British Gas Homecare renewal

StarTrekkie007

Hello,

I currently have British Gas Homecare which is nearing its renewal date. However, I've just got the renewal letter and there is a large price increase for next year. This is too costly for me and I am thinking of not renewing British Gas Homecare and going with another company.

Question 1. How do I go about cancelling British Gas Homecare ?
(a) Do I wait until it renews and then cancel during the initial 14 day period.
(b) Cancel just before the poilicy expires ?

Question 2. What alternatives are there to British Gas Homecare that you can recommend ?
What do people think of Homeserve ?


many thanks

Robin9

Ring them to cancel before end of the term.

If its just boiler find a local independent.

We did go with my MIL with Homecare (I think 400) - for peace of mind. She would sit in the cold over a weekend rather than ring her "boiler man" so as not to disturb his week end. Response was always good - last year had them out for blocked toilets.

Nebulous2

Cover varies quite a bit - lots of cover with excesses for example. The other problem I found with switching is that it is very difficult to set it up. Your start date may be a month in advance and your service could take 3 months after that. It is only after the service has checked the condition of your boiler that they decide whether they are willing to cover you. So you could be paying 3 months, have a fault, call them out to be told they aren't covering you. My cover is with Scottish Power.

wavelets

StarTrekkie007 wrote: »

...
Question 2. What alternatives are there to British Gas Homecare that you can recommend ?...

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/boiler-insurance/

Hasbeen

StarTrekkie007 wrote: »

Hello,

I currently have British Gas Homecare which is nearing its renewal date. However, I've just got the renewal letter and there is a large price increase for next year. This is too costly for me and I am thinking of not renewing British Gas Homecare and going with another company.

Question 1. How do I go about cancelling British Gas Homecare ?
(a) Do I wait until it renews and then cancel during the initial 14 day period.
(b) Cancel just before the poilicy expires ?

Question 2. What alternatives are there to British Gas Homecare that you can recommend ?
What do people think of Homeserve ?


many thanks

Call them before renewal date and tell them you do not want to renew, they might offer cheaper price. Ensure that you do not say cancel as they will cancel at that time.

I swop between BG and Homeserve "landlord's policies" every year to get new customer price. Would say level of service is same but BG better organised on line accounts etc.

dunstonh

We used to have homecare as we had a notoriously poor quality potterton boiler that would need a new circuit board on a frequent basis. They would do the annual service and with the boiler failing in some way every other year, it was good value for money.

jk0

StarTrekkie007 wrote: »

Hello,

I currently have British Gas Homecare which is nearing its renewal date. However, I've just got the renewal letter and there is a large price increase for next year. This is too costly for me and I am thinking of not renewing British Gas Homecare and going with another company.

Question 1. How do I go about cancelling British Gas Homecare ?
(a) Do I wait until it renews and then cancel during the initial 14 day period.
(b) Cancel just before the poilicy expires ?

Question 2. What alternatives are there to British Gas Homecare that you can recommend ?
What do people think of Homeserve ?


many thanks

They're all a fiddle. British Gas are the least worst. I have an ultra cheap BG policy for my home just to avoid having to search yellow pages when mine breaks. That costs £5.50 per month, and boiler callouts cost £99 and drain callouts cost £50.

MABLE

StarTrekkie007 wrote: »

Hello,

I currently have British Gas Homecare which is nearing its renewal date. However, I've just got the renewal letter and there is a large price increase for next year. This is too costly for me and I am thinking of not renewing British Gas Homecare and going with another company.

Question 1. How do I go about cancelling British Gas Homecare ?
(a) Do I wait until it renews and then cancel during the initial 14 day period.
(b) Cancel just before the poilicy expires ?

Question 2. What alternatives are there to British Gas Homecare that you can recommend ?
What do people think of Homeserve ?


many thanks

We have been with them for about 6 years now and every year they try increasing the cost and every year I challange it. So by that we are paying no more than we did 6 years ago. We pay £30 and thats cover boiler, plumbing and electrics. Also no call out fee.

Just ring their renewal line and ask them to look at the quote again. Whatever you do just be nice and polite. However I'm sure you do not need me to tell you that. Good luck!

StarTrekkie007

Update

thanks for all your comments, there were helpful. Thank you everyone

I phoned British Gas before the renewal date and changed the boiler service

I now have Breakdown Cover (for Boiler and radiators) which cost me just £67 per year
(rather than £300+ for my previous cover)

however, each time I call them I need to pay £99 excess
also there is no annual service (although I can call someone else if I feel I need a boiler service)

With my current boiler I get breakdowns around 5+ years apart, so I feel this plan is better for me

also I can almost have my boiler break down 3 times this year to match the cost of my previous plan,
so I think the new service plan will be cheaper in the long run