Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

mallen900

Has anyone had a boiler installed as part EDF scheme only my sons still waiting for the advisor to visit and its been 12 weeks since his landlord gave permission to carry out a survey. And now that EDF has increased there costs by such a small amount compared to the other companies saying that they are not putting the eco green tariff's on every ones bills. Does that mean my son will not ever get a new boiler from EDF?

apnorf

A relative of mine has recently had a free boiler upgrade As she lives in rented accommodation isn't this just adding value to a landlord's property at the taxpayers' expense. She could move to new accommodation at any time if she wanted to, leaving behind an improved property that could be let to someone who would not have been eligible. I support the idea of help for those people in certain circumstances but surely this could lead to scams by less scrupulous landlord or am i missing something?

ninjakat1

My over 10 years old boiler broke down over 2 months ago. I have no savings whatsoever, every penny goes on bills and my mortgage. I applied through my energy supplier EON for the free boiler grant. 2 weeks later I had to start again as my application had been lost only to receive a phone call 6 weeks later asking why I had made 2 applications?!

To make this brief as possible, Eon referred my details to a company called Dyson who called me 2 months after my application to send somebody round for an assessment the next day. Even though they said my time slot was between 10am - 12pm. They turned up at 9.30. As I was not available, they left. Made another appointment for a week later. This time somebody turns up asking me for a parking permit, I explained nobody asked me to sort one out and I would have arranged to get one had the person making the appointment asked me to. Said, in that case can't stay and carry out the assesment as don't want to risk getting a parking ticket as residents only parking. He refused to come in and left!

Gobsmacked, I called Dyson who said it was lucky the guy did not get a parking ticket, no apology and the next time somebody will be in my area is almost a month later. Disgusted, I called Eon who also said it was 'disgusting. Eon called Dyson, who said if I get a permit, will call again next day. Got a permit, nobody had called to confirm time schedule, left numerous messages, no return calls. Eventually got through to somebody who said no notes on calling out the next day will just have to wait for another month. 2 days of continuous calls and complaints to Eon explaining that this is not on, they kept giving me different numbers, the majority of which said 'don't know why eon gave you our number as nothing to do with us'. Eventually got through to the right person at eon who said nothing they can do, will have to just wait for the next appointment. Goodness knows what these phone calls will cost me considering all 0845 number and hold for at least 20 minutes before even getting to talk to someone before telling me no, you actually need to try another number!

Considering I now won't get an assessment until December and then wait weeks for a technician to visit and only after that will they make arrangements for a boiler replacement, I will be going through the winter with no heating and hot water. I have explained to both companies due to my disability and muscle loss in my hands, merely washing up dishes with cold water is extremely painful let alone not being able to use the bath but they have no interest. I have put in complaints to both Eon and Dyson but not expecting much to happen and could take up to 10 days to reply.

I feel I am receiving an appauling service. Does anybody have any advice? Would be ever so grateful!

POLAR_BILL

ninjakat1 I feel sorry for you and your lack of heating and hot water. I have been in the system since July. I have now been approved for a new boiler - the job having been "over the threshold" but still can't get a date out of N. Power. With regards to 0845 numbers go to website "say no to 0870" and you can find alternate landline or 0800 freefone numbers.

Ken68

Having failed with EON and a local installer, have applied to my own energy provider, where I am on their vulnerable customer register.
The phone rep. said 6 weeks before anything happens.

ninjakat1

Thank you Polar Bill for your reply and advice. I will defo look at the website, thanks for that! I really hope you get your boiler sorted before xmas!

POLAR_BILL

ninjakat1. I have just been given 4th December for boiler installation date. It took another Hour of phone calls and a call to the Company working on behalf of N Power. Fingers crossed - will update outcome!

Matthew224

Recently signed my life away with help link
In short - sales man advised the boiler was covered for ten years and the yearly servicing was included in the monthly price…
too good to be true? yes it was.
the advert even compares competitor servicing against theirs?
the sales man categorically stated that the yearly service was part of the package?
Then we received some after-sales information through the post and low and behold advising the servicing was at an extra cost and without this the 10 year warranty is void!
I have contacted help link to see if anything can be done and have been advised I have signed the contract and thats it.
I stupidly believed the sales man and did not read the small print and am now stuck in a ten year contract.
all i bought was a boiler and there is nothing I can do about it.

Has anybody had any experiences or advice that could help me take this further
or am I literally stuck with the contract now?

SuiDreams

Currently very confussed, I have had loft insulation done earlier in the year under CSCO, am now investigating Cavity wall insulation (with a different installer) and now being told I don't live in a CSCO area, others in the area have been told recently they could get free cavity wall insulation. Please help.

[Deleted User]

Hi there, I have a small local installer that in principle would be willing to carry out the boiler replacement. The company is an accredited Green Deal Installer, but they know very little of the Affordable Warmth Scheme. And being a smallish company they don't really have the resources or inclination to get involved in a lot of paperwork.

Is there a way I can use this company, or do I need a company that is a Green Deal Assessor as well as an installer?

I would be happy to handle any paperwork for them, but I just don't know where to start. When I called the EST, or in my case Home Energy Scotland, they said they could only refer me to British Gas or Everwarm [both not having the best of reputations] or I could go with one of the companies that advertises online. Having checked, there seems only one company in Edinburgh that provides both assessment and installation, but I don't have a great feeling about them. I might sound really picky here, but having suffered [!] with a crappy boiler for the last 15 years, I do not want to repeat my past mistake. Back then I went with an installer that I didn't fully trust and apart from the stress of the repeated breakdowns I have paid hundreds and hundreds of pounds in repair costs to keep the thing going. Once stung, ....

If anyone has any information, please let me know.

The other thing I would like to know:
How does the payment process work? How does the installer get their money? Who pays them? And does the customer [me] still have to apply for the standard Green Homes Cashback Voucher on the EST website?

thanks!