Boiler not serviced as promised.

Marcus1991

Hi all,
We bought our first house and moved in in December. We were informed (in black and white) that the boiler will be serviced prior to exchange of contracts. 6 weeks after we moved in, we hadn’t received any paperwork relating to the boiler whatsoever. Last week the boiler stopped working and cost us £400 to get repaired. The heating engineer said that the boiler has never been registered or serviced (installed in 2009)
We have been in contact with the previous owner and is a horrendous liar. Contradicted himself many times in the 3 minuets I spoke to him on the phone and couldn’t give us a straight answer on wether he serviced it as promised.
Do you think it’s worth us going further with this, if so, how? Or should we put it down as experience.
Thanks, Marcus.

daveyjp

Move on. The seller isn!!!8217;t going to change his ways.

Marcus1991

Think moving on is a good idea. But It!!!8217;s just frustrating that in a solicitors letter/contract we were told it would be serviced. Makes a bit of a joke of the contact if he gets away with it.

G_M

Marcus1991 wrote: »

Hi all,
We bought our first house and moved in in December. We were informed (in black and white) that the boiler will be serviced prior to exchange of contracts.
Was this a condition of your proceeding?
If not, what's the problem?
If so, why did you exchange without confirmation of the service?
6 weeks after we moved in, we hadn’t received any paperwork relating to the boiler whatsoever.
What had you done during thse 6 weeks? Writtten requesting the paperwork?
Taken legal action?

Last week the boiler stopped working and cost us £400 to get repaired.
Yes - boilers an cost money to maintain, whether serviced or not.7
The heating engineer said that the boiler has never been registered or serviced (installed in 2009)
After 9 years, registration is irrelevant. But anyway, presumably you knew this alreay having checked before you Exhanged.

Not sure how an engineer can tell a boiler has never been serviced in 9 years.

We have been in contact with the previous owner and is a horrendous liar. Contradicted himself many times in the 3 minuets I spoke to him on the phone and couldn’t give us a straight answer on wether he serviced it as promised.
He's sold his house. He doesn't care. it's not his problem.

Do you think it’s worth us going further with this, if so, how? Or should we put it down as experience.
Thanks, Marcus.

I suspect you can draw your own conclusions from my comments!

anselld

Marcus1991 wrote: »

Think moving on is a good idea. But It!!!8217;s just frustrating that in a solicitors letter/contract we were told it would be serviced. Makes a bit of a joke of the contact if he gets away with it.

Yes, annoying, but having it serviced does not stop it breaking down. Boiler service is actually little more than a cursory inspection which makes virtually no difference to the probability of a failure.

Thrugelmir

Marcus1991 wrote: »

Do you think it’s worth us going further with this, if so, how? Or should we put it down as experience.

Did your valuation survey recommend that you undertake an inspection of the heating system and electrics in the property?

davidmcn

Marcus1991 wrote: »

We were informed (in black and white) that the boiler will be serviced prior to exchange of contracts.

What was the point of agreeing that if you weren't going to check it had been done before exchanging?

Also, "being serviced" isn't some sort of guarantee of future longevity. You can service a knackered old car (and drag it through an MOT) - doesn't mean it's going to survive the year.

csgohan4

I would rather do it myself, the vendor could get a cowboy to certify a failed boiler. At least I can do something about it and not skimp on costs

glasgowdan

Next time you buy a house, get work done yourself rather than asking the seller to do it. If you were selling something you'd hardly be motivated to spend money on it would you?