What can be done about poor service?

djurmann

Dear MoneySavers,

this may sound familiar to you....I have a homecare 400 agreement with British Gas which effectively is an insurance. I pay each month and they say if I have a problem they will come out. The terms include an outside tap and piping.

I have a tap that started to leak (external) and phoned on Saturday afternoon (they could not come out apparently since it was after 4) but they would send someone between 9am and 6pm the following day. I lifted the patio, dug the hole, and waited. At 4pm I telephoned and was told the call out had been cancelled (apparently by me!) and they would send someone tomorrow between 8 and 12. At this point there were two options. Flood the house, or leave the water turned off for the whole street, but fortunatley a neighbour with tools and experience capped the pipe, so no flood and everyone had water except us. I phoned in the morning to confirm that the person was coming....they didn't. My wife phoned at 12....Apparently my saying, "good so I can expect someone between 8 and 12" was a cancellation! ....but they could send someone round tomorrow. My wife blew a fuse, (who wouldn't) and theoretically someone is coming this afternoon...but even if they do this is unbelievably shoddy service. Is there anything I can do?

Many thanks,

D

djurmann

Suffice it to say that British Gas lived down to their previous level of service and we paid for someone to do the work...If you have Homecare and think you are covered...you possibly aren't...an ex employee of dynarod explained why.

British Gas uses Dynarod to do a lot of the plumbing work under the homecare insurance. Though BG owns Dynarod as a whole the dynarod company is actually a series of franchises. British gas calls the local franchise and asks them to do the work for which they will pay a pittance. If you are the local franchise owner what do you do....do you do the insurance job and earn a few pounds, or do a much more lucrative private job? Some will do the private job which means that your insurance is a waste of money. It depends on the local franchise, the weather and how they feel on the day. As an aside the same employee (worked for DR for 18 months) said that Dynarod were expensive.

Clive_Woody

At the vesy least put your complaint in writing and ask for an explanation how and why the visits were cancelled and point out that this was not done by you as the opperator claims. I would also send them a receipt for the work and ask them to refund your costs, plus any time you had to to take off work.


For a bit of fun it might be worth saying what your friend told you in the letter and see what they say in response.