Access and Making Good?

Carl_Rogers_2

There is a long story attached to this, but won't bore with the details (except to say British Gas/DynoRod and their Homecare 400 cover have taken up 25 hours of my time, 7 visits, multiple phonecalls and emails, to fix one small leak in a small domestic drainage system).

Basically, as part of this saga, they have smashed in all the side panels of my bath, and also the cabinet around the toilet soil pipe etc, to access the plumbing works.

My policy makes a song and dance about how each repair includes up to £1000 cover for "access and making good" and defines access and making good as any costs for damage incurred to get access to a system, and then put the damage right, and also mentioned replacing cabinets and cupboards that have to be removed for access.

I have a high level complaint manager on the case, but even she is adamant that my policy is a "repair only" policy and that any damage caused in accessing the pipework is not covered, and that I will have to claim it on my house insurance (which has a £400 excess for escape of water claims, so unless they were willing to put in a new bathroom as opposed to patching things up, I am going to be out of pocket).

So what is "acess and making good" supposed to mean? Perhaps they have a very specific definition of what removing a cupboard or cabinet means, and if the cupboard or cabinet is smashed to bits to access the pipework, they don't have to replace it or make it good because it has been destroyed rather than removed?

I'm just a layperson, but that wording in bold that "access and making good" is covered by my policy, seems just a tad misleading and confusing, as once it became clear the leak was going to be a complicated job, I would have perhaps called on my home insurance instead of BG Homecare (seeing as my Home insurance policy includes advanced leak detection) had I realised that all the damage was not going to be covered.

If anyone has any clarification they can offer would be appreciated! :mad:

molerat

I would say their definition covers the situation pretty much as you see it. Although you have a "repair only", i.e. no maintenance agreement, service for plumbing they state that "all insurance products include ..... up to £1000 .... access and making good". Formal complaint then FOS.

dacouch

What does the Policy describe the Access and Make Good as covering?

Does you Policy actually include it?

Carl_Rogers_2

Thanks for that perspective. It's a strange one as I am already dealing with highest level complaints department and the complaint manager is adamant it doesn't mean that, and has never meant that, so am not quite sure who to complain to now!

Of course they have offered me a goodwill gesture and are keen to close the complaint, due to health issues stress is the last thing I currently need by a FOS case dragging on for months, so am wondering if it is worth the hassle, as I need a new bathroom anyway.

I'm glad it's not just me who reads the access and making good wording as seeming to mean what I think it means - while British Gas head office maintains that it doesn't!

Carl_Rogers_2

dacouch wrote: »

What does the Policy describe the Access and Make Good as covering?

Does you Policy actually include it?

Definitions:

access and making good
- getting to your boiler, appliance, or system, to fix or service it, and then reparing any damage we may cause in getting access to your boiler, appliance or systemby replacing items such as cabinets or cupboards that we've removed and by filling in holes we have made and leaving a level surface.


PLUS:

All insurance products include:
Parts and Labour
Unlimited number of repairs
Upto £1000, including VAT, for getting access and making good for each repair


According to the policy booklet I was sent a few weeks ago with the comprehensive Homecare 400.

Obviously now my concern is now if I have another plumbing or indeed electrical emergency and they need to smash through a ceiling or wall, the access and making good part of the policy won't be worth the paper it's written on.

I suggested that the way it's worded is quite misleading to a non legal person, if it doesn't include any repairs to the bath cabinet or cabinet.casing that was built around the toilet pipework. Perhaps they mean it only includes replacing a non damaged cupboard or cabinet but it also says "reparing any damage".

I have been through a long complaints process already so far, giving them ample opportunity to do the right thing, posting here is a bit of a last resort as although the person I am dealing with is trying to be helpful, she was adamant that access and making good doesn't apply in this case!

dacouch

You need to remember that an Insurance Policy is in effect a contract which is binding on each party. However the advantage is that the FOS tends to look at the wording and decide what is fair so tends to bend the rules in your favour.

If the wording covers your damage then BG are liable.

The word "System" seems to be in bold which in a Policy wording normally means it has a fully description of the meaning of the word "System" is given in the Policy generally under a section headed "Meaning of Words".

If they're messing you about, ask for a final decision and let the Ombudsman look at the case. The FOS will take a long time to make a decision though

magpiecottage

The Key Facts document says "Costs up to £1,000 (Inc VAT) to gain access to your boiler, controls, central heating, plumbing and
drains systems and electrical wiring and fittings in order to make a repair and then make good"

So if that is the policy you have then they are likely to have a hard time defending it at FOS.

If you have already had a letter indicating that you have six months to go to FOS then do so now. You can do it online at its website.

If you have not had one, ask for a "Final Response", as dacouch says. Howevr, if they have taken more than eight weeks already you can do so now anyway..

FOS is trying to speed up dealing with cases of this nature - and if it thinks your complaint was not dealt with fairly then it can award compensation for "trouble and upset".

FutureGirl

On a side note.. If you're only claiming for the tracing and accessing and/or then making good via your home insurance, and not claiming for water damage, then you would pay your voluntary excess, not your escape of water excess.

Carl_Rogers_2

Thank you for the responses, I'll take them all into account when deciding what to do next.

Very much appreciated.