Does anyone else use British Gas Homecare?

Jaguar_Skills

Wondering whether this is really worth it.

My dad has it and says it is great - even though it costs him £600 a year.

Also not sure whether to just go for plumbing or for the whole shebang and get electrics and your appliances etc?

lisa110rry

We have had it since it was permitted on our boiler (installed 28 years ago in March - the first combi boiler offered in the UK, so at first we could get no insurance). We also have the rest insured. Without this I'm fairly certain our boiler would have had to be replaced well before this. Also certain the next one won't make 28 years.

Jaguar_Skills

The other thing is that our house was only built in 1982, so a fairly modern house.

Do you have all your other appliances insured as well Lisa, and also electrics and plumbing etc?

NordicNoir

We have the boiler cover, CH, plumbing, drains and electrics on Homecare. We pay around £36 per month.

It is a lot of money but it is the peace of mind for us. We would not know where to start finding reliable service people in an emergency, there are so many hopeless ones out there. We once came home at midnight on Boxing day to find water dripping through the ceiling. BG were there within the hour, spent four hours tracing and mending the leak - all included in the price. I doubt we would have had much luck finding a plumber ourselves to come out at Christmas and not expect a fortune.

Also, £36 is not huge in the scheme of things, a takeaway for two from our local chinese nearly costs that much!

We do not cover appliances though, they rarely go wrong and when they do it is usually easier to buy new these days.

Jaguar_Skills

Thanks Michelle, useful.

27col

I just use it for boiler and controls. I have found that they provide an excellent service. last time I needed an engineer they came the same afternoon.Worth the money I think.

PasturesNew

MichelleUK wrote: »

... peace of mind for us. We would not know where to start finding reliable service people in an emergency, there are so many hopeless ones out there. We once came home at midnight on Boxing day to find water dripping through the ceiling. BG were there within the hour, spent four hours tracing and mending the leak - all included in the price. ....

I used to have BG Homecare. For me it was that peace of mind that as soon as there was a problem I knew WHO I was going to call - they even left a magnet with their phone number on the boiler case .... and I knew that once I phoned I WOULD get somebody coming out and I'd NOT get ripped off by somebody who didn't really want to be there and felt a single lady needed to have an extra "0" put at the end of the price.

Peace of mind, ease, surety. A feeling of well-being.

I've not got it now .... but I must get round to it/similar soon(ish).

[Deleted User]

We've got it for the boiler, plumbing (not electrics) and kitchen appliances

So far they've kept alive my oven, tumble dryer and washing machine, some of my drains, my boiler.

Sure, it's 40ish quid a month, but it's really been good when we needed it

longwalks1

Signed up for the Homcare 2 cover this week, and have the first visit/service of the boiler next Thursday. We took it out as we just moved and the boiler is about 12 years old, and had to replace a couple of bits the week we moved in, the 3 way valve in airing cupboard and it cost us more than we expected. (Also was charged £100+ for the part, then found identical online new for £60). My dads an electrician so only needed the boiler cover, and hoping the £14 a month ( with no excess) will limp us through til the time we replace the boiler. Also the free service each year attracted us to it. Was recommended it by an old guy I work with who uses them for everything from leaking tap to replacing TRV on his radiators

longwalks1

1 thing i was told is (not sure how true it is) the engineers will try to sell you a new boiler etc, or powerflush, full drain and clean. Like I say not too sure how true it is, just have to be assertive if the hard sell does appear.

TonyMMM

I pay about £19 a month for BG Homecare covering the boiler/heating system. Have been very happy with the service - we did have an intermittent fault with the boiler which they struggled to fix, but over a period of weeks replaced almost every part ( boiler is now virtually new apart from the case) and did a full powerflush - none of which was charged extra for.