Northern Gas Heating Ltd - conmen?

brownbadger1

Hello, I've recently had a boiler installed with Northern Gas Heating Ltd. I applied through a website where you enter a job and companies get back to. British gas gave a quote, £3400 and NGH Ltd gave £2200. Obviously i went with the cheaper quote, knocked them down to £2000. The gentleman who did the sales pitch has a brief look and gave the quote based on a normal job. My wife was there and I was concerned the price would go up, he confirmed though it was a "fixed price". He goes away and a few days later i get a chaser call from head office. They ask how the quote was, i said it was ok but managed to get the guy down even further to £1850, then i go over what exactly was covered in the face to face quote, written out. He back tracked and said he do it at that price. After i pushed hard he agreed to £1900. I return the contract and put next to the price "fixed price" as this was agreed with the original salesman. Then a week before installation they call again after the survey and say they need to increase the price by £100 for 6m of copper pipe work. You and I know 6m of copper pipe doesn't cost £100 but they were willing to cancel the contract on the basis of me not paying the £100.

My question is - can they do this? The contract T&Cs said that they have the right to make amendments to the agreement, in writing and i have the right to agree or disagree, in writing. But if the salesman said it was fixed price and i signed on this basis and not "revised" quote was sent in writing should i have to pay this. I asked for letter of apology for the inconvenience and said i would share this with Trading Standards. They brought it on installation day and then took it away once my wife had signed it and have failed to return it. I have since called and asked for the letter but nearly two weeks later i have heard nothing.

All advice is gratefully received!!!

newbie1980

its there buisness and they can reject ur buisness for any reason they see fit
it may be annoying but for 100 more when british gas were 1500 more id bite the bullet and pay the extra

brownbadger1

Thanks but that wasn't what i was asking. As i said at the start i've had it installed already. The fact that they stated it was "fixed price" but they then change it for 6m of copper piping has made me feel trapped and forced to pay the additional charge and then to with hold an apology as if they know they are doing something wrong. It feels like they hook you on the good price then smack you in the face.

macman

Snce BG typically charge 40% more anyway tha an independent, it's not necessarily a rock bottom price.
If they agreed £1,900 after a survey, and you signed for that, and they proceeded to do the install without any 'extras' requested by you, then of course that is all you should pay.
Do not pay the balance though until you have all the documentation completed. Did they complete and hand you the Benchmark paperwork on the day, without which your warranty is void? Has the boiler been reg'd for building control?
Which boiler have they supplied?