British Gas Homecare renewal price hikeGas Homecare renewal price hike

endurium

The renewal premium for my Homeware 200 service contract came through recently, and has increased to nearly £350 from around £200-odd quid that it was previously.
After phoning BG customer service, the best they could do was a renewal price of around £285, however I'd previously obtained a new customer quote from the BG website for £204 for the very same level of service contract. The customer service guy asked what figure I had in mind for the renewal so I said around £200 but was told the lowest they could do the renewal for was the £285 they'd already quoted. So I've cancelled the renewal and will just go to the website to get the £204 or thereabouts quote as a new customer.
But it begs the question: why can't British Gas just treat it's customers fairly and not resort to hiking their prices by more than 50%?

firefox1956

Been going on for years in the house/car insurance market.
Just sign up as a new customer

jem16

endurium wrote: »

So I've cancelled the renewal and will just go to the website to get the £204 or thereabouts quote as a new customer.

I'm thinking of doing exactly the same as my Homecare 200 has been creeping up over the last few years. About 3 years ago they would match the Scottish Power cover so it was about the same price as a new customer with BG. However last couple of years they would not take any more than around 10% off so last year I was paying £20.34. Renewal this year wants £24 something. I could possibly get it down to around £22 but a new customer is £17.05.

But it begs the question: why can't British Gas just treat it's customers fairly and not resort to hiking their prices by more than 50%?

They seem to think you'll just accept it and many no doubt do.

Would be interested to see if you get on ok signing up as a new customer or if you get knocked back as an existing customer.

brewerdave

Customer inertia is a wonderful thing for the insurance industry:rotfl:

There was a story last year about a little old lady living in a very small house who was paying ~ £1000 pa for house insurance - someone shopped around for her and got it for ~ £100 :eek:

endurium

jem16 wrote: »

They seem to think you'll just accept it and many no doubt do.

Would be interested to see if you get on ok signing up as a new customer or if you get knocked back as an existing customer.

I haven't yet completed a new customer sign-up, just went as far as getting the quote after supplying all my details. Interestingly, the form I filled in to get the quote recognised my address and informed me that I was already covered but did I want to get a new quote anyway.

The one catch is that I can't specify a date from which cover starts, so I'll have to wait until the current policy expires before taking out a new policy and by then it may have gone up significantly.

Hasbeen

endurium wrote: »

I haven't yet completed a new customer sign-up, just went as far as getting the quote after supplying all my details. Interestingly, the form I filled in to get the quote recognised my address and informed me that I was already covered but did I want to get a new quote anyway.

The one catch is that I can't specify a date from which cover starts, so I'll have to wait until the current policy expires before taking out a new policy and by then it may have gone up significantly.

Advise taking out new policy 14 days before existing ends as there is no cover for first 14 days.

Also put in different/partners name as new customer, Homecare 200 £31.50 topcashback

jem16

endurium wrote: »

The one catch is that I can't specify a date from which cover starts, so I'll have to wait until the current policy expires before taking out a new policy and by then it may have gone up significantly.

I think it will be rather unlikely to have gone up much. Over the last few years it's always been around the £16.50 mark so £17.05 isn't a massive increase.

When does your current cover end?

jem16

Hasbeen wrote: »

Advise taking out new policy 14 days before existing ends as there is no cover for first 14 days.

Will it allow you though? I read on the T&C somewhere that you are saying you don't have similar cover elsewhere.

I have Emergency Home cover which was free via my House Insurance. Renewal on that is 23rd November and Homecare renewal is 30th October. So I may get away with it.

Also put in different/partners name as new customer, Homecare 200 £31.50 topcashback

Only me unfortunately in the house. However may get away with that by setting up a new policy around the 14th November.

Odd thing is that my address is listed twice on their quote system - one just with the address and once with M/D in front of it. Currently the M/D one is used.

Also noticed that the first service would not be carried out if there has been an annual service done at the property within the last 12 months, whether it's a new owner or not. Perhaps that's good - less chance of them cancelling it perhaps.

endurium

Hasbeen wrote: »

Advise taking out new policy 14 days before existing ends as there is no cover for first 14 days.

Really? I didn't see that anywhere in the T+Cs

jem16

endurium wrote: »

Really? I didn't see that anywhere in the T+Cs

Condition 5.1 in the T&C.

For Boiler and Controls Breakdown Cover, Central Heating Breakdown Cover and for Kitchen Appliance Cover you are not covered for the first 14 days of your first Period of Agreement.

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/content/dam/british-gas/documents/HomeCare_Range_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf

endurium

jem16 wrote: »

Condition 5.1 in the T&C.

Thanks, I hadn't spotted that.