Got boiler insurance - claim they can't repair!

JimmyChanga

Hi All,
I'll try and be brief.
Got a combi boiler (Ideal Isar) and there was a small leak coming from it. For this particular make the manufacturers provided a repair policy underwritten by D&G. I was told with the most expensive policy everything was covered, including the main exchanger, with as many parts needed regardless. For up to 6 months. So that's what I purchased.

Engineer comes and says problem with main exchanger. That is then replaced. Couple of weeks later there's another drip. Engineer is booked. This time he draws attention to the condition of the boiler - citing rust. These are just rust stains from previous leak but certainly the casing and chassis looked totally fine. He claimed it was an uneconomical repair and he would advise his employer of such. He also claimed there was a rivet missing from the gas valve, due to the rust. But he failed to show me it. He didn't even attempt to look at where the leak was coming from.

Now I was told they would throw any part at this boiler to fix it and yet now I'm being told it's uneconomical to repair. The underwriters, D&G, after making me wait 2 weeks have offered £200 payment instead. They didn't actually state it was uneconomical to repair. Instead they're saying the parts to repair are no longer available and the £200 covers the part that would have otherwise been replaced.

I'm obviously miffed believing the boiler would be repaired regardless of cost. Anyone been in the situation? I'm also not happy with the engineer's claims. Only a week before the second leak my annual service engineer had already given it a safety certificate. Is there a 3rd party I can use to assess the condition? I'm afraid that just employing any old Gas Safe guy will have him sympathising with the first engineer and make up the same story.

jk0

Ah, that's D&G for you. I had to sue them some years ago for a new sky box. I won't touch them any more.



Get your boiler repaired by someone else, then sue D&G.

Alex1983

If the rivet has gone that holds the gas valve then it's new boiler time....ideal never made the chassis as a spare component. It sounds like the heat exchanger leak has rusted the chassis to the point of no return, this is very common.

JimmyChanga

I don't believe the rivet has gone. As I questioned his first claim he then changed the story. I'm sure it's possible the chassis can rot but I saw it with my own eyes and am familiar with these boilers. The metal was totally fine. Plus the previous leak they repaired was new and the only time it had this fault. I know others have suffered long term condensate blockage which overspills but this one never had this issue.

jk0

Sounds like D&G have a booklet for their engineers with a list of fatal failures for every make of boiler...



When the engineer gets to your house, he simply looks in the book, and says: 'I'm so sorry, Mr Changa, the gas valve rivet has rusted away'.

JimmyChanga

It almost looked rehearsed at the time, jk0. Either that or this guy was just incompetent. I'm going to find another engineer to assess it.

sevenhills

jk0 wrote: »

Sounds like D&G have a booklet for their engineers with a list of fatal failures for every make of boiler...
When the engineer gets to your house, he simply looks in the book, and says: 'I'm so sorry, Mr Changa, the gas valve rivet has rusted away'.

If they are offering £200, surely a repair would be cheaper.

jk0

sevenhills wrote: »

If they are offering £200, surely a repair would be cheaper.

Oh, that's possible. Just presumably the business model of the company, is to say it's beyond repair, and here's £200 to go away. Also, if o/p accepts the £200, presumably his cover stops. If he sues under the policy, then at least cover should continue until the policy expires.

Alex1983

Have they capped the boiler and left it immediately dangerous (ID)?

If they have replaced the heat exchanger then I don't see why they will not repair this other issue. The heat exchanger is such an expensive repair surely they would of said the rivet was broke and not bothered doing the heat exchanger if all they wanted was to get out of the repair.

Alias_Omega

I would try "British Gas One-Off Repair".

Link - https://www.britishgas.co.uk/home-services/boilers-and-heating/boiler-and-heating-repair.html


They will quote you for the work, before they start. I think its tier based upon how long it will take.

They would come out, inspect the fault, and then give you a price to fix. If you dont agree with it, they put it back together and move on...

Now... this is where you can be crafty?

If the £200 fixes it, get it fixed then give D&G hassle.

If the £200 doesnt, and its a total loss...they leave it un-repaired.

jk0

Alias_Omega wrote: »

I would try "British Gas One-Off Repair".

Link - https://www.britishgas.co.uk/home-services/boilers-and-heating/boiler-and-heating-repair.html


They will quote you for the work, before they start. I think its tier based upon how long it will take.

They would come out, inspect the fault, and then give you a price to fix. If you dont agree with it, they put it back together and move on...

Now... this is where you can be crafty?

If the £200 fixes it, get it fixed then give D&G hassle.

If the £200 doesnt, and its a total loss...they leave it un-repaired.

Hmm. Not sure why you would cap D&G's cost at £200 though? I sued them for the cost of a new Sky box costing over £400, when they did not repair my faulty one. I also received court costs and 8% interest up to the date they settled.


FTA: Good idea to get British Gas though