British Gas Homecare - cancelled annual service

Loose_Canon

I've just received an email from British Gas  saying they have postponed my Annual Boiler service for two months - yes TWO MONTHS.
They say it is because of industrial action. A quick online search shows that British Gas engineers are in 'industrial dispute' with British Gas. Apparently 200,000 visits have been postponed already.
I booked my service two months ago. Each year it is getting more and more expensive for a deteriorating service.  They no longer remind you to book a service and their so-called 'Rewards' scheme is no use to me.
Homecare adverts are all over the TV yet if this continues it seems I am paying for a service I am not receiving. Plus there is the added safety concern over so many cancelled visits.
Are we entitled to a refund?
Should British Gas be doing everything to ensure customer safety?

niktheguru

I think if you decide you dont want the annual service you can get that refunded. They state they are cancelling services so they can priorities emergency call outs during covid and their industrial dispute. Saying that, some people are having tough times getting people out during an emergency. Makes you wonder whether it is actually worth it whilst they seem to be self imploding!

Hopefully in the next couple of months companies wont be able to hide behind the "covid" excuse any longer to provide poor or no service.

Loose_Canon

Thank you.
It's been a year now. I know it's been really tough .  Perhaps chief executives should be showing their supposed mettle, earning their bonuses and stop using Covid as an excuse.  British Gas appear to be treating their engineers badly by asking them to sign new contracts.

Rachel*

My parents have had two previous services cancelled by British Gas, both times due to industrial action or freeing up engineers for emergency call outs. However they have received £60 compensation each time because of this. (They did have to complain via Twitter/phone to get this though!) 

They finally have a service booked in for Monday, which is now 19 months after the last service... 

CRISPIANNE3

Loose_Canon said:

I've just received an email from British Gas  saying they have postponed my Annual Boiler service for two months - yes TWO MONTHS.
They say it is because of industrial action. A quick online search shows that British Gas engineers are in 'industrial dispute' with British Gas. Apparently 200,000 visits have been postponed already.
I booked my service two months ago. Each year it is getting more and more expensive for a deteriorating service.  They no longer remind you to book a service and their so-called 'Rewards' scheme is no use to me.
Homecare adverts are all over the TV yet if this continues it seems I am paying for a service I am not receiving. Plus there is the added safety concern over so many cancelled visits.
Are we entitled to a refund?
Should British Gas be doing everything to ensure customer safety?

Mine should have been done early September 2020 and still waiting. Also my mom in laws was never done during her contract year and we managed to get £65.00 back from them. She then received a renewal price of about £550 for the year. However we got them to revisit the quote and got it down to £430 for the year. That is includes, Boiler, plumbing and electrics. 

Also we had an issue with the electrics and they would not send anyone out so engaged the services of a private contractor and claimed the money back from BG. Perhaps you should do the same regarding the service of your boiler and get BG to reimburse you. 

Loose_Canon

Rachel* said:

My parents have had two previous services cancelled by British Gas, both times due to industrial action or freeing up engineers for emergency call outs. However they have received £60 compensation each time because of this. (They did have to complain via Twitter/phone to get this though!) 

They finally have a service booked in for Monday, which is now 19 months after the last service... 

19 months is ridiculous.
I hope they get the work done

Rachel*

Loose_Canon said:

19 months is ridiculous.
I hope they get the work done

They finally had their service today! 

The_Hawk

Loose_Canon said:

Rachel* said:

My parents have had two previous services cancelled by British Gas, both times due to industrial action or freeing up engineers for emergency call outs. However they have received £60 compensation each time because of this. (They did have to complain via Twitter/phone to get this though!) 

They finally have a service booked in for Monday, which is now 19 months after the last service... 

19 months is ridiculous.
I hope they get the work done

I've been waiting 23 months and I've got to wait at least another 2 months.

Flash32

My advice is simple - don't even consider Homecare or anything like it.  Nothing more than an insurance or extended warranty and appalling value and reliability as most posts confirm.  Get a good local Gas Safe plumber.  We've done this for the last 30+ years.  If you want insurance, you'd do better to put your Homecare money in your piggy bank and use this to pay the plumber.  DO get your boiler, gas fires, etc., serviced regularly, to keep them efficient, but don't consider these "big boys".  Ask around locally who your neighbours would recommend and stay local.

keithgawler

Surprise surprise BG cancelled my annual service scheduled for next week and pushed it back 2 months. Call agent fudged the reason until I said I'm sure it's to do with strike action and she denied it, but couldn't otherwise put forward a reason for a 2 month delay. Grrr

Rawhide_2

The industrial action is in response to fire and re-hire of engineers with less favourable conditions, supposedly in response to the Covid pandemic. If you dont feel this is an appropriate way to treat employees you rely on to maintain and fix your home heating then consider choosing another maintenance organisation.