Reporting a gas leak

homersatim

After hearing the carbon monoxide alarm go off, I went to investigate and could smell gas too. Immediately I called the emergency number and Cadent arrived within 20 minutes.

The engineer did his investigations and told me we didn't have a gas leak from the mains but that it may be something to do with our (almost brand new) boiler. He told me that he would have to cut the gas off and for British Gas to send an engineer out.

After waiting 45 minutes on hold, I was told that this is not considered an emergency and that we would have to wait for 4 days before an engineer could visit.

Apparently having 2 small children (2 and 4 yrs old) in a house with no heating, cooking facilities or hot water isn't a priority for British Gas. I think that if I tried to bring my children up in that environment on an ongoing basis, Social Services may have something to say about it.

Having been a BG customer with the full homecare package for many years, we have been atrociously let down. The customer team couldn't care less about our situation and were more intent to argue with me and tell me what they couldn't do rather than trying to resolve a serious issue.

I'm now booking the family into a hotel until BG send their engineer out and taking out a small claim against them to recover the costs. Cancellation of the whole service will happen after they've resolved the issue.

What is clear though is BG clearly don't take gas leaks or carbon monoxide poisoning too seriously. Perhaps it would be better to just ignore the smells and take the batteries out the alarm. It would certainly cut down on BG's workload and they can concentrate on how to improve their TV adverts.

MeterMan

When you say almost brand new boiler, how old do you mean?

Did British Gas fit the boiler?

Having children under 5 years old classes you as vulnerable.

British Gas of course take gas leaks and CO alarms seriously, but your gas is disconnected, so there is no leak or CO leakage.

If BG fitted your boiler within the last 4 weeks, you should have paperwork or phone numbers for either the sales rep, or heating installer, or even a direct contact number for the heating engineers manager, If your boiler is this new, I would going down this route rather than the normal homecare contact line.

Always report gas leaks, you know the risks you take by not doing.

spadoosh

I had a gas leak, rang the number and they fixed it within an hour. Id always recommend reporting a gas leak. Its dangerous otherwise.

Your issue is with british gas and their boiler/service. You need to correct the title.

FreeBear

If you smell gas, always, always report it. The consequences can be destroy homes and lives.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-48190598
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-49798257

UnclaimedEnergy

I feel like the OP needs to be taken down.

It's dangerous if anyone reads it and takes on the advice to not report a gas leak.

Rather be alive and without gas for a week than dead...

RelievedSheff

Why wait for BG?

Get in a local company.

matelodave

Now you've had a good rant, how about some details.

If the boiler is "almost brand new", how old is it and who installed it, because they should be your first port of call under the Consumer Rights Act.

jefaz07

The gas regs say that an emergency engineer will only check for the presence of CO in the property, however they don’t have the machinery to test the flue gasses or do a CO room test.
You say British Gas don’t care...Cadent have been out and deemed the situation safe so then there is no risk to you is there? Cadent engineers have action levels and you obviously haven’t met those as you’re still in your property.
BG and Cadent are totally different companies and Cadent are strictly regulated so to say don’t report anything is ridiculous and petulant.
You reported an issue, someone came to your house and told you the situation is safe. So why not report it? Everything that needed to happen has happened in a timely manner?

boo_star

Homecare isn't, as far as I'm aware, an emergency callout product. It's basically insurance and they can take a few days to come out and fix it.

PennineAcute

Well if you ignore the smells, then that would save BG a job, as they would not have to honour (if indeed they are honouring) the contract you have with them. Why, as unfortunately, you would not be alive for you to make the phone call.

In the main, contracts like these have had some awful feedback. But it is an insurance and, like all insurance, you have to ask is it worth it and will it do all that I want. In your case, the insurance is not worth it, and you will have been better, IMO, to put the monthly payments to one side to use in case of an emergency.

Yes, I have home insurance. I know they will not make payment immediately you contact them, but in the event of a massive disaster, I know that I could not afford to replace everything in my home. In this case, the insurance is worth it.

AndyPK

I purchased some cheap electric heaters from argos when my heating failed. £10 each ?

2 or 3 and move them between rooms as required

if you have a combi with no hot water then that is a pain