British Gas homecare-200 won't fix my boiler and sent £87 back for 5 months

catkins

You need to read your contract. I think BG are in the right here and have treated you fairly. Why not post make and model number so some of the people here can help you?

ukwoody

BG have not defrauded anyone. They returned the money which is despite giving two callouts, without being asked. They ahve said they cannot repair it. They havnt said it's impossible too. That said, the manufacturers have to supply parts for 10 years. if it's older then 10 years and is an integral part of the boiler chances are you wont get it.

As for the watchdogs. Why? It is typical of people with minor winges to clog up the sytem for genuine cases and you dont have a leg to stand on.
When I worked for BG 15 years ago it was standard procedure then, to not repair a boiler after so many years.

woody

jemw

I totally agree that BG have not defrauded anyone

It is pointless attempting to refer a complaint to FSA, they will not take on a singular complaint against a firm

Ordinarily you would need to exhaust BG's complaint procedure and then refer it to FOS -

HOWEVER - BG is not an "insurance", you have a maintenence contract with them, and as such you are unable to refer your complaint to FOS.

I'm not quite sure who you can refer your complaint to, but to be honest, I don't think you have a case - they have refunded you in full, despite incurring costs for two callouts, and unless you can source the parts independently, have provided correct information.

I know this is not what you wanted to hear,but I hope it helps
Jenemw

computerbar

ukwoody wrote: »

As for the watchdogs. Why? It is typical of people with minor winges to clog up the sytem for genuine cases and you dont have a leg to stand on.
When I worked for BG 15 years ago it was standard procedure then, to not repair a boiler after so many years.

woody

City & Guilds qualified Wood Butcher:D

Well I have ignored your last posts but looks like you are not stopping to defend BG.
No wonder you don't work for BG anymore you have no patience to listen to the poor customers minor winges. I am sure you could NOT cope with it and have resigned and found solace being a butcher :rolleyes:.

What would be more genuine then that. I have been given PEACE of MIND by BG so I can count on them when there is breakdown.

Now a child could understand if there were doubts and BG knew my boiler was thatmore than 10 years old that they would not be able to get a replacement part Why on earth would they form a contract.

They know most people DO NOT take the proper procedure to complain all the way hence they would rather TAKE THE MONEY option.

In my case they know they have made a mistake. thats why they gave me the premium back.

I would not waste my time and energy to take the battle all the way to court but atleast I can winge:rolleyes: ,and FYI, MSE is built up on these unfair minor winges.

and I am not alone look here
http://www.blagger.com/db4/company_id/99/companyname/British-Gas.html
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/utilities-gas-electricity-water/65455-british-gas-homecare.html
http://britishgashomecaresucks.blogspot.com/

Still this an open forum and you can say anything YOU want.

ukwoody

computerbar wrote: »

Well I have ignored your last posts but looks like you are not stopping to defend BG.
No wonder you don't work for BG anymore you have no patience to listen to the poor customers minor winges. I am sure you could NOT cope with it and have resigned and found solace being a butcher :rolleyes:.

.

Actually it was precisely that reason I left BG following the closure of several regional offices, the closure of the showrooms and the huge rise in complaints that if you remember left people waiting on the phone for 2 hours with unprepared staff and local managers (not thier fault they were dumped on like the customers) ho were horrified at the abandonance of their loyal customer base.
I then went back onto my tools which I had left a few years earlier following a bad knee injury.

My own customer service must be very bad as I've only advertised with flyers once at the time of moving here and never advertised since, having a fairly full work book and and superb personal refferal rate - of which I'm very proud. Must be bad.

At the time of siging you up it is doubtful (may be wrongly yes) but still doubtful that BG knew the specifics of your system and took it on good faith. if I remember correctly however, in the siging up process there are questions you have to answer which may have set alarm bells ringing - if you answered them or bothered to read the acual contract you answered. I stand by everyword that whilst a darn annoyance they have actually behaved extremely reasonably and there are without any doubt several national compaines I can name who would have refused to refund you any money having had two calls outs.

Personally I think you're still a winger.

Woody

dld2s

As I stated, I am on the Homecare maintenance contract and I know that if they can't get a part it would have to be a new boiler at my expense, minus a discount if I use BG.

I do have to sympathise with the poster though and also wonder if BG are being devious, they do come out and inspect your boiler and if it's working do allow you on, but, I don't think it's unreasonable for BG to have a database of boilers that they can't get spares for and wonder how many customers they take on knowing they can't get spares for them and hope that no fault happens but when a fault happens just refund the premiums (and probably just for that year, if you defunct boiler worked for many years i'm sure they wouldn't refund the whole lot)

Incisor

dld2s wrote: »

... I do have to sympathise with the poster though and also wonder if BG are being devious, they do come out and inspect your boiler and if it's working do allow you on, but, I don't think it's unreasonable for BG to have a database of boilers that they can't get spares for and wonder how many customers they take on knowing they can't get spares for them and hope that no fault happens but when a fault happens just refund the premiums (and probably just for that year, if you defunct boiler worked for many years i'm sure they wouldn't refund the whole lot)

Exactly. They are taking premiums for boilers which they know full well they cannot repair. If the boiler breaks down within a year and they refund the premium, it looks like there are no victims. But if the boiler lasts for 2 or 3 years, before the owner decides to get a new one, BG have pocketed a heap of premiums from people to whom they would not give a service - these people have been ripped off - as would others who have paid up for 2 or 3 years, only to be told the boiler is obselete and get maybe 6 months premiums refunded - when truthfully they never stood a chance of BG taking on the work.

ukwoody

Yes but bear in mind you get a full service for that premium once a year, and an engineer on standby 24/7. Now I may well be wrong here, but if I remember correctly over 60% of customers call an engineer out during the year for a problem.
Whilst BG do make money out of the breakdown cover, it really is no where near as huge as you would think, indeed that is why a few years back they seriously hiked the price up.
I dont actually think it's a very cost effective service for most people but it does offer a peace of mind - especially to the elderly. It has been shown that *most* people would be better off putting a set amount aside each month to cover a service by an independent corgi engineer, with an additional amount in case parts are required. Over a 3 year period you would be significantly better off, but you might have to wait 3 or 4 days in the winter to get someone out - hence the benefit of the BG scheme.
woody

computerbar

ukwoody wrote: »

Yes but bear in mind you get a full service for that premium once a year, and an engineer on standby 24/7. Now I may well be wrong here, but if I remember correctly over 60% of customers call an engineer out during the year for a problem.
Whilst BG do make money out of the breakdown cover, it really is no where near as huge as you would think, indeed that is why a few years back they seriously hiked the price up.
I dont actually think it's a very cost effective service for most people but it does offer a peace of mind - especially to the elderly. It has been shown that *most* people would be better off putting a set amount aside each month to cover a service by an independent corgi engineer, with an additional amount in case parts are required. Over a 3 year period you would be significantly better off, but you might have to wait 3 or 4 days in the winter to get someone out - hence the benefit of the BG scheme.
woody

so you confirm that BG's actual target is to con elderly people. and people like me are just bonus on the way.

It looks like you are still one of their call out engineer :think: .

like Incisor said when BG knows the boiler is old why it is still on their database. still they are just taking your premiums and if there is call out in the first year they refund otherwise it is free money for them.

ukwoody

Please do not twist my totally innocent words into something to suit your self.
You know damn well that is not the way it was said or meant. To a great many people (as can be proved by their huge customer base well over 1/2 million homes) many people get good service and peace of mind.

Furthermore, nowhere have I said I was an engineer or on callout for them. I wasn't. Since you have already been rude to me about my actual Trade - for which I served a 4 year apprenticeship with Distinction, I would have thought it was obvious.
That alone shows you do not bother to read things in full or correctly and jump to what ever conclusion suits you at the time.

For the record, I was a Customer Service Manager, then became a Community Relations Officer within Public Relations with responsibilty for Charitible aid and community donations.

Not only are you a winger, you are also parasite who is determined to put down others to gain personal benefit from their words or actions.


woody