Advice welcomed please. Boiler condemned under service contract, contract cancelled

Susan_2001

Hello I would be very grateful for any advice anybody can offer me please. Sorry this is a long post.

Our combi boiler is 20 years old and it's just had it's annual service and has been classed as non repairable. The boiler has been on a constant yearly service and repair contract since it was two years old with the boiler makers direct. It was working perfectly, the fault was found when the service engineer came to perform the annual service.

The boiler company have said the boilers is beyond repair as they can no longer get the part to make the repair, so they have removed it from contract. Apparently that part hasn't been available since 2013 (why they let us insure if for a further three years past that point is beyond me)

Were nearly paid up for this years worth of boiler/service cover and the company have just cancelled the cover. However they have offered us £280 off a new boiler if we buy a new boiler from the same manufacturers (which we are not willing to do) Can they do this please?

OK, we know the boiler is old and were planning to replace it, but the company kept offering us another years service and repair contract so we assumed they had all the parts available to be able to fix it should it fail. It isn't a cheap contract, we will have paid for the boiler many times over.

We have various quotes from £2,200 to £3,600 including VAT to replace the combi boiler and controls. It's a straight forward swap, nothing difficult, same position etc.

Our question is really, can the company cancel a service/repair contract like this, still take the money and not offer a refund or fix of any kind.

Surely if they knew at least one major part was no longer available for that make of boiler they shouldn't offer a repair contract for them. No excuses really, as already said the boiler is under contract directly with the makers of the boiler.

Many thanks for any help you can offer.

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edit to add content. We were told by Worcester Bosch the part hasn't been available since 2012 not 2013 as written above, we have that in writing. We have checked directly with Worcester Bosch to check if the part is available and we were told yes.

Myser

Often with these large companies, it is not uncommon for them to condemn a boiler in an attempt to try and sell you a new one. Some of the service plans are like insurance policies and if they can't repair the boiler because it's beyond economical repair or the parts are no longer available, they'll replace it. You need to check the exact details of your policy.

Are you able to post the make and model of your boiler and which part they said was no longer available?

Susan_2001

Thanks for your help. What you have said makes sense.

It was knocked off contract a few years ago because parts were said to be unavailable. When we checked and found they were, they fixed the boiler and re-instated the policy.

Worcester 240 part that is said to be faulty is the expansion vessel.

smudger1964

Just a quick search on ebay reveals an expansion vessel for a worcester 240 for £20 ..

ok its second hand..not sure if a gas engineer would fit a second hand part?

Susan_2001

Thanks, it's a common part apparently so we've been told by other gas engineers. When I called Worcester Bosch parts department last week I was told they were readily available and still in stock.

However the letter and emails we have from them are saying they have not been in stock since 2012!

We looked at the option of having a gas safe engineer fit us an expansion tank outside of the cancelled contract. However we feel the cost isn't worth it to then still have a boiler that wasn't serviced this year because of the fault found and now isn't under a service contract.

Susan_2001

Extra details having re-read the contract.

There's nothing in the service contract to say the boiler will be removed from contract and not repaired if a part isn't available or un-echonomical to fix.

phill99

What the service company are actually saying is "this boiler is so old, it will start costing us money so therefore we will try and wriggle out of the contract by 'condemning' it or making up a pack of lies about availability of parts"

If parts are available and there is nothing in the contract about not repairing it, you need to go back to them and asking them on which part of the contract are they relying to take your boiler off contract and say thus is now in the hands of solicitors.

srm1

Try to get everything in writing / email. Starting with a quick email to Worcester Bosch for written confirmation that the required part is available.
Again in writing copy this to the service company and demand that the repairs are completed and that your boiler is put back on contract.

A slightly cheaper route than the solicitor method suggested above is speaking with the Citizans Advice bureau or perhaps Trading Standards.

Good luck....

Susan_2001

Thanks

We've been to the Financial Ombudsman and they will be getting back to us within the next couple of weeks. Citizens advice told us that they are obliged to fix it.


Worcester Bosch have confirmed over the phone that the part is available. But are still saying in writing that the part hasn't been available since 2012.

The issue here is really down to paying for a repeated contract for so long and then being treated like this. If the part isn't available they shouldn't offer a service contract. If it is available they shouldn't say it isn't, they should have fixed it and carried out the annual service and then advised us that they cannot offer another years contract.

Their engineer told us it was still safe to use but last night for the first time the pressure shot up to just under 3 bars so we turned it off.

Susan_2001

Just had to laugh, just read the last service renewal notice.

Reads, Your boiler's protection plan is due to expire on date, but there's no need to worry - it will be renewed automatically by Direct Debit, leaving you to relax and enjoy continued peace of mind for another year.

giraffe69

How about:
1. Buy the part
2. Have it fitted by an independent
3. Have an annual service with an independent from now on until you replace the boiler with one of your own choosing.
4. Pursue them for a refund for their lies