Home Energy Scotland / Warmworks Pensioner Boiler Grant Cost

akira181

My mother's boiler died last month and she's been trying to get support from Home Energy Scotland to get it replaced as she's on pension credit. She's applied and Warm Works have sent a contractor out to survey the house.

Apparently the contractor was quite cheeky and made a big deal about how laminate flooring, carpet, the panels boxing in pipework, and kitchen counter/cupboards will need to be ripped out to make pipework easily accessible and he won't be the one doing it, etc. He seemed to be in a rush to get the next ferry back to the mainland asap and didn't even finish all the measurements he was there to do when my mother asked if the pipework could be left unchanged. He just told her to call Warmworks to discuss it and immediately left.

I called Warmworks to ask if they could just change the boiler and rads, leaving the pipework as it's all 15mm copper albeit pretty old. They told me the contractor will only do a full system install (the two of them are passing responsibility back and forth it seems) and they need to change the pipework for warranty. Warmworks can offer financial help to get the prep work done, but putting laminate and kitchen cupboards back is classed as "redecoration" apparently and won't help with that. The kitchen was installed about 5 years ago, the walls painted/wallpapered 2 years ago, and the flooring 1 to 2 years ago so naturally I don't want to replace it all again (the laminate is no longer sold and I doubt I can remove it all without damaging any in the process. Also, I'm doubtful that reusing laminate will leave the same finish as before too).

So if I go for the grant, I'm looking at a new kitchen (including possibly tiling of the wall), re-flooring 2 rooms plus the hall with laminate again :'( (I expect the carpet to be reusable), replacing pipework boxes, and re-paint/wallpaper any damaged walls. It's starting to sound like redecorating after the grant will cost more than just replacing the boiler and radiators privately.

Considering the fact that my mother intends to sell the house by next year hopefully, does this grant make sense in shape or should I just pay for her to get a new boiler?

macman

Why do either the rads or pipework need replacing at all? The only normal upgrade to an old system might be to upgrade the gas supply in inadequate for the new boiler.
You can't expect a grant to cover access work or decorative work.
Can you not repair the boiler in order to use it for this winter at least? What is the fault? Boilers don't just 'die'.

BUFF

akira181 said:

Considering the fact that my mother intends to sell the house by next year hopefully, does this grant make sense in shape or should I just pay for her to get a new boiler?

Is there anything in the grant terms about having to pay back pro rata if you move/sell within a certain period of time?
There was when I got a grant & loan ~14 years ago (iirc it was within 5 years).

akira181

macman said:

Why do either the rads or pipework need replacing at all? The only normal upgrade to an old system might be to upgrade the gas supply in inadequate for the new boiler.
You can't expect a grant to cover access work or decorative work.
Can you not repair the boiler in order to use it for this winter at least? What is the fault? Boilers don't just 'die'.

The cynic in me thinks it's because it's a government backed grant so why wouldn't the contractor go for the full hog. The logical side says the rads and pipework are from the early 80s so maybe the contractor saw the rads and immediately assumed full system? He never explained why a full system was preferred but from what my mother said, it sounds like the contractor was enjoying tooting his own horn, making the job sound big, then getting out of there as quickly as possible. He spent more time making a deal out of what had to be ripped out and didn't even do the measurements he was supposed to.

I'm not expecting Warmworks to cover new decorative work, but at least return it to the state it was in before isn't unreasonable in my opinion. I mean, my mother is looking for support to get a new boiler and Warmworks solution is to provide support for a new system and leave her without most of her kitchen and flooring? It's just trading one expensive problem for another.

The engineer said power surge or something knocked out the transformer or something and would be £300 to repair. It was having problems with the pilot light staying lit before it refused to turn on. The reset light just flashes and won't reset. The boiler is an 11 year old WB Greenstar 25si and the engineer said it's probably going to have more issues in the future and better to replace it.

Personally, I think it's more likely a motherboard or fan issue but my mother stays on an island and the quality of workmen there often leave something to be desired. Beginning to think I should ditch this grant and just get a different engineer to repair.

BUFF said:

akira181 said:

Considering the fact that my mother intends to sell the house by next year hopefully, does this grant make sense in shape or should I just pay for her to get a new boiler?

Is there anything in the grant terms about having to pay back pro rata if you move/sell within a certain period of time?
There was when I got a grant & loan ~14 years ago (iirc it was within 5 years).

I'm not sure, I never checked. The original plan was for her to sell in 3 to 5 but my sister is moving and my mother wants to be closer to the both of us now so the plan has accelerated

haz25a

I know this is a really old thread but I completely agree with you.

I need a new boiler and Warmworks sent out a surveyor who sanctioned a whole new central heating system, I have four radiators, one was replaced two months ago, the other about 5 years ago. I also have laminate flooring throughout my one bedroom house that I can't afford to replace. I can't afford to redecorate either.

Some of the reviews I've read about this scheme are horrific! Botched installs causing further damage to properties including flooding, leaking radiators, damp issues, exposed pipework......the list goes on.

I'm sure there are some good installers out there but unfortunately you don't get to pick your installer and, as you say, the whole thing could end up costing you a lot more than the cost of the boiler.

I think a lot of gas safe companies are quick to take the money from the Government and then cut corners which could quite possibly leave your home in a dangerous situation.

I'm cancelling my survey from the installer I was allocated as I cannot find any reviews for them anywhere. It's just not worth the risk in my opinion given the awful reviews/photos of work that I have seen. 

I got a free boiler 12 years ago through a Scottish Government scheme via British Gas. They connected the condensate pipe to a rainwater pipe, the first time it rained the water backed up and flooded my boiler and property. It took getting my MP involved, a lot of stress and fighting to get it rectified and I was left without heating and hot water for 7 weeks.