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

MisterBaxter

As already suggested get Worcester to confirm by email that the part is still available from them direct and then go back to your service company with that information; where parts are available the service company should carry out a repair. Many of the 3* type contracts do state that the will no longer carry out repairs when parts become unavailable. In defence of the service company if a different part had failed that they could obtain then they would have repaired the boiler as per the service plan.

Not sure who your contract is with but British Gas used to tell us every year that parts for our old boiler were becoming scarce and that eventually they would no longer be able to keep it going. They kept the cover in place through and did replace some parts until one failed that wasn't available and that was the end of it, very much like the situation described by the OP; this seems like common practice.

Susan_2001

MisterBaxter wrote: »

As already suggested get Worcester to confirm by email that the part is still available from them direct and then go back to your service company with that information; where parts are available the service company should carry out a repair. Many of the 3* type contracts do state that the will no longer carry out repairs when parts become unavailable. In defence of the service company if a different part had failed that they could obtain then they would have repaired the boiler as per the service plan.

Not sure who your contract is with but British Gas used to tell us every year that parts for our old boiler were becoming scarce and that eventually they would no longer be able to keep it going. They kept the cover in place through and did replace some parts until one failed that wasn't available and that was the end of it, very much like the situation described by the OP; this seems like common practice.

Hi, the contract is with Worcester Bosch themselves, has been since it was two years old, just rolls on a direct debit. Each year we receive a renewal invite which states the new payment amount and if we don't cancel the premium will continue to be taken. They don't confirm availability by email, however I will have another go. We found out availability by phoning them directly and also checking with a couple of installers. The person I spoke to at Worcester Bosch said if we wanted to buy the part we would have to buy it through a trades man as they don't sell to the public directly, but they said there won't be a problem in obtaining said part.

Susan_2001

giraffe69 wrote: »

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

Good idea thanks, we are going with your step 4, pursuing them for a refund of at least the years contract value (because they didn't even service it as planned) and the cost of the part and what it would have cost to fit. We did think about buying the part and having an independent fit it but that was going to cost £250 upwards plus vat and I don't know if that included the fitting. So we decided not to waste any further money really it boils down to that. I bet that's what they are relying on! I wouldn't mind, if they'd have said they were not renewing the contract for this year we would have just changed the boiler and probably fitted another Worcester Bosch. Won't fit another one now, not a chance, they've had enough money out of us over the years.

Going for a boiler that has a ten year parts and labour warranty included, the cost of boiler and installation will be cheaper per year for the next ten years than paying for the repair and service contract we've been paying each year so far, in fact we will save money on that charge and hopefully the gas too! Bonkers, we should have looked into this before now. I guess we were reluctant to take out a good boiler and we were hanging on to the promise of a discounted boiler replacement when ours was taken off contract.

27col

I had boiler cover for my boiler from new. Along with a yearly service. When the boiler was 10 years old they would not insure it any more.
I then took out a contract with BG which has worked extremely well. They are now telling me that some spares are no longer available and using this to try to sell me a new boiler. I chatted with the service guy one day and he showed me the list of unavailable spares. It was a very short list. Most spares are available. I was a bit surprised to find that the boiler went out of production in 2001 not long after it was fitted.
In all that time it has never missed a beat aprt from a screw coming loose in the fan housing.
If it does break down and cannot be fixed, then I will replace it. But not until then. By the way it's a Gloworm.

Susan_2001

Sorry to hear about your boiler. Ours has had repairs along the way but we've been happy with it. Over the years installers have told us to hang onto it given the 240 Worcester was a good reliable boiler. It's Worcester Bosch now, several engineers have told us the modern ones are less reliable and breakdown more! Who knows, I guess there is more to go wrong on newer ones as they have more controls maybe.

Regards going out of production not long after you purchased. One engineer told me that there's so many different boiler models and updates that they soon go out of production. Great way of making people change a boiler, that's how I see it anyway.

adonis

Is it because the expansion vessel is difficult to get at to replace that they don't want to replace it?
you can fit an external vessel if you have space near the boiler.
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/video/how-to-fit-an-expansion-vessel-video_285a68e08.html

Susan_2001

adonis wrote: »

Is it because the expansion vessel is difficult to get at to replace that they don't want to replace it?
you can fit an external vessel if you have space near the boiler.
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/video/how-to-fit-an-expansion-vessel-video_285a68e08.html

Thanks, it seems so. A Worcester Bosch dealer told us as much, said it takes four hours to change it and it's a pig of a job to strip half the boiler down to get at it.

We did consider the external one, could pick one up cheaply, again the cost of a plumber was high so decided against putting anymore money in that boiler.

southcoastrgi

We reserve the right to not fulfil an appointment, should the necessary spares be unavailable, if the product is subject to recall, or if the product has become obsolete and removed from our current product list.

I'd be asking them about the last part & when it was removed, you may be entitled to a good few years refund

also it's Domestic & General you pay your money too not WB themselves

Susan_2001

southcoastrgi wrote: »

We reserve the right to not fulfil an appointment, should the necessary spares be unavailable, if the product is subject to recall, or if the product has become obsolete and removed from our current product list.

I'd be asking them about the last part & when it was removed, you may be entitled to a good few years refund

also it's Domestic & General you pay your money too not WB themselves

Thanks, the top bit of your post isn't on our contract. I would love to think we were entitled to a good few years refund, it would really help towards the new boiler. No idea how to go about it though, as at present they are not responding to us! Which adds insult to injury I must say. I guess they think because they are such big business that they can stand to loose customers, there could come a point though when it bites them in the rear.

We pay the money to Domestic and General for the premiums and Worcester Bosch engineers come out to service and repair it in their Worcester Bosch vans. The reason we have been paying a higher price for the contract and using them over the years is to make sure that the people who fix and maintain the boiler are actual Worcester people. We could have saved loads over the years if we'd gone with another company.

southcoastrgi

no guarentee you will get WB out themselves if they are busy they reserve the right to use a 3rd party ie a local engineer