyone mentions it :cool:

OP - Ferroli's are awful like you said, and whoever you had in to service or repair it, the broken latch would still have been noticed and you'd still need to buy a new boiler.

I'm not suggesting that all BG engineers are only interested in their tenner. But there are many reports on here of customers being told that parts are obsolete when they were still available. BBC's Watchdog also reported the same thing.

Lgas

They have altered the parts screens now to show unavailable parts listed as obsolete, rather than just not being on the system, and the process has changed. The engineer on BG made the mistake of not phoning the manufacturers to double check, that was the crucial error.

As for the engineer not noticing the latch, I can't defend that, I find it hard to believe someone wouldn't notice something like that (but obviously it must have happened?).