Boiler manufacturer states must have annual service

[reg091]

I have a WB boiler that is approaching one year old. Worcester Bosch warranty appears to only be valid if I have an annual service. This seems potentially illegal to me.

I am thinking that manufacturers are legally required to give a warranty on a product as every appliance comes with one. But can they set such terms that invalidate it if you don't get the appliance serviced?

Examples: my camera has a 12 month warranty, I don't have to have that serviced to keep the warranty valid. My Sky box same, fridge, washing machine.....

Seems wrong to me (especially as it is only a two year warranty and the service looks to be about £100).

 

[Biggles..]

Yep it's completely legal and should be expected, I'm sure you were probably told that At the installation stage that in order for the manufacturer to continue their warrenty you must have the boiler serviced by a GSR engineer.


No different to your car, to keep the manufacturers warrenty it had to be serviced by an approved garage.

Are they breaking your law as well?

Your camera doesn't need a service as it does t contain serviceable items, your boiler does, your camera is a throw away item,your boiler isn't, your camera doesn't have a long life warrenty!
It's not rocket science!

Not sure why or how you've ended up with such a short warrenty as would expect anywhere between 5-10years in a decent modern worcester.

 

[45yearsagasman]

You don't have to have WB service it. Any decent RGI can do it and fill in your service record.

 

[Dean744PiN5]

also your the first 12 months doesn't require the boiler to be serviced, so just like your camera it is covered without having to spend a penny. The following years are the prerogative of the manufacturer and not a god given right.

And why should a company be responsible for a product that needs maintenance but the consumer neglects entirely. Its indicative of the attitude of a lot in this county of, my rights this and my rights that without assuming any responsibility.

 

[Dan Robinson]

How very dare a manufacturer of a complex hard working piece of equipment insist it is properly maintained in order to justify a free extended warranty.

I mean.

What an absolute liberty.

The scheming bunch of barstewards.

Someone should call out the militia and have these herberts flogged.

No.

Flogging isn't anywhere near enough.

Christ you get 40 years for killing policemen. These bounders should never see the light of day.
.


Annual servicing? Pah.

 

[First-time-buyer]

£40 for a Boiler Service by a local RGI...

Is booked up to about 6 weeks ahead. Just does CP12's, Boiler Services and small repairs.

Works from 8am till 9pm, and was thinking about an Apprentice again..


I can see it being a good business model. Does the things that no one else wants to do. Does not have to get that dirty, just goes in and out the property.

Sometimes carries out BG boiler gas repairs too..

 

[reg091]

Thanks for the answers folks. So we seem to be saying that there are parts in the boiler that need to be replaced each year, or parts that need to be examined each year as they may need replacing. This seems very poor manufacturing. I use the example again of washing machine, dishwasher etc.

No other warranty that I am aware of implies that because there may be failures you have to pay to ensure that there aren't any failures! Sorry, but that is what a warranty is for!!

A warranty is supposed to give peace of mind that you have paid for a very expensive bit of kit but, don't worry, if something goes wrong in the first year (two in this case) we've got you covered. It is built into the price of the product.

Does this apply also to boiler extended warranties I wonder? There you are paying for the warranty. Do you have to also pay every year for a service for that warranty to remain valid? Paying twice!!

As to the warranty being two years, that is what it says on the WB website.

It seems to me that a manufacturer could either charge x and say you are covered for two years regardless, or less and say you are not covered so we suggest that you pay to get it looked at every year. In no other example that I can think off is warranty coverage (that you have paid for in the price of the product) dependent on you shelling out every year as well.

Cars are not the same as the potential for user stupidity damaging/wearing the thing out is higher. I cannot do anything stupid to the boiler or wear out any parts. If just by using it as intended I am wearing out parts in the first two years then, I say again, the manufacturing must be very poor.

 

[Dan Robinson]

 

[45yearsagasman]

Sorry reg091, you obviously understand little regarding the operation of your boiler. When you do, you will see that it's necessary work to maintain your boiler in good condition, heat exch, condensate parts, gas analysis etc. how you can compare it to a camera is beyond me. I pity the poor service guy who gets your business.

 

[Dean744PiN5]

no one will get his business as he obviously see's servicing as a rip-off.
Probably the sort who will never have it serviced and after 15 years when it finally breaksdown, he will phone some poor sod up and say "can you come round and service my boiler"

 

[ljrgas]

a boiler can kill if poorly maintaned

a washing machine, camera cant!

simple as that

do you get your car mot'ed / serviced every year??

think about it your boiler in working longer then your car so it makes sense to get it serviced

 

[Dean744PiN5]

as a consumer you have a choice if you don't agree with the terms of that product...don't buy it!
It is not your god given right to have a boiler or even central heating and hot water, if you don't like it don't have it

 

[reg091]

No need for the flaming folks, it is not helpful. I will happily pay to get my boiler serviced every year once it is out of warranty. I just expect it to not need servicing during the first two years of it's life - possibly longer.

The point is that I would expect a manufacturer to guarantee a product free of defects for a certain period of time (or carry the cost of repair if it fails) if used correctly, and I cannot use my boiler incorrectly!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Really?

 

[Newboy]

So you buy a new car and don't bother to have it serviced but expect the manufacturer to sort it out if there's a problem?