British Gas - damage during repair

Neil_W

We have a British Gas homecare plan. Due a high pitched whine form the boiler we called them out - they claimed it was down to some pipe noise and to get to the fault a decorative panel was ripped out from the bathroom. This was a misdiagnosis and 3 diagnoses later they turned the boiler down and cured the fault.
The panel was damaged during the removal process. Unfortunately the laminate the panel is made from is no longer available and there are a number of panels like this in the bathroom. After a long drawn out story British Gas are only offering to replace this panel with ply wood and paint it the same colour as the bathroom walls. We believe they should replace all the panels so everything matches as painting one part would not match. They say the £1000 limit will stop them doing more.
What is our positon legally with this as they have damaged the bathroom and we just want it putting right as opposed to some botch up job

LadyDee

Don't think you are going to get a lovely, brand new bathroom OP. Would it be feasible to perhaps replace the panel as they have suggested and with a mirror fitted instead of the laminate? Or a picture or a cabinet?

Aylesbury_Duck

As above, you cannot expect them to match the whole thing. I'd look to replacing the panel with something different so the different finish isn't obvious.

macman

If pipes are boxed in and need accessing (which they did to eliminate the fault), then you cannot expect a perfect repair. You are responsible for providing access to any areas that they need to access to carry out repairs to the items you are covered for.
It wasn't a mis-diagnosis, it was necessary fault-finding, which is done by checking and eliminating each section of the system in turn.
I suspect that the t and c's will put the onus on you to provide access, so they could probably have refused to dismantle the panelling.

Neil_W

Thanks - although if you saw the bathroom layout you'd see why some of the answers wouldn't work
The terms and conditions use the term "make good" , perhaps when doing a job like this they should make it clear where the liability lies.
Interesting regarding the comment on mis diagnosis as the engineer who eventually corrected the problem was amazed at the three previous solutions proffered.
Anyway life moves on!