Boiler question - very slightly corroded flue

Lornski

Looking for anyone who knows about boilers. I have had a Homestart policy with British Gas for around 10 years and now pay over £30 per month for boiler cover. The Ideal boiler is 14 years old and serviced annually - excl Covid times. The engineer who visited today was trying to sell me a new boiler from the minute he came in. He's ended up putting an 'At Risk' sign on our boiler, despite telling me it's safe to use. I'm obviously panicking now. There's a tiny bit of corrosion on the flue outside the house and he said the required flue kit is no longer available to buy. 
Should I cut my losses and buy a new boiler - really can't afford it right now - or should I ask a local gas safe engineer if they can find the part required? Is it the case that someone could maybe get the flue kit but it might not be Ideal? And would this be the wrong route to go down?
I'd be so grateful for any advice, the reason I've paid BG so much over the years is that this type of thing gives me the absolute fear!  
Thank you!

Bendy_House

Specific model of your Ideal boiler, please?

Certainly, do not panic. This is not dangerous, as he's allowed you to continue using it. He is probably 'correct' in planting the 'At Risk' notice, but, hey...

If you can tell us the specific model, and if replacement flues are still available and the boiler is otherwise running fine, then expect the advice to be to get it sorted by a local GasSafe, and for you to tell BG something rude. You've been paying them £360 pa for this? Lawdie

A good, local, trusted GasSafe is worth their weight. BG are worth next-to-now't in comparison; they do have a bit of a reputation...

tacpot12

Discontinued flues are sometimes available on eBay. If you can find one, you can pay a local Gas Safe fitter to fit it for you.

Lornski

Bendy_House said:

Specific model of your Ideal boiler, please?

Certainly, do not panic. This is not dangerous, as he's allowed you to continue using it. He is probably 'correct' in planting the 'At Risk' notice, but, hey...

If you can tell us the specific model, and if replacement flues are still available and the boiler is otherwise running fine, then expect the advice to be to get it sorted by a local GasSafe, and for you to tell BG something rude. You've been paying them £360 pa for this? Lawdie

A good, local, trusted GasSafe is worth their weight. BG are worth next-to-now't in comparison; they do have a bit of a reputation...

Thank you so much, that's genuinely really reassuring. I think BG corner the market with people like me who are worried about being without heating. 
The boiler is an Ideal Slimline Classic SE12FF and I've seen some flue kits online that looked like they might be the right thing but I couldn't be sure. Would be so grateful for any advice and I've already had a recommendation for a local guy who I have left a message for.
Thanks again.

Lornski

tacpot12 said:

Discontinued flues are sometimes available on eBay. If you can find one, you can pay a local Gas Safe fitter to fit it for you.

Thank you, I didn't even think to look on eBay!

Bendy_House

Hmm, I have to say I'm struggling to find one :-(

It looks like Part 150308, in which case it is certainly discontinued. I've seen a few posts about folk trying to track them down, usually ultimately successfully, but 'luck' seems to play quite a part in this; eg, I can't find one anywhere at the mo', but if you do a search on eBay, and 'save' that search, you should get emails whenever one turns up. I'd try 'Ideal 150308', 'Ideal Slimline Classic Flue', and even 'Ideal flue', tho' you'll need to sort through all the results from the latter to see if one is 'yours'.

Meanwhile, it might be worth having the local guy out for a looksee - explain the situation, and see if he can pop in on t'way home and give his opinion on the 'risk', a possible 'fix' - eg, if it's literally only a small patch of surface rust, then treating & painting this should stop it in its tracks, and also the chances of getting hold of a replacement part.

I have to say, making a major boiler part obsolete well within 14 years (one of the folk searching for this was back in 2018) is not very confidence-inspiring; it does seem to imply that, after 10 years of boiler use, you are on your own...