Hidden boiler inspection charge

Kcairns

Hi all,

I need some advice regarding a boiler inspection charge. My oil boiler was making a noise and I knew that it’s annual service was due soon. I contacted a reputable company via their website to request a quote (no T&Cs on it) to come and do a service. The next day they contact me and arranged a date for them to come and do the service (no T&Cs advised on the phone just the price of the service). When the engineer turned up and looked at the boiler he advised that the boiler needs some repairs or replacing and he wouldn’t do a service beforehand. We asked the engineer to provide us with a quote of the repair work that he advises we get done and also a quote for a new boiler. A couple of days later I received both quotes. The quote which relates to the repair work states that it is valid for 30days yet within the quote it also states we are liable to pay an inspection charge within 7days if I do not accept the quote.

I’m wanting to know can they request that we pay and inspection charge when we didn’t ask for it to be inspected? Also we wasn’t noticed beforehand that they charge this inspection fee if no work is carried out, not even the engineer notified us of this charge. Can they also put the two different deadlines as it’s making me feel like I have to decide to accept a quote within 7days and not the 30days.

If anyone can give any advice on this, it will be appreciated.
Thanks,

Doozergirl

He did inspect it. He came out he must have looked at (inspected) it I'm going to guess that the inspection charge is probably less than the service you'd agreed to.

If he can't service it but has been booked into service it, I'd have to appreciate that I'd probably wasted some of his time. Things don't need servicing to fix problems, they need servicing to prevent problems.

I would say, though, that you can probably make a call that buys you a bit more time to make the decision if you accept that you'll pay the inspection fee if you don't take them up on the quote.

One can delve deeper into consumer laws and T&C's but the first thing you did was ask them to come to your house to look at the boiler. If that isn't an inspection, I don't know what is!