British Gas ruined my boiler?

Poppy3008

I have a 2 bed flat I have been renting out for 8 years. It is currently under full management by a local estate agent (I live 5 hours away) and has been for the last 4 years.
I have been paying for British Gas Landlord cover for the full 8 years and the boiler was new 10 years ago.
The boiler has been on the blink with various things over the last few years and this week its finally stopped working. An engineer from BG was called and said the whole system needed flushing as all the pipes were blocked due to the boiler not being serviced regularly.
Under the policy I pay for annual servicing is included. We have received annual reminders for the safety certificate which has been done every year but I cannot remember the last time I received a reminder for a service.
I was under the impression it was done during the safety check. When I called BG they said they do send out reminder letters and pretty much admitted liability as the boiler would not have blocked had it been serviced.
Also, considering the number of engineers called out - you would think one of them would have checked the service history, maybe looked at the filter and seen it was filthy.
Has any one had any issues like this wit BG? I feel there is an element of liability and I would expect some compensation.
What the opinion on this situation?
My estate agent has had full authority with the policy and he is currently putting a complaint together through his solicitors.
FYI - I have already booked a private engineer to replace boiler and flush system for next week as tenants (who are great) have no heating or hot water!

anselld

Pipes don't get blocked due to non-service of the boiler. Pipes get blocked due to build up of corrosion products (sludge) through age and probably accelerated by lack of inhibitor in the system.

Fit a "Magna-clean" or equivalent in the new system and ensure the inhibitor is fully topped up.

Don't let British Gas in your property again.

AnotherJoe

OP, if BG engineer said it was blocked due to lack of servicing then I'd say its hard for them not to pay up, so yes you are due comp both for lack of servicing and for a contribution towards cost of new boiler.

Work out what you think that is and then send them a claim for it.
Then when they offer you some derisory sum of money, send a letter before action and when they dont pay up, sue via the small claims service

G_M

I agree with anselld that lack of servicing does not cause blocked pipes.

But since BG have blamed the lack of servicing, you should accept that and relay on that statement.

If your contract with BG included an annual service, this should have been done annually at the same time as the gas safety inspection. Since BG have admitted they failed to service, make a claim!

But check that you were not just paying for an annual gas inspection first - your contract was for a service as well?

AdrianC

A boiler "service" is fairly minimal, and the vast majority of it will overlap with the safety check, if not all of it.

Another vote here for it not affecting the rest of the system corroding and sludging - that's entirely down to lack of additive in the system. Who last filled it?

Poppy3008

anselld wrote: »

Pipes don't get blocked due to non-service of the boiler. Pipes get blocked due to build up of corrosion products (sludge) through age and probably accelerated by lack of inhibitor in the system.

Fit a "Magna-clean" or equivalent in the new system and ensure the inhibitor is fully topped up.

Don't let British Gas in your property again.

Yes it had a manga thing put in when I still lived it and apparently it was full and had never been cleaned! Thank you all for your replies. And I agree if they have said lack of service has done this and they have not serviced it - fault is with them.
Watch this space. My estate agent will get back to me next week once the solicitor has had a look at the paperwork.
Cheers!