Scottish Power won't repair boiler covered by HomeComfort

econ84

Hi all,

We purchased Scottish Power Homecomfort - Premium Boiler Care last year and had to call out an engineer last week as a fault code appeared.

After the engineer visit, he found that we need a new heat exchange. After nearly a week of calling them daily, I have been informed that Scottish Power won't cover this repair as they say the boiler is beyond economical repair. The engineer gave me the part number in case this was the case as in his professional opinion the boiler should be repaired rather than replaced (as most other components are relatively new).

The part is available for £300 (plus labour) and the boiler is 10 years old. This hardly seems uneconomical given the price of a new boiler!

The boiler was left switched on by the engineer, despite it leaking and no warning labels advising against using it.

Can anyone offer any advice on dealing with SP or taking it to the financial ombudsmen to challenge their decision?

Thanks

Pincher

econ84 wrote: »

The part is available for £300 (plus labour) and the boiler is 10 years old. This hardly seems uneconomical given the price of a new boiler!

Bangernomics doesn't work that way.


A brand new Fiesta is £15k, but a ten year old one is worth £1,000, say. You are not repairing a £15k car.


I would dig out the commission date, pray that it's still within ten years, which is a typical cut-off point for maintenance contracts.

macman

It would only have been decommissioned by the RGI if there was a danger of a gas leak or explosion. A leaking heat exchanger isn't inherently dangerous.
Cancel your pointless insurance cover and get it repaired by a local independent GSR RGI who knows the boiler brand. Then put the monthly subs you would have paid towards self insurance.

econ84

Thanks. It does seem an absolutely pointless insurance policy if they won't even payout for a part that is the same value as the policy. Scottish Power really need to make it clear what they will/won't cover in advance - their terms essentially say they can just judge any repair on any boiler as uneconomical and them terminate the contract (with no compensation for the fees already paid).

Pincher

http://www.baxi.co.uk/customer-support/baxi-protection-plans.htm


Have a look at the BAXI protection plans, and prices.


For decent brands, there are equivalent maintenance schemes.


People think it's like a service from an official car dealership, totally over priced, but not in my experience.

undaunted

Do the terms of your policy make clear that they will not repair a 10 year old boiler?


Did they ask / you tell them the age of the boiler at any point?


Did they warn you that your cover may be worthless in the event of a claim?


If not why not challenge this decision / try demanding a refund of your years premium? Nothing to lose maybe a years premium to gain

Cardew

Unfortunately many of these worthless policies specifically exclude the heat exchanger. The other favourite 'scam' is to insist that the system needs a power flush - costing several hundred pounds and again not covered. This appears to be the standard contract:

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/boilercare/

4. WHAT IS NOT COVERED
We do not cover
a. A breakdown where the cost of repair exceeds £500 including VAT charged at the relevant rate at the relevant time;
b. Any breakdown where the engineer is unable to repair the boiler due to the engineer being unable to obtain the spare parts required to complete the repair;
c. The cost of a replacement boiler or the cost of labour to replace the boiler;
d. Reoccurring or intermittent faults, where the engineer has previously attended and issued a report to ScottishPower stating the fault is not a breakdown as defined under the policy;
e. A boiler fitted within a dwelling with more than 5 bedrooms or in a property which is not a private domestic dwelling which is your principal place of residence;
f. Adjustments that would reasonably be expected to be made by you e.g. lighting of the boiler or re-setting of boiler’s time or temperature controls or the correct operation or routine adjustment of time or temperature controls;
g. Any repair which requires the removal of asbestos in order to complete the repair;
h. Clearing of airlocks, de-scaling or any work arising from hard water scale deposits, including de-sludging or the effects of mineral build up within the heating system which restricts the flow of water or results in corrosion within the system;
i. Any repair to a boiler or its controls that has been on our excluded list since the issue date;
j. Any defects or inadequacy attributable to the original design or method of construction or installation of the boiler or of the central heating system;
k. Any part of the central heating system, other than the boiler and controls;
l. The fabric of the home including pipe work or flue work buried in it;.
m. Any breakdown occurring from a failure or disconnection of public electricity, gas or water supply or from a gas leak;
n. Flue integrity or repairing or replacing flues that aren't part of your boiler;
o. breakdowns arising:
i. from circumstances known to you prior to the issue date;
ii. while the home is unoccupied; or
iii. from any wilful or malicious action, negligence, misuse or third party interference;
p. breakdowns caused by your failure to carry out any remedial work or recommendations made by an engineer relating to a previous call out and the engineer told you and ScottishPower that remedial work should be undertaken;
q. breakdowns caused by accident, fire, lightning, explosion, flood, storm, tempest, impact, subsidence or building works.

They don't specifically exclude heat exchangers.

undaunted

Or some might condense it to most of the things you are likely to claim for this year.


I've never understood why people will give these companies a monthly insurance premium that they could just as easily set aside for the day that a breakdown finally occurs & then probably find a local tradesman to do the job cheaper.


All insurance schemes are designed to profit the provider not to help you in the long run!

Biggles

econ84 wrote: »

I have been informed that Scottish Power won't cover this repair as they say the boiler is beyond economical repair.

Exactly. You have discovered the problem with policies like this: when the boiler is new(ish) they will come and service it (though you will have been paying far more than the cost of a local engineer's service) and when the boiler is old(ish) and stuttering, they say they can't/won't repair it.

Get a local guy in and cancel your policy.

Cardew

Biggles wrote: »

Exactly. You have discovered the problem with policies like this: when the boiler is new(ish) they will come and service it (though you will have been paying far more than the cost of a local engineer's service) and when the boiler is old(ish) and stuttering, they say they can't/won't repair it.

Get a local guy in and cancel your policy.

Substituting the word 'person' for 'boiler' then you are describing Private Health Care policies;)

undaunted

:eek: Thank heavens we have the NHS. It may have it's problems but most people, when they really need it, will get the treatment they need regardless of cost / ability to pay.