Boiler cover Not Valid

plh56

I would like to get confirmation of my rights in this matter please, as I think I have been told incorrect information and treated poorly.

Today I called up my boiler cover provider to book in my annual service. I have been a customer since March 2021. I was on a 12 month deal, then in February 2022 I got an email stating my cover would renew for another 12 months unless I call to cancel it, at a slightly raised price. I was happy to accept as price was fine so I let it renew automatically. My direct debit therefore carried on paying (at the new price) from March 2022. 
However, when I called today I was told I did not have any cover as the renewal had been sent in error due to a "systems error" so not only could I not book my service but had I had a breakdown since March 2022 I would not have been able to get any help (unless I signed up to a new contract/plan first). I was shocked by this and told the agent that surely this is illegal as I have been paying for a service that they have not been providing, nor had they even told me they weren't providing the service but the agent stated this is in their terms and conditions so they're perfectly within their rights to do this and are not doing anything wrong, so the best they would do is refund me from March 2022.

My understanding is that they had a contract to provide the service (accepted by auto-renewal once I continued to pay) until they told me it was cancelled, so no matter what their terms and conditions state they are in breach here as the law takes precidence.

Am I mistaken here? I'm not sure the point of paying for boiler cover if I am wrong, as surely the provider could just cancel anyone's cover without notification but continue to accept payment (for nothing) then?

Any advice gratefully received.

Aylesbury_Duck

plh56 said:

I would like to get confirmation of my rights in this matter please, as I think I have been told incorrect information and treated poorly.

Today I called up my boiler cover provider to book in my annual service. I have been a customer since March 2021. I was on a 12 month deal, then in February 2022 I got an email stating my cover would renew for another 12 months unless I call to cancel it, at a slightly raised price. I was happy to accept as price was fine so I let it renew automatically. My direct debit therefore carried on paying (at the new price) from March 2022. 
However, when I called today I was told I did not have any cover as the renewal had been sent in error due to a "systems error" so not only could I not book my service but had I had a breakdown since March 2022 I would not have been able to get any help (unless I signed up to a new contract/plan first). I was shocked by this and told the agent that surely this is illegal as I have been paying for a service that they have not been providing, nor had they even told me they weren't providing the service but the agent stated this is in their terms and conditions so they're perfectly within their rights to do this and are not doing anything wrong, so the best they would do is refund me from March 2022.

My understanding is that they had a contract to provide the service (accepted by auto-renewal once I continued to pay) until they told me it was cancelled, so no matter what their terms and conditions state they are in breach here as the law takes precidence.

Am I mistaken here? I'm not sure the point of paying for boiler cover if I am wrong, as surely the provider could just cancel anyone's cover without notification but continue to accept payment (for nothing) then?

Any advice gratefully received.

It's poor service, but what would be illegal about it?  Like any insurance product, you hope not to use it and the fact you haven't had a breakdown in the last two months means you haven't lost anything by not being covered.  You're getting a refund for the payment(s) taken in error, so you have suffered no loss and have in fact saved money.  Had you had a breakdown in the period in question, I'd be confident they'd have to provide the service you paid for, having taken the money, but you didn't.  

Just take out cover now (with this or another provider), and you've saved two months of premiums.

plh56

"Had you had a breakdown in the period in question, I'd be confident they'd have to provide the service you paid for, having taken the money, but you didn't. "

No, this was my point - they stated they would not have done if I called (like they refused my due annual boiler service when I called today to book it which I also had paid for), hence they are telling me they would have refused to provide the service I was paying for.

"Just take out cover now (with this or another provider), and you've saved two months of premiums."

Yes, I will do so, fortunately I did not have a breakdown when I was unknowingly not covered, so I have not been negatively impacted but that was not the point I was asking about

Aylesbury_Duck

plh56 said:

"Had you had a breakdown in the period in question, I'd be confident they'd have to provide the service you paid for, having taken the money, but you didn't. "

No, this was my point - they stated they would not have done if I called (like they refused my due annual boiler service when I called today to book it which I also had paid for), hence they are telling me they would have refused to provide the service I was paying for.

"Just take out cover now (with this or another provider), and you've saved two months of premiums."

Yes, I will do so, fortunately I did not have a breakdown when I was unknowingly not covered, so I have not been negatively impacted but that was not the point I was asking about

They can say what they like, but I think they'd have had a hard time defending that position.  You had what appeared to be a valid contract and evidence of payments going out.  If they'd refused, you could have got the problem sorted independently and pursued them for the costs that would have been covered under the contract.  And I think you'd win.

plh56

Fantastic, that's what I wanted to hear and thought should be the case, thanks for the reassurance!