Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

JSmithy

Sharon1200 wrote: »

Hi,
I get numerous flyers through the door for 'Free ECO' boilers and I have always thought they were really a sales scam just to generate leads for salesmen. My boiler is some 10+ years old and rated at 70% efficient and sometimes fails to work, I receive Child Tax Credits earn well under £16K and have a young child, so I decided to play safe to call the Scottish Energy Saving Trust to make enquires as to whether I would qualify under the ECO scheme.

After a 40 minute phone call being asked all sorts of questions it came down to these 3 options:

1. I might qualify
2. We could fit a boiler for £2500 + £700 for 'Controls'
3. Under the HEEPS scheme we could arrange a finance package for option 2!

The person whom I spoke to seemed more interested in pushing options 2&3, despite me making it clear it was the ECO scheme I was interested in and seemed to have little knowledge apparently reading from a transcript ( I subsequently found out Home Energy Scotland is run by the WISE Group - whom employ mainly ex offenders, ex addicts, and the long term unemployed under a sort of unpaid workfare) so what about the ECO boilers?

After 40 minutes on the phone I only get a 'Maybe' at what point do you get the YES?

I can buy a new rated A+ boiler for £800 and get it fitted for circa £400 (Even on ebay fitting is advertised) so somebody is making a good profit at £3200. So are these organisations just generating income for sister businesses or receiving commission?

If any one knows of a 'Direct' approach for these free boilers that cover the Glasgow area I would like to know, most of the stories I find online about ECO boilers are a mirror image of mines. So who has had success with getting a FREE BOILER?

FREE Boilers 100% exist!

If you qualify, then its going to be free or you may need to contribute up to say £500.

From what you have said above, then you qualify!

If you don't qualify, then a budget boiler install is going to be around £1500 all in (thats including controls).

If you want a Worcester or similar then its going to be more, but £3200 is top end price and to quote these figures to someone enquiring about a free boiler shows the type of company you are dealing with...

Doreeny

Know someone who applied for a boiler through N.Power in January 2016. Appointment was made to see if they qualified but although there was someone in the van drove off before they answered door.
Next appointment February and they were told they qualified, benefits plus a child with disabilities. 'Phoned after 5 days to see what happened next, only to be told all the necessary paperwork had not been seen or was not available so that would have to be sorted.

No central heating due to boiler failure. Paperwork eventually sorted to their satisfaction and appointment was made for survey. Friend thought it was to fit boiler - but no it was for a technical survey. Appointment made, waited in all day nobody turned up by gone 4pm. 'phone call made to N.Power turned out that due to closures of some departments due to their problems it was now being dealt with by another department.

Technical survey went ahead at next appointment ?March. Heard nothing so 'phoned after about a week and heard the technician had still not sent all the paperwork, page 5 missing. Eventually sorted and she was told boiler could be fitted.

Done on Friday15th April new Baxi boiler fitted by professional with no problems and electrician also very good came today to finish wiring it up. Heating at last - it took 3 months but eventually job well done. They will now be keeping their fingers crossed no bills as nothing mentioned at any stage.

thor

I have been phoning around for a new boiler for my mother under the free boiler scheme. I called EDF(or maybe Eon, I can't remember now) and they said that her current boiler is rated as 'B' so they are unable to proceed but recommended contacting the Energy Saving Trust. EST referred us on to SSE(who they say are the only provider who may be able to help) and they referred her on to 1 green place.
They did not ask about the model or make of the boiler, only wanting to know how old it was. When I told them that it was about 15 years old they said that they will arrange an EPC followed by an inspection by a gas installer who will assess how much my mother will need to contribute should she choose to go ahead. I was told that on average this figure is around £350 but that they install Worcester Bosch(the best naturally - according to him) and that it is worth £2500 and comes with a 20 year warranty.
I asked about the model name of the Worcester Bosch boiler but he just said that it was the best and 20 year warranty sounds a bit much. I am just a bit sceptical.

I have been steadily reading this thread at about 5 pages a day to get to know the ins and outs about the scheme but have only got to about page 15 so thought I would post to see what people's thoughts are.

straytoaster

I have received my "energy saving improvement quote" from Npower. I need a new boiler (old one broken and 40+ years old) and I meet the criteria (low income and benefits). They are quoting me £2752.25 for a Baxi Duotec 24 towards which they are contributing just £994.69. That means my share + VAT is £2109.07 for a "free" boiler.

When my wife phoned and asked why it was so much, she was told that it was a relatively difficult job and asbestos may be involved. On the quote we are being billed for Asbestos test, Asbestos removal of existing boiler and scaffolding. The surveyor did not mention asbestos, scaffolding or additional payments and said it was an easy job.

We can't afford to pay that much, so I am going to try other suppliers. should I expect the same treatment?

Smodlet

In my experience, these free boiler schemes are a joke. We applied to Npower, British Gas and SSE; the first two told us the model of our boiler is 87% efficient for our property and the requirement for a new one is that it be 86% or less. The fact that it is on its last legs is, apparently, immaterial, all they care about is that, were our boiler brand new and working perfectly, it would be 1% too efficient to qualify. SSE referred us to an outfit called One Green Place, who sent out a person to check we qualify, then told us we need to pay almost £1000 before we even get a gas technical survey done. Anyone else smelling a rat??? Why would SSE's criteria be different from two of the other big six's?

sharpharp

Quick question, would a landlord apply for this or would it be up to the private tenant to apply for the Free Boiler scheme?


The tenant is on low income and the boiler is old, so would the private tenant be the one applying for this?

nemo183

:TI've just had a great result. In under eight weeks I've been offered a new boiler, pump, programmer, room stat, extended warranty, and Magnabooster filter ( I have literally no idea what that is) under the Eco scheme for £91 by British Gas. The engineer said it would normally cost well over £3.5k - it's a big house and not a straight forward job. Even better news - it will save me over £300 in gas bills every year.

It was a simple process - British Gas did all the work, and it required just two short inspection visits.

I didn't realise that I receive a disability premium, and now I do, which also means a possible pathway to other benefits.

They would also have power flushed the system for free had it not been done recently. The only thing I have needed to do was to dig a hole for a condense soakaway kit that cost me £19.

It was an MSE article that kick-started all this, so big thanks are due.

(I even forgive Martin for trumpeting the benefits of the Green Deal so remorselessly, even when it patently wasn't worth a jot!! )

PeteW

Anyone know of any free insulation offer not people not on benefits? At our old house we got it done for free through our energy company, but they all now seem to require you to be on benefits or on a low income.

GT60

Hi is the free boiler replacement grant still on offer as bg say it's closed and I can't find any thing on the energy saving trust site
Thanks

oldbiker100

Please can you help with advising me where I can obtain a list of energy providers in South East England who will be able to replace an old oil fired boiler. There seems to be a problem with oil fired boilers, which I feel is unfair just because I live in the country with no access to gas.