Ripped off by British Gas

Fodjet

My 85 year old Mother who lives alone has service contracts for everything.,being "old school" she still believes that the Gas Board can be trusted yet how can the following be right?
An engineer called to service her gas fire, admittedly not been serviced for awhile. He told her that the gas fire should be disconnected and not used and a chimney liner is required at a cost of just shy £800.
Today I have had a Gas Safe registered engineer call with a view to having a Chimney Liner installed. Instead he has removed 4 bricks which were causing an obstruction, completed 3 smoke tests and reconnected the gas fire, leaving all relevant paperwork. The charge? £180.
A massive difference from the British Gas quote.

Chimney_Sweep_3

thats a better approach, did you get the chimney swept also, where have the bricks come from? did the fitter just light a smoke pellet and do an evacuation test if so this shows very little, I have seen flues blocked with birds nest pass a smoke evacuation test, most gas fitters only use very small smoke pellets or even the smoke matches.
£180 is less than a liner but alot if he has just removed some bricks and serviced a gas fire, not knocking him just checking his method.
He should really do a full pressure test which involves 2 people and accessing the roof to get to the pot, seal top and bottom whilst filling with smoke then wait to see if smoke escapes some where within the property or adjacent property if flue is on party wall.