Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

thorsoak

Query for friends: both over 70, in receipt of state pension but no other benefits; their oil-fired boiler was installed in 1998, is now playing up

It would appear that because their present boiler is oil-fired, they do not fulfil the criteria for a free gas boiler - is this correct, or are they being told fairy stories???

They don't want to look at the "green deal" thingy!

smarty101

I initially contacted Eon but like others although i qualified, my dodgy 13 year old boiler didn't. I tried Npower next and had the 1st survey done quite quickly and the technical survey probably 4 weeks later. I was not required to sign anything or contribute to any improvements suggested.I was contacted and told i qualified for a free boiler and they would ring me again when all the information, surveys etc had been rubber stamped. This bit took a little longer and i had to ring once a week for a month to get any information. eventually they did ring me and we agreed an installation date (today). It was then that she mentioned the need for scaffolding.I also asked about who would be fitting the boiler and which boiler it would be.
They have been today. The scaffolders first at 9am then later the fitters. They have done a great job, even replacing wood on the roof under tiles which had gone rotten from the poor fitting of the original flue! I had to go to work so a friend had to sign all the paperwork and stick around all day! Tomorrow the electrician is coming to fit a wireless programmable thermostat.So far so good and i have to say apart from a lack of communication, i am very pleased with the service from Npower (not my energy provider). Obviously they are very busy and the fitter said installing boilers for this scheme was all they were doing at the moment. All in it took about 4 months.

haz25a

smarty101 wrote: »

I initially contacted Eon but like others although i qualified, my dodgy 13 year old boiler didn't. I tried Npower next and had the 1st survey done quite quickly and the technical survey probably 4 weeks later. I was not required to sign anything or contribute to any improvements suggested.I was contacted and told i qualified for a free boiler and they would ring me again when all the information, surveys etc had been rubber stamped. This bit took a little longer and i had to ring once a week for a month to get any information. eventually they did ring me and we agreed an installation date (today). It was then that she mentioned the need for scaffolding.I also asked about who would be fitting the boiler and which boiler it would be.
They have been today. The scaffolders first at 9am then later the fitters. They have done a great job, even replacing wood on the roof under tiles which had gone rotten from the poor fitting of the original flue! I had to go to work so a friend had to sign all the paperwork and stick around all day! Tomorrow the electrician is coming to fit a wireless programmable thermostat.So far so good and i have to say apart from a lack of communication, i am very pleased with the service from Npower (not my energy provider). Obviously they are very busy and the fitter said installing boilers for this scheme was all they were doing at the moment. All in it took about 4 months.

I assume you live in a flat, hence the need for scaffolders?
May I ask what make of boiler was installed and also how the condensate pipe was connected, e.g. internally to waste pipe or externally?

By the way, I hate my combined programmer/thermostat, the thermostat gives false high readings so the heating doesn't come on at the set time. I'm going to check if I can change mine back to my existing timer which was simple and easy to use. i.e. heating on/off/timed and have a simple manual room thermostat.

Thanks.

adonis

A couple of questions from me, I have an old combi boiler.

Can you choose what make boiler,
if so what is the best make.

Does it include a Powerflush,

Can you use your normal Gas Safe Installer or is it only certain ones that are allowed to do it.

Would you choose EON or British Gas if it was between those two.

Thanks

faversham12

Thanks for my lovely boiler, i applied to E on and a company called Dyson fitted it and we had a nice fitter called James who was very clean in his work and very pleasent:beer:

smarty101

haz25a
Ive read this thread and seems you have had a right nightmare time of it! sorry to hear it. Are you any further on? Its getting cold now!
I don't live in a flat but my boiler is upstairs in the bathroom and the flue is up on the roof so they came and created a platform so the fitters could replace the flue and fit the pipe. The condensate pipe runs outside and down the extension roof at an angle for a few metres before it meets the guttering. Im hoping this will be ok. There is no chance of water backing up. The programmable thermostat seems ok so far. There doesn't seem to be a summer mode like my old boiler.
With regard to choice i didn't get one and mine is a Baxi duo tec combi, but i have read that with other companies you may be able to stipulate which boiler you would like but at a further cost to yourself.

POLAR_BILL

smarty101 wrote: »

I initially contacted Eon but like others although i qualified, my dodgy 13 year old boiler didn't. I tried Npower next and had the 1st survey done quite quickly and the technical survey probably 4 weeks later. I was not required to sign anything or contribute to any improvements suggested.I was contacted and told i qualified for a free boiler and they would ring me again when all the information, surveys etc had been rubber stamped. This bit took a little longer and i had to ring once a week for a month to get any information. eventually they did ring me and we agreed an installation date (today). It was then that she mentioned the need for scaffolding.I also asked about who would be fitting the boiler and which boiler it would be.
They have been today. The scaffolders first at 9am then later the fitters. They have done a great job, even replacing wood on the roof under tiles which had gone rotten from the poor fitting of the original flue! I had to go to work so a friend had to sign all the paperwork and stick around all day! Tomorrow the electrician is coming to fit a wireless programmable thermostat.So far so good and i have to say apart from a lack of communication, i am very pleased with the service from Npower (not my energy provider). Obviously they are very busy and the fitter said installing boilers for this scheme was all they were doing at the moment. All in it took about 4 months.

I started in July with EON and I qualified but my 25 year old inefficient boiler didn't. I also moved on to N Power who aren't my energy providers and had surveys done. I am still waiting. They can't give a date because they use independent fitters who work for other companies also. Who knows when I will get my new boiler? Before Christmas I hope.

rockerrob

Hi,

could somebody please help? I applied through Scottish Power for a free boiler and have been approved and told it would be fitted on Friday October 11th, on Thursday I had a call to say could they change to Saturday 12th at 8am, I said fine, nobody turned up, I messaged and called the number that called on Thursday and no reply (also left a voicemail). I still had the number on my call log from when the installation date was arranged and when I googled the number it came up as A&M energy and when I went on a forum for this company there were a lot of people who had gone through this process via Scottish Power and come the day of the fitting were being asked for £300 for labour costs, is this right? I could do with an answer fairly quick as I'm expecting the company to get in touch this morning. Many thanks.

smarty101

pollar bill.
Doesn't sound great.Have they given you no time frame at all? The installers give them a couple of dates and they then check which are suitable for you. ( well thats how it worked for me) I think the problem is that every company seems to be making up what they are doing as they go along! Especially as they struggle to keep up with demand.
N power made it clear to me from day one that i would not be asked to contribute at all and that whatever work they advised and completed would be covered by them.Yet other firms are charging people for flues and pipework.

POLAR_BILL

smarty101 wrote: »

pollar bill.
Doesn't sound great.Have they given you no time frame at all? The installers give them a couple of dates and they then check which are suitable for you. ( well thats how it worked for me) I think the problem is that every company seems to be making up what they are doing as they go along! Especially as they struggle to keep up with demand.
N power made it clear to me from day one that i would not be asked to contribute at all and that whatever work they advised and completed would be covered by them.Yet other firms are charging people for flues and pipework.

No - all they said was when their installers were free they would contact me as they worked for other energy firms as well. I will ring them again and ask for a time frame. Surely they must be able to give me some idea?