Glowarm boiler - extended 10 years warranty

sevenonine

I have been sent a quote for their boiler's extended warranty of 10 years which is a condition for the extended warranty. I guess the manufacturer's warranty is about 2 years.

The boiler is due its first annual service at a cost of £89 incl VAT.

The cost of the extended warranty is £168 incl VAT and can be paid by Direct Debit @£14 per month. It covers breakdown, parts and labour and annual service. No doubt (not mentioned in quote) the price would increase each year.

Is this a reasonable price to pay for the 10 years warranty and would I be able to switch to another provider if the price increased greatly? I should mention I hope to downsize if I can sometime this year.

Cardew

Many Glowarm boilers have a 5 year warranty - the 'Ultimate' range is 7 years.


https://www.boilerguide.co.uk/manufacturers/glow-worm



Personally I think that too expensive.

System

sevenonine wrote: »

I have been sent a quote for their boiler's extended warranty of 10 years which is a condition for the extended warranty. I guess the manufacturer's warranty is about 2 years.

The boiler is due its first annual service at a cost of £89 incl VAT.

The cost of the extended warranty is £168 incl VAT and can be paid by Direct Debit @£14 per month. It covers breakdown, parts and labour and annual service. No doubt (not mentioned in quote) the price would increase each year.

Is this a reasonable price to pay for the 10 years warranty and would I be able to switch to another provider if the price increased greatly? I should mention I hope to downsize if I can sometime this year.

Price of what will increase each year? The cost of an extended warranty is usually one payment: it is not something that is paid each year. If that was the case, it would be cheaper just to put £168 into a pot each year to pay for any future repairs.

It is usually a condition of any guarantee that the boiler is serviced by a GSR engineer each year. There are also exclusions if, say, the system has not be cleaned prior to the new boiler being fitted and the boiler breaks down as a result of the build up of sludge from the radiators.

A quick look at the ts and cs indicates that you may only be covered for parts and not labour under the extended warranty.

sevenonine

Hengus wrote: »

Price of what will increase each year? The cost of an extended warranty is usually one payment: it is not something that is paid each year.

I don't know what I was thinking...

As to your query about parts being included but not labour, their letter states: "Please note your boiler carries an extended warranty but if you wish to cover the remaining items against breakdown, we are pleased to offer you our annual *breakdown cover including parts and labour, and to include the cost of the annual service for only £168.00 inc VAT..." The highlighted words are theirs but it surely can't mean to include the cost of the annual service?

I should ask whether the warranty is transferable if and when I move.

I note your comment: "It is usually a condition of any guarantee that the boiler is serviced by a GSR engineer each year." I'll ask this question.

And "There are also exclusions if, say, the system has not be cleaned prior to the new boiler being fitted and the boiler breaks down as a result of the build up of sludge from the radiators." As the boiler has already been installed isn't this dependent on what additives are used in the annual maintenance? So, can you tell me what additives I should ask will be used?

Thanks again!

System

sevenonine wrote: »

I don't know what I was thinking...

As to your query about parts being included but not labour, their letter states: "Please note your boiler carries an extended warranty but if you wish to cover the remaining items against breakdown, we are pleased to offer you our annual *breakdown cover including parts and labour, and to include the cost of the annual service for only £168.00 inc VAT..." The highlighted words are theirs but it surely can't mean to include the cost of the annual service?

I should ask whether the warranty is transferable if and when I move.

I note your comment: "It is usually a condition of any guarantee that the boiler is serviced by a GSR engineer each year." I'll ask this question.

And "There are also exclusions if, say, the system has not be cleaned prior to the new boiler being fitted and the boiler breaks down as a result of the build up of sludge from the radiators." As the boiler has already been installed isn't this dependent on what additives are used in the annual maintenance? So, can you tell me what additives I should ask will be used?

Thanks again!

My guess here is that this is an offer by a third-party such as Domestic and General which to all intents and purposes is boiler insurance. This includes the annual service, and is payable annually. DomGen will nominate an engineer to do this for you. It is not usually transferrable. Normally, manufacturer offered extended warranties have to be taken out with a set period after the boiler was installed. In my case, it was 30 days.

sevenonine

Hengus wrote: »

My guess here is that this is an offer by a third-party such as Domestic and General which to all intents and purposes is boiler insurance. This includes the annual service, and is payable annually. DomGen will nominate an engineer to do this for you. It is not usually transferrable. Normally, manufacturer offered extended warranties have to be taken out with a set period after the boiler was installed. In my case, it was 30 days.

Thank you for your response. It may explain better if I copy the opening paragraph of the letter from Glowarm Central Heating who installed my Glowworm boiler. The italicised comments are mine.

“We write to remind you that it is a condition of the extended warranty on your boiler that it be serviced annually for preventative maintenance on the anniversary of the installation.” (which was 16 June 2017).”You should be aware that if the service is not carried out the extended warranty will be invalidated. The service is due shortly. (before 16 June 2018)

Then follows the paragraph, regarding cover for the remaining items against breakdown, previously mentioned. So this warranty is offered by Glowarm Central Heating Ltd.

However a problem has only just arisen, on which I hope you can advise me. In the last few days I have found an escape of water from the external outflow pipe, every time I run the hot water tap – that is when I shower, turn on the kitchen tap or even use the washing machine. I am not sure now (with the heating off) whether there was any escape of water. Perhaps I should run the heating to see.

There is a 1 year General Guarantee and 10 years Boiler Guarantee mentioned on their invoice of 19 June 2017. So, can you advise me hopefully soon, since I am still within the 1 year's warranty, when fixing an appointment for the service, I should mention the escape of water, which in any case will be evident outside my house?

The General Guarantee is something I can defer for the time being - depending on what their response will be to my present problem!

System

What type of boiler is it: a combi or a system boiler? If it is a system boiler then you will have a HW cylinder.

http://www.fixmyplumbing.org/what-is-your-problem-2/water-coming-from-overflow-outside-house/

To get back to your original question, then if it is a manufacturer's 10 year warranty then the only cost to you should be for an annual service (about £80 to 85). You need to look carefully at all the terms and conditions in the warranty document.

sevenonine

Hengus wrote: »

What type of boiler is it: a combi or a system boiler? If it is a system boiler then you will have a HW cylinder.

Forgive me for the length of my response which I hope won't tax you too much; most of the following can be quickly scanned by you. I have used my discretion in excluding what I thought isn't relevant. Or shortened what is legal stuff.

*The Schedule of Equipment states:
Gas fired condensing boiler
Wall mounted
Fan assisted flue
New condense piping/soakaway/pump/
Reconnection back into existing heating piping
Reconnection back into all existing hot & cold services
Scale reducer (electrolytic/magnetic)
Inhibitor
Mains chemical flushing
Supplementary pipework cross bonding (earthing)
10 year boiler warranty offer

* Boiler & Flue
Central heating and domestic hot water boiler - Fan assisted.
The boiler will be complete with all operating and safety controls and a condense overflow pipe will be fitted to dispurse (disperse?) the acidic products from the new boiler.

* Descaler
...will be fitted to the new boiler to help prevent the build-up of damaging scale within the boilers heat exchange & other water components.

* Mains Chemical Flushing
...your new system is carried out using Sentinel chemicals, this will quickly remove any existing sludge deposits.

*Electrical Wiring ….to conform with IEE regulations (so may not be necessary to repeat here).

*Existing System
It is assumed that any existing plumbing or heating equipment that is to be reconnected to the newly installed boiler or controls, is in good order and in working condition.
It is also assumed that the existing radiators & piping are all in good working condition & free from water leaks & blockages.
Glowarm cannot be held responsible for existing equipment that is found to be in need of repair or replacement during the course of the new installation.
(Their installer had a quick look around all the rooms and started work without any comment; he also finished in record time – don't remember exactly how long it took - but before leaving he told me an electrician would be calling shortly to fix (the existing) temperature clock. I asked him whether anyone would be calling in a week's time to see if all was well and he said no! Fortunately I was used to adjusting the time clock to suit my comfort.)

* Guarantee
The whole of the work will be covered by the t&cs of the boiler manufacturer's warranty scheme. Your attention is drawn to the benefits and safeguards...whilst not affecting your statutory rights.

*Extended Warranty
Where an extended warranty has been offered, it will be necessary to have the new boiler annually serviced by Glowarm, for preventative maintenance, this is a condition precedent. Please note servicing to the boiler will be chargeable to the client at the prevailing rate.

*Terms, Conditions and Exclusions to the Extended Warranty
The first seven years of the Glow-worm Energy warranty is covered by the manufacturer and their Terms, Conditions and Exclusions apply, any extended boiler warranty is made up of Glowarm's own parts & labour cover.
The following applies in respect of any Extended Warranty offered by Glowarm Central Heating in excess of the manufacturer's warranty.
All in guarantee repairs must be telephoned through to Glowarm's office...and office staff will arrange the engineer's visit on your behalf.

*Terms and Conditions (presumably these are Glowarm's)

It is a condition of this agreement that the boiler is serviced annually by Glowarm Central Heating Ltd whilst the warranty is in force. The first annual service will be due within 13 months of the initial installation date and every subsequent service thereafter will be due within 12 months of the previous annual service date whilst the warranty is in force
The cost of the service is chargeable to the warranty holder at the prevailing rate.
The warranty covers for the repair or replacement of the internal parts of the boiler where component failure has occurred.
The plan provides for the replacement of parts and associated labour costs up to the maximum of £500.00 in any 12 month period.
Where the boiler is required to be removed from the wall in order to fit replacement parts the cost of the removal and re-fitting of the boiler will be chargeable.
(The rest mainly relates to Glowarm not being responsible for delays in obtaining parts or reimbursement of costs incurred by the warrant holder (me).

*Exclusions - not covered are: Any damage caused by water scale deposits, corrosion or sludge, blockages or airlocks. (This seems to cover almost any internal damage caused by the very additives used during the installation and after!)

[QUOTE =To get back to your original question, then if it is a manufacturer's 10 year warranty then the only cost to you should be for an annual service (about £80 to 85). You need to look carefully at all the terms and conditions in the warranty document.[/QUOTE]

From the above is it the manufacturer's 7 years warranty that applies in my case? As Glowarm has offered the first service I hope mention of the escape of water will not affect the quoted cost (£89). As a single elderly lay person, I have no knowledge how or what has caused this problem No one has interfered with the boiler since its installation.

System

If it is less than 12 months since the boiler was installed, then all repairs will normally be covered unless the problem is within an existing heating system component; for example, a temperature/pressure relief valve to an existing hot water cylinder. Contact your installer - in writing - and advise that there is a problem with water loss. Without knowing what type of heating/hot water system that you have, it is impossible to offer you any further advice. Sorry.

sevenonine

Thank you hengusfor your immediate response. I guess it was the length of my effort to describe my problem that put you off.

As suggested, I will write to Glowarm Central Heating Ltd and hope it is something that's easily put right, given the boiler is within the warranty since its installation on 16 June 2017.

sevenonine

Hengus wrote: »

If it is less than 12 months since the boiler was installed, then all repairs will normally be covered unless the problem is within an existing heating system component; for example, a temperature/pressure relief valve to an existing hot water cylinder.

Further to my previous response, with the help of a neighbour the true reason for the water escape was found to be an overflowing drain and no fault of the boiler. Thank heavens I asked for his help! So, getting the boiler serviced for the quoted cost of £89 is my next step.

However, looking at the t&cs of the warranty, it seems the boiler is covered by the manufacturer's 7 years' service. See below:
“Terms, Conditions and Exclusions to the Extended Warranty
The first seven years of the Glow-worm Energy warranty is covered by the manufacturer and their Terms, Conditions and Exclusions apply... any extended boiler warranty is made up of Glowarm's own parts & labour cover.”

It seems the manufacturer's 7 years should be sufficient, without having to pay for Glowarm's Extended Warranty of 10 years. After all I hope to move eventually. Is it likely that Glowarm could insist that I accept their extended warranty - I would think it is an option. And I did get the manufacturer's confirmation of their warranty by email.

Can you please advise me what I should ask is covered? Also your advice whether I could get a cheaper annual boiler service than presently payable to Glowarm.

Thank you for your patience and assistance on this matter.