British Gas Homecare mis-information & ongoing problem

JSlondon

Seeking advice on how best to proceed....

I rent out my flat. The flat has a reliable old boiler (regularly serviced and working fine) which, since 1992, has been insured with British Gas Homecare.

About 10 days ago, it failed the Gas Safety certificate due to high emissions. British Gas advised that it was an issue with the flue but that flues were not covered by the Homecare policy. I checked the policy though and flues actually are covered, as long as they are less than 1 metre in length. This flue is under 1 metre in length.

I shared the good news with British Gas who then advised that the relevant flue for my boiler was an obsolete part and I would therefore have to buy a new boiler.

Using the boiler's GC number, I did some research and was able to source a new part.

I told British Gas the good news.

British Gas said that the part would need to be from one of their approved suppliers otherwise they would not be able to fit it. I checked and, fortunately, the company was an approved British Gas supplier and British Gas had an active account with them.

Finally we have a resolution, I thought.

British Gas then told me that scaffolding would not be covered by my insurance (my flat is on the 2nd floor) so I'd need to arrange that myself.

I got some quotes for scaffolding and then, in the unlikely event of British Gas having misinformed me, I checked my policy, Actually, scaffolding was not listed as an exclusion, I had paid to be covered for that too.

I called again (as usual was on hold for over 20 minutes) and shared the good news. The agent said she would arrange for the engineer who had visited my flat to call me. The champagne was on standby.

The next day, the engineer called. The concern now (this was being relayed from his supervisor, he said) was that, even if I did provide scaffolding, it was a matter of "health and safety" and British Gas would not do the work on these grounds.

I asked how he proposed to overcome this health and safety concern if, instead, I paid British Gas to install the new boiler that were so keen to sell me. He said, if I bought a new boiler from them, the Health & Safety would not be a problem. There’s a stroke of luck.

I relayed all of the above to British Gas and, on Tuesday of last week, spoke with a member of their resolutions team. He said he would arrange for the engineer's team leader to contact me and that, if the problem had not been resolved by the Thursday evening (Jan 19th), I should call him again then.

I did speak with the senior engineer on Jan 18th who agreed that the policy I had been paying into for half my life did cover the work. BUT (a) I would need to purchase the part myself from their approved supplier and British Gas would later reimburse me and (b) Scaffolding costs were covered up to £1000 but the scaffolding would have to be done by their own approved scaffolders.

My own scaffolding research had indicated a cost of around £350 but - before I ordered the new flue parts - I obviously needed to know whether British Gas's own scaffolders were going to charge in excess of £1000.

I left 2 messages with the senior engineer requesting those scaffolding costs and he has not replied to either (or picked up on the 2 other occasions I have called his number).

On Thursday evening, as arranged, I called my contact at the Resolutions’ team as but it was his day off. I emailed him the following morning and have not heard back.

Meanwhile, the comfort & safety of my tenants is a priority and, legally, I need a valid Landlord's Gas Safety Certificate. Given the cavalcade of misinformation from British Gas, the constant problems with communication and a little matter of the Law, I now have an independent Gas Safety Engineer ready to fit a new boiler and flue next week. I could have employed him to fit the old flue instead but (a) That would be a violation of my policy with British Gas (all work must be carried out by them for my policy to remain valid) and (b) I only have the diagnosis of British Gas that it is the flue that needs to be replaced anyway.

Since I took out the policy with British Gas, I have paid them well over £10,000, never missed a payment and my flat is exactly the same distance from the ground now as it was when they willingly received my first payment in exchange for their cover.

Given that my policy with British Gas does cover me for the work, there has been a catalogue of misinformation and lack of communication from British Gas and I have legal obligations to my tenants, is my only realistic option now to get a new boiler / flue installed independently and to pursue British Gas to reimburse these costs?

Are there other options I'm missing?

jk0

Crikey, that sounds bad. I'm on the same fiddle for my rental in London at £66 pcm. I usually get the sales pitch every gas check also.



Nothing would persuade them not to bill you for a new boiler. I think in your shoes I would get the new flue fitted rather than a boiler, whether by BG or by an independant and sue BG for the cost.


I have sued them three times now I think, when they haven't shown up for the gas check. (They just settle out of court.) BTW, presuming you are in England, make sure you sue them at an address in England also. They seem to be rather cagey about this address, for obvious reasons.

macman

BG have form when it comes to condemning perfectly safe installs, and claiming that easily obtainable parts are obsolete. Cancel your cover and employ an independent GSR RGI to retest and do any necessary work.
This is a classic example of why boiler annual insurance policies are terrible value. I'm amazed that BG will still insure a 26 or more year-old boiler at all.

JSlondon

Thanks JKO. Did you go through Small Claims?

jk0

JSlondon wrote: »

Thanks JKO. Did you go through Small Claims?

Yeah. I was only suing them for £45 or so.