Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

Stillalive66

They wanted £1267.70 from me to fit the boiler in the same place as the original, no extra plumbing or electrics. The boiler is 37 years old

jaxs

Stillalive66 wrote: »

Hi,
British Gas have an offer on at the moment for Gas boilers fully fitted for only £250(including Vat), subject to qualification and survey.
I filled in the online application form (I am on Pension credits and my boilers 37years old, this qualified me for a new boiler) British gas arranged for a surveyor to call on the 3rd July. He arrived on the 3rd; he checked my relevant paperwork and the carried out the survey.
The surveyor then entered the information into his i Pad, he then told me that funding for the gas boiler would be £373.86 and that my contribution towards the boiler would be £1267.70(which includes Vat) as you can see nothing like £250 fully fitted as advertised on their website.
The new boiler will go where the old one is and there is no extra work regarding the plumbing and electrics so why the extra £1017.70
Surely this is a contravention of the Trades Description Act

Do you live in a house or flat? End or mid terrace? Have you got double glazing? Think it's all relevant to the outcome.

My neighbour had British Gas round yesterday to do the survey. She lives in a mid-terrace house and is on pension credit. Her current boiler is 10-15 years old. She is getting hers replaced for £250. The new one will go in the same place as the old one and they are also replacing the flue and fitting a wireless temperature control.

As my neighbour is slightly deaf and gets flustered with things like this, I've handled all the discussions on her behalf and British Gas were very upfront from the beginning in saying the minimum contribution would be £250, but it could be much higher depending on various factors. The surveyor explained it's all down to age & size of property, house or flat (apparently flats get less funding so contribution is higher). I can't remember any other specific reason he gave, but I am pleased that my neighbour has got this. Her boiller probably won't last another winter and she certainly doesn't have the £££ to get a new one. She paid the £250 by card and is just waiting for the installation date to be confirmed.

Gill_Christie

Hi there,
Do you have to be claiming the benefits mentioned or can you apply for a new boiler if your household income is £12,000 per year

jaxs

Gill_Christie wrote: »

Hi there,
Do you have to be claiming the benefits mentioned or can you apply for a new boiler if your household income is £12,000 per year

Hi Gill

Have a read through Martins' guide here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation. It should tell you everything you need to know

Jackie

mrsyorkie

Hi,

We've just bought a house and the boiler is over 10 years old and not very energy efficient according to the EPC. We both work but my father in law who is 75 lives with us and claims pension credits. Would we qualify for help or not given his name isn't on any bills or anything?

Marj01

Hi, I applied for the free boiler scheme through 0800 repairs which deal with EON, after survey , was told that my house was efficient, boiler is a category D, and needs repair, I am 70 receive state pension and pension credit, I suffer from osteoarthritis so feel the cold, when boiler not working in winter, no matter whether house is double glazed, cavity wall and loft insulated, the house is freezing, I was asked to pay £1616, toward cost, no extra work needed,,,Free boiler,, I don't think so.

karian68

I need a free boiler but after watching all the adverts find it so annoying that the adverts do not mention that unless your on benefits you can't have what is deemed 'free'. I work full time but I earn a low wage, because I am not eligible for benefits it means I am not eligible for a boiler. it seems so unfair that people who don't work are better off than those who do.

pineapple

rikesh wrote: »

If your property was built after 1990, you will not be eligible for free insulation from British Gas. Even if there is zero insulation at present.

I don't understand why this isn't published on British Gas or MSE websites. The only explanation I can think of is that they want to harvest as many personal details as possible for marketing purposes.

Well my cottage was built about 300 years ago so I'm OK on that score! It did have insulation when I moved in but we had to take it out to do the woodworm treatment and it was so manky and horrible it would have been difficult to put back in. I've been told I should still qualify however though I have heard differently elsewhere.
Coincidentally -or not - the day after booking the survey I get a cold call from some energy marketing company. Then I read the T and Cs on the BG website and it reads like a snoopers charter. Not sure I want to go ahead.

Aside from sharing your info with the whole world there's this....
15.6 We may pass your address, property details and postcode, and details of your installations (including details of any repairs or removals) to organisations that supervise these activities, including Gas Safe (previously CORGI) and the ECA (Electrical Contractors Association). These organisations may pass this information to local authorities to meet building regulations. They may also use this information to contact you to inspect appliances or systems, recall faulty products and carry out audits, and for health-and-safety purposes. Where appropriate, we will give you, the landlord or the freehold owner (or all of these) a certificate to show that your appliances and so on meet building regulations.

happy2bhere

Does anyone know of a scheme that provides financial assistance for those on LPG bottled gas? There's no mains gas in the village I live in and all the schemes I've read about exclude LPG users, despite being in recipet of ESA and PIP

Jessica_O

my experiance isnt good ; yes i qualify but the house dosent it i too old (built in 1939!). The central heating system is too old so they wont touch it . They wouldnt even supply a price at which they would touch it . I couldnt sign any garentees to not allow for the rest of the system and any faut post installation to be not part of their responsibility .


Why would i need a new boiler on a free scheme if it wasnt old, so obvioully it is old but then so to is the rest of the system . seems obvious to me but accordingly it is too old and as such we are not allowed to claim even though we should qualify . If anyone can explain the lodgic let me know.