Boiler/heating breakdown - no cover

Pound

Hello,

My gran is having trouble with her heating. The radiators are not getting very warm. Because it's very cold this time of year she's just signed up with Homecare 200 for £17/month.

When we called to arrange an engineer they said because the fault had already occured we would need to upgrade to the £27/month policy. An engineer is coming out on Tuesday.

I should mention the boiler is about 23 years old.

Whilst we're still within the 7 day cooling off period can anyone tell me if there's a cheaper provider I could go with? Anything I should be aware of, are they going to look at a boiler that old or just comdem it? I appreciate that it might be more because the boiler wasn't covered before the problem.

Thanks

Cardew

There are loads of threads on Boiler cover and Martin has an article on the subject.

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

BG will normally inspect first before placing you on contract. The old boiler and fault may deter them.

If the boiler is firing and she is getting hot water, you could look check to see if the pump is working - hot pipe one side and cool the other is the normal symptom - or could it be that the radiators need bleeding?

Pound

I did read that article, it doesn't seem to give me much information on what I can do if there's an existing problem though.

We've tried bleeding the radiators but it hasn't helped. I haven't checked the pumps, no idea what I'm looking for.

I'm quite surprised that BG have even agreed to send someone out if it's a pre-existing problem, they just want another £10/month. I'm just worried that they won't be much help and we'll be stuck with a 12 month contract.

imho

I was thinking of having the BG service contract but in the small print it said they dont service the boiler, its just a contract if something goes wrong when you have the cover with them,then i would have had to pay the first £50/75 .
I never bothered with it. I jsut had a local firm come out and service my boiler £60.50+vat and he did a great job,he got radiators that were never hot enough to get hotter and swiched down the ones that were too hot .
I wouldnt worry to much about the age of the boiler as i reckon these older boilers will last longer than the new ones they make today.
Read this http://www.diyfixit.co.uk/diy/centralheating/problems/problems_1.html

Cardew

imho wrote: »

I was thinking of having the BG service contract but in the small print it said they dont service the boiler, its just a contract if something goes wrong when you have the cover with them,then i would have had to pay the first £50/75 .

That is not correct.

There are 2 types of BG package.

The more expensive one where you incur no charges or the cheaper version where each callout incurs a £50 charge.

Included in each package is a nil charge 'Yearly Safety and Maintenance Inspection' their small print states:

This is essential to ensure that your appliance and/or your system continues to work safely and efficiently. We are constantly improving the way in which we efficiently SERVICE your system by working closely with boiler manufacturers.

It then goes on to list the steps the engineer will take.

Look at the service schedule of any boiler manufacturer and see what 'servicing' is required - it is minimal. Normally some cleaning and checking boiler emissions.

Why would BG or any other firm ignore 'servicing' requirements, that could cause unreliability, when they(BG) have the expense of repairing all faults?

Canucklehead

Good evening: Our landlord has our rental on a BG service contract...I had the opportunity to observe the engineer conducting the 'yearly service and maintenance inspection' ...he took a look at the burner, measured flue gases, checked controls... all done in less than 30 minutes... the manufacturer's suggested annual service regime is extensive eg http://www.glow-worm.co.uk/products/pdf/current/Flexicom_cx_Installer_Manual.pdf
I had a chat with the engineer afterward...he does 8-10 home visits every day, throughout East Kent, and agreed that what he does is not an annual service but a safety/maintenance check. An excellent explanation of what constitutes an annual service is available here.. http://www.miketheboilerman.com/servicingdetail.htm

HTH

Canucklehead

Cardew

Canucklehead wrote: »

Good evening: Our landlord has our rental on a BG service contract...I had the opportunity to observe the engineer conducting the 'yearly service and maintenance inspection' ...he took a look at the burner, measured flue gases, checked controls... all done in less than 30 minutes... the manufacturer's suggested annual service regime is extensive eg http://www.glow-worm.co.uk/products/pdf/current/Flexicom_cx_Installer_Manual.pdf

Canucklehead

I should know better than to even query anything that you contribute as you are the expert(he said in his most obsequious manner)

However having a look at the Servicing schedule in the link you provided(page 40 section 12) it looks to be quite simple and far from “extensive.”

The first page and a half is how to carry out a combustion check but it says it is not necessary in Servicing

Then check the electrode gap and the rest is cleaning and visual checks.


Have I missed something?

I have looked at the recommended servicing for the 2 boilers in my property - an Ideal Mexico and a Worcester Combi and they are equally as simple.

Terrylw1

Looks pretty simple to me. Ours has been with BGas for a while and they are not ever here very long.

They have always said it's a safety/maintenance check but to do less than the above would be a 5 min call surely???

imho

Cardew I must have got it wrong about BG ,i was looking at the cheaper monthly option.

Canucklehead Local firm i had out to service our boiler took 90 mins ! i watched him do it all,then he sorted the radiators out . Well worth the £60+vat.I gave him another £10 tip .worth every penny as now i dont need the boiler control up to max.

Last guy we had into service it put in a 2nd hand part but charged us for a new part , it was only when i called them out again and said its still not right the he admitted it was a 2nd hand part before . My bill was over £200 for nothing cause the fault was still there !

Just to add this Cardew was right about the Yearly Safety and Maintenance Inspection . Thanks .

Canucklehead

Good morning: Not an expert, never claimed to be:think: my OH, Corgi Guy (who posts under my username but always signs his own posts) is the CORGI. My point is.. BG does not provide an annual service and service procedures will vary as outlined in the link I provided in my previous post http://www.miketheboilerman.com/servicingdetail.htm and by boiler manufacturer. If an 'annual service' takes '5 minutes' this does not represent value for money or best practice. Consumer beware.

Canucklehead

PS. Cardew...can't keep up with your edits:D

jackieb

I'm with BG and have HomeCare 200 and I get my boiler and radiators checked every year. I have a back boiler and they take the fire off and give it a proper clean (with their own Henry the Hoover. ) They also check my ventilation's okay, and everytime any new legislation has came in, then they've change my air vent. It definitely takes them more than 5 minutes to do. I'm happy with the service.

Several years ago I phoned BG when my boiler broke down over the New Year. They said I wouldn't have anything to pay if I took out their cover, which I did. Their rules must have changed because we only took out the cover when our boiler broke down. They didn't charge us any extra for doing that.