Free Boiler - any choice?

sho_me_da_money

Hi,

We have been approved for a free boiler and the fitting company want to install an IDEAL ESPRIT HE30 boiler.

Having read the reviews, they seem a little flakey.

Do I have to go with this boiler?

I asked if I could have a vaillant or more reliable model and they advised we would need to pay £500 extra...

Is there a cap they have to work within to supply the free boiler? Am I allowed to know what that cap is? Do I have any say in the matter or do I simply have to bend over so to speak?

Thanks,

Eric_Disley

My experience of getting a new boiler in a rental property was that an assessment was made of:

the tenant (to check they were on qualifying benefits);
the boiler (to check it was sufficiently inefficient to justify a new boiler);
and the house (for size and energy efficiency - insulation etc).

The company installing the boiler gave this information to energy companies (I think), who used it to calculate the level of grant available towards a new boiler. The grant doesn't specify which make and model of boiler has to be installed, provided it met certain efficiency criteria.

The company then carried out the work, deducted the grant (which didn't meet the full cost of the new boiler) and charged me the difference.

So, basically, you don't have to go with the Ideal Esprit if you don't want to but, if the company installing the boiler charge more for a Valliant, and this takes the cost over the level of grant, you might, as they say, have to contribute towards it.

If you're not happy, there's nothing to stop you asking a different company to quote you.

Funnily enough, I was quoted for Ideal boilers as well, I don't know if there's some kind of deal / kick-back between Ideal and fitting companies?

ProfessorChao5

You can pick what ever boiler you want, however they don't get paid much any more to fit these free boilers so to be free it has to be a cheap boiler.

The amount they are paid is based on the carbon savings made by fitting that boiler in that house, so it varies from house to house, boiler to boiler and the price per carbon ton changes every two weeks.

You can ask therm but they don't have to tell you, and sometimes they don't even know until after its been installed depending who is there eco funding supplier.

The ideal boiler will probably be fine, but pay the £500 if it gives you piece of mind.