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N-Power ... Ripping us off? WARNING RANT ALERT
I currently have two N-Power engineers in my house after a week without heating.
22/01/2013 – Purchased “Hometeam central heating care”policy. This is N Powers most expensive policy covering the central heatingparts and labour.
05/02/2013 – 07.15hrs - 15 days after start of policy. Awoketo find that neither the central heating or the hot water was operating. Thisis the first time this had ever happened. The control panel on the boiler had aflashing “F”. I pushed the reset button and the boiler attempted to start onthree occasions and then stopped again displaying the “F.”
05/02/2013 – 07.30 – Contacted helpline and reported fault.I was informed that a representative would call me in the next few minutes toarrange an appointment.
05/02/2013 – 10.30 – Still no contact received so phonedback helpline to be told that I had spoken to the out of hours team and that itdid not work like that a member of their team was now doing call backs toregister the fault. I described the fault with my boiler and assistant checkedthe engineers diary and said that the earliest appointment was the next day andit would be an all day appointment.
05/02/2013 – 12.00 – Purchased portable heater £24.99
06/02/2013 – 13.00 – Technician arrived Chris Allen. Hestated that he wasn’t experienced in my make and model of boiler, Potterton Envoy 40. He spoke to a number ofcolleagues via his mobile and believed the fault was the glow plug notigniting. His colleague also told him which he relayed to me that it was asealed unit and that it would need a new gasket once it is open. He said thathe didn’t want to open it until he had the parts that he needed and preferablya colleague that was familier with the make and model. He asked if I was withinmy 14 day period and I said no it was 15 days and at no time did he say heconsidered it to be an existing fault. The technician said he the parts were instock and they would be delivered to him the next day. He told me to phone thehelpline in a couple of hours to arrange an appointment. He left two portable heaters.
06/02/2013 – 15.30 – Contacted helpline and spoke to Omar.Was told the parts desk would phone me before 20.00hrs to arrange anappointment.
06/02/2013 – 19.15 – No call received so phoned helpline,Was assured that parts desk would contact me before 20.00hrs to arrange anappointment. No call received.
07/02/2013 – 09.00 – Called helpline and spoke to Casey. Shelooked into matter and said that she would have to arrange for a manager tocall me back as she was not sure what was happening.
07/02/2013 – 09.37 – Manager Baldive phoned me and statedthat I was within my 14 day period and therefore not covered for the repair. Iexplained I wasn’t and it was 15 days since purchase of the policy. He thensaid that I still might not be covered as an initial inspection had not beendone. I said that i had not been contacted by anyone from N Power for this tobe arranged. He said they had up to 28 days. He said he would look into it andget back to me.
07/02/2013 – 09.49 – Manager Baldive phoned back. He said hehad spoken to the field manager Allen Boreham and he considered it to be preexisting fault and therefore not covered by the policy. I asked was hesuggesting that I had sat without central heating and hot water for over 15days in order to trick N power into fixing the fault. He said no we justconsider the fault to be there prior to you starting the policy. I asked howthey have come to that conclusion when the technician was not familier with themake and model and did not want to open the system up. He said Allen Borehamconsiders it to be pre existing.
11/02/2013 - engineer 1 turned up and started to take the boiler cover off, waiting for enginner two (the original engineer) to arrive to help. They have now said they believe the fault is existing and that the boiler has never been serviced. We explained it has been serviced because we last used Scottish Power .. who we ditched because there customer service was appalling!!
The engineer told us we should claim through Scottish Power but we no longer have a policy with them.
We are now at a total loss as to what to do. We have taken the details of what the engineer thinks we might need and he quoted it 'may' cost about £300 to fix by another company/engineer and would we like him to call it through to N-Pwer :eek: NO WE DAMN WELL DO NOT :mad:
N-Power are now refusing to cover the repair so we are back to sitting here in freezing cold conditions with a couple of inches of snow outside.
Any advise or help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
22/01/2013 – Purchased “Hometeam central heating care”policy. This is N Powers most expensive policy covering the central heatingparts and labour.
05/02/2013 – 07.15hrs - 15 days after start of policy. Awoketo find that neither the central heating or the hot water was operating. Thisis the first time this had ever happened. The control panel on the boiler had aflashing “F”. I pushed the reset button and the boiler attempted to start onthree occasions and then stopped again displaying the “F.”
05/02/2013 – 07.30 – Contacted helpline and reported fault.I was informed that a representative would call me in the next few minutes toarrange an appointment.
05/02/2013 – 10.30 – Still no contact received so phonedback helpline to be told that I had spoken to the out of hours team and that itdid not work like that a member of their team was now doing call backs toregister the fault. I described the fault with my boiler and assistant checkedthe engineers diary and said that the earliest appointment was the next day andit would be an all day appointment.
05/02/2013 – 12.00 – Purchased portable heater £24.99
06/02/2013 – 13.00 – Technician arrived Chris Allen. Hestated that he wasn’t experienced in my make and model of boiler, Potterton Envoy 40. He spoke to a number ofcolleagues via his mobile and believed the fault was the glow plug notigniting. His colleague also told him which he relayed to me that it was asealed unit and that it would need a new gasket once it is open. He said thathe didn’t want to open it until he had the parts that he needed and preferablya colleague that was familier with the make and model. He asked if I was withinmy 14 day period and I said no it was 15 days and at no time did he say heconsidered it to be an existing fault. The technician said he the parts were instock and they would be delivered to him the next day. He told me to phone thehelpline in a couple of hours to arrange an appointment. He left two portable heaters.
06/02/2013 – 15.30 – Contacted helpline and spoke to Omar.Was told the parts desk would phone me before 20.00hrs to arrange anappointment.
06/02/2013 – 19.15 – No call received so phoned helpline,Was assured that parts desk would contact me before 20.00hrs to arrange anappointment. No call received.
07/02/2013 – 09.00 – Called helpline and spoke to Casey. Shelooked into matter and said that she would have to arrange for a manager tocall me back as she was not sure what was happening.
07/02/2013 – 09.37 – Manager Baldive phoned me and statedthat I was within my 14 day period and therefore not covered for the repair. Iexplained I wasn’t and it was 15 days since purchase of the policy. He thensaid that I still might not be covered as an initial inspection had not beendone. I said that i had not been contacted by anyone from N Power for this tobe arranged. He said they had up to 28 days. He said he would look into it andget back to me.
07/02/2013 – 09.49 – Manager Baldive phoned back. He said hehad spoken to the field manager Allen Boreham and he considered it to be preexisting fault and therefore not covered by the policy. I asked was hesuggesting that I had sat without central heating and hot water for over 15days in order to trick N power into fixing the fault. He said no we justconsider the fault to be there prior to you starting the policy. I asked howthey have come to that conclusion when the technician was not familier with themake and model and did not want to open the system up. He said Allen Borehamconsiders it to be pre existing.
11/02/2013 - engineer 1 turned up and started to take the boiler cover off, waiting for enginner two (the original engineer) to arrive to help. They have now said they believe the fault is existing and that the boiler has never been serviced. We explained it has been serviced because we last used Scottish Power .. who we ditched because there customer service was appalling!!
The engineer told us we should claim through Scottish Power but we no longer have a policy with them.
We are now at a total loss as to what to do. We have taken the details of what the engineer thinks we might need and he quoted it 'may' cost about £300 to fix by another company/engineer and would we like him to call it through to N-Pwer :eek: NO WE DAMN WELL DO NOT :mad:
N-Power are now refusing to cover the repair so we are back to sitting here in freezing cold conditions with a couple of inches of snow outside.
Any advise or help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Ant. :cool:
0
Comments
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I suspect that somewhere in the 'small print' T & Cs of the agreement, Npower's opinion on a 'pre-existing fault' will be final.
You can take the matter up with the local Trading Standards office, or get it repaired and take Npower to the Small Claims court.
However I fear that you are not in a strong position, and it might be best to try an arrange a 'goodwill' deduction from Npower.0 -
To confirm the fault it just needs a multimeter testing resistance across the terminals of the glow ignitor without removing anything. They are very badly designed and usually have to bend the old bracket out of shape to remove the screw holding it in at the back. Worst case the job may cost 120 as long as they haven't rounded off the screw trying to remove it.0
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I can see where they are coming from though, its like people that take break down cover out and then the next day claim for something major eg towDon't put your trust into an Experian score - it is not a number any bank will ever use & it is generally a waste of money to purchase it. They are also selling you insurance you dont need.0
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I can see where they are coming from though, its like people that take break down cover out and then the next day claim for something major eg tow
Yep I can see where they are coming from as well. However we are 100% geniune about this.
To date we have now been refunded for the 'cover' we have paid for and will have nothing to do with this company in the future.
I cannot tell you how depressing it is to be involved with these companies and how digusting they behave ... because they can!! I guess thats why we are here on this website! Thanks for the help guys, as always much appreciated.Ant. :cool:0 -
Another one here, got caught with the pre exisitng fault excuse. Took the policy out on 24 May (2 days after moving into our property) had the 90 point service today to be told, we have a pre existing fauly. Cost £300 or we won't be covered for these faults:mad:
How on earth are you supposed to know about these faults???Loved our trip to the West Coast USA. Death Valley is the place to go!0
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