Beware of EON/Dyson Heating Services `Free' Boiler ECO/Affordable Warmth scheme!

azurepurple

Upon ringing Energy Saving Trust helpline several months back, we were very happy to be advised we fit the criteria for both the Energy Companies Obligation Scheme & Affordable Warmth Scheme, and as a result we could get a "totally free" A+ rating Combi boiler. We were asked to pick an energy company & it didn't have to be who you had your gas/elec utilities with. EON was recommended, so we chose them. Many problems followed. Dyson Heating Services failed to turn up, then the Engineer turned up after working in Wales apparently, but said EON had not supplied him with a job sheet so he had to go away without performing an Energy Assessment Report we expected. Eventually after ringing and chasing up we finally got a 2nd report - a heating assessment report and it was again confirmed by the Engineer aswell as in writing we qualified for a free boiler. We signed the heating report and reviewed the terms and conditions paperwork which said that quotes were valid for 30 days.

We were surprised to then receive an invoice from Dyson who stated, despite funding being agreed in principle by EON, there were additional extra works that they would not fund. This was for approx 8 metres gas of 22/28mm connecting pipe to connect the boiler at a charge to us of £110. We attempted to ring Dyson, EON and the Energy Savings Trust. Each blamed the other, however all insisted we had to contact EON. We had never received any paperwork whatsoever from EON,(only Dyson) so had immense difficulty obtaining their ECO team tel. number. Even the Energy Savings Trust gave us the wrong telephone number that didn't exist! We e-mailed EON and we also left messages on a few extensions. All the time whilst we were ringing and speaking with all 3 companies we were receiving letters informing us to decide if we wanted the work carried out, or the job would be cancelled! This letter from Dyson (EON's Contractor) stated they had not heard from us, despite us having spoken to them 3 times! We then got yet another letter, again saying pay the attached invoice for the extra additional works within 7 days or the job would be cancelled. We finally spoke with EON (who had subsequently changed their telephone number for the ECO teams and mentioned nothing about our original messages/emails left and egnored). EON said in order for the job to go ahead they would temporarily suspend it whilst we had more time to pay the £110.

We complained that we were told under the schemes which we'd been advised we qualified for as well as living in a lower layer super output area and hard water area we would not have to pay a penny? EON stated that the charge for 8m of 22mm gas pipe was outside of the ECO/affordable warmth criteria?

After our complaint that we'd been wrongly advised and misled we received a third letter within so many days from Dyson Heating Services, stating we had only 3 dyas to now decide (despite EON supposedly `temporarily suspenbding' our claim to give us time) and that it had come to light that there were even more further works required to complete the installation! Pretty esxasperated at this point - They advised EON had now said (without telling us in the previous day's phonecall complaint) that we must also pay £38.46 for a 90d flue bend and £45.00 for a pressure reducing valve aswell, the new charges being £210.55? We had heard in the media that Energy Firms were trying to avoid the energy companies obligations, but didn't think we would be a casulaty of this! We would never have applied if we hadn't been advised it was 100% free, no hidden costs or additional works as the case may be! After suffering redundancy and believing we were getting an excellent new boiler for free we are extremely disheartened.

Also we have been advised we would be eligible for the Combi 28 boiler but nobody can confirm who makes this type boiler for us to research it's reliability and cost, ie Worcester, Valliant etc?? We have been told EON are paying £1781 for the boiler, however we seriously wonder if this is true as our confidence has been destroyed and they are unable to even confirm the maker of the Combi 28 boiler or more details? :eek:

So sorry to MSE users for ranting, just beware of the free boiler scheme as it is not free, despite you being advised to the contrary! The Energy Ombudsmen say deal with Ofgem and Ofgem say deal with Citizens Advice to complain so we are still in the dark on how to get answers from anybody at all!:mad:

MISS.J_3

Can only speak from my experience yesterday but I was clearly told by the Energy Saving Advice Service that the boiler is indeed absolutely free but any additional works that may need to be carried out as a result of upgrading WOULD be chargeable.
Unfortunately sounds like someone's been a tad economical with the truth.

azurepurple

Thanks Miss J. So wish the Energy Savings Trust would have told us this right at the start too, then we could have allowed for it. Good luck with your application

matelodave

I can't understand how, when you are going to get a bolier and most of the work done, probably worth nigh on £2000 you are quibbling and whinging about £100 or so.

I suppose you expect the gas bill to get paid as well

Some people just aren't ever satisfied and want to squeeze everything they possibly can out of the system

I'm thinking of changing my forum name to "frustrated put upon taxpayer"

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi azurepurple

I'm sorry you feel we've not been answering your questions.

I've sent this thread to a manager in this area and asked for comments. If you drop an email to the address in my Profile with your details, I'll ask them to look into your particular case.

Hope this helps.

Malc

azurepurple

You may slightly have a point matelodave. Only slightly though I may add! However, there is much more to this whole fiasco than just money. Incidentally it isn't £100 or so, but £210.55p to be precise. Yes - guilty as described of quibbling & this is assuming this figure won't yet again change (in the frequent contradictory letters telling us to decide and pay within initially 7 and later 3 days!)

I am not a fan of dire customer service and being misled or ill-advised, nor receiving letters threatening the job to be cancelled if we don't pay up speedily to ever changing amounts that can't be explained! I prefer to research any new big household item - `bolier' or non `bolier'. I would much prefer it if I could discover the type of boiler being considered, just common sense in my humble opinion?

I believe Energy Firms should be open and transparent to the customer, afterall they make billions out of the frustrated put upon taxpayers that you claim you could be. I consider it merely reasonable to require answers to what I deem important questions, when concerning installation of complete new heating system for myself and my family. Each to their own I guess.

Pincher

These help schemes are either a joke or somebody with a Jesus complex having a wet dream.

They want to help a poor person who lives in a modern, well maintained house where everything including the gas pipe is up to date (22mm instead of 15mm), BUT the gas boiler is Band G and 20 years old.

It's like a surgeon turning up with a doctor's bag, saying to a penniless African peasant, I'll operate on your appendicitis, but you need to pay for all the sponges, and you should eat more. The thing is, if the charity that sent him doesn't provide sponges, do you expect the doctor to pay for it? For one patient, sure, but what about 10, 100, or 1000?

Poor people by definition live in sub-standard badly maintained hell holes, where nothing is updated and only replaced by botched DIY jobs when they break. Unless they live in a council house or Housing Co-op, who don't worry about boilers at all.

The funny thing is, some people who are NOT poor enough to qualify for a free boiler is moaning that they can't afford the gas. How can a person who IS poor enough afford to pay for the gas?

azurepurple

For anyone that may read this thread or for others applying for the said scheme. I felt I should should quickly update, to say that as a result of the EON Company Representative on MSE - Malc, helping with our complaint, the matter has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion today. EON and Dyson Heating Services have now contacted me promptly and have responded to my complaint and the queries we had. EON has offered apologies regarding the confusion and lack of information as well as providing me with the relevant contact number should I require in the future. Fingers crossed, the boiler will be installed through the affordable warmth/ECO scheme without any further obstacles, much to the benefit of my family and I and hopefully others won't encounter the problems we did as a result. As I publicised our difficulties with these companies on a public forum here, I feel I should also point out that EON and Dyson have attempted to rectify this situation now and hopefully there will be no further problems to face regarding the installation of a new combi-boiler in our home!

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi azurepurple

Glad we're back on track after a shaky start and thank you for posting.

Malc

garyjwilson

Hi Azurepurple,

Could you please be specific in how this matter has been resolved as I have today been advised by Eon that Dyson will be contacting myself over the exact same boiler and insulation scheme.
Can you advise if Dydon have confirmed the specific boiler you will be receiving and also what happened regarding the additional costs you had been asked to pay.

After reading your comments I am very concerned now as I have nothing to contribute towards the cost at present myself. I too have just been advised that additional work is chargeable but how can any of us know if we are being conned or not or whether we are being charged a fair rate even for any "alleged necessary additions". If as my system is, the boiler is 20 years old, surely it would be known instantly that the pipework was 15mm and therefore a certainty to be required and thus one would assume factored into the job.

Regards

Gary

diana_1986

Hi, What make boiler did they fit in your house? I tried to get on the free boiler scheme, i was eligable for one but later cancelled, reasons were dyson came over twice took loads of photos of my house, boilers, meter cupboards, and of my personal details, ie photos of my benefit letters, mortgage letter and lots more. I found out that they only fit ideal logic boilers which are very unreliable, also they would have to cut a big hole in my kitchen and wouldnt be able to brick match so would just fill up the hole and that any damage they make in your home they are not responsible for. I am going to apply again through british gas who have said they wouldnt touch ideal logic boilers with a barge pole. So hopefully they can fit another well known make, otherwise i will keep my old boiler only 2 breakdowns in 20yrs.