boiler warranty question with regards to servicing (Ferroli)

[AlF2008]

Hi folks

We've got a Ferroli boiler which has stopped working yet again.

It was installed in Dec 2010 and although it was checked over by our installer in august prior to the PCB being replaced under warranty, its not been officially serviced seeing as its only technically due. We've been away over christmas and new year and came back to a freezing cold house and Ferroli say that as its not been serviced within the 12 month period since installation that the warranty is invalid.

Surely there must be a little leeway with this?

Thanks
alf

 

[ratonnastick]

Not if you cant prove it was serviced, as with any warranty they will find a way to charge if you don't keep up your end of the bargain. I have had worcester agree to complete a repair free just out of warranty but they want your custom Ferrolli appear not to care.
Try to raise an official complaint with their customer service but don't hold out hope, Its harsh but in the current climate they will try to save money any way they can.

Just one more point to raise with them is that when the PCB was changed the engineer should have check the boiler for its safe and correct operation, this would almost constitute a service.

 

[Bunnyman]

U got no chance mate they won't even honour guarantee when boiler is in warranty period, it looks like they goin down the pan, see if British gas will take it

 

[muggles]

Not a chance, it'll say in the warranty documentation it must be serviced at least annually. It's a shame you've ended up with such a heap anyway, I'm yet to come across an installer who has anything good to say about them. Service/breakdown engineers love them though, gives them loads of work.

As Bunnyman has suggested, it looks very much like Ferroli are going to go bust and disappear soon anyway, so they will have little interest in being nice to you and accepting your argument that it's only just missed its service date. It would surprise me if they're actually attending many warranty calls at all currently, they'll be too busy giving people redundancy notices.

 

[AlF2008]

Thats pretty much what I thought - unfortunately I didn't put my foot down when the builder pushed for this make as that was what he was familiar with. He was about as good and reliable as the boiler has been so its no great surprise.

If we weren't about to move I'd have it ripped out and something else put in.

Got someone coming to look at it today as our installer cant get to us until monday so hopefully it will be something simple.

Thanks for the replies folks

 

[Boilerman2]

We recently installed a commercial boiler which when switched on would not work out of the box, so we called manufacturer they came next day and fitted a new PCB - 2 weeks later a massive bill arrived for over £700, we phoned maker and complained they stated it was not covered by warranty......because........wait for it........THE BOILER HAD NOT BEEN COMMISSIONED!!!!!!

we tried to remian polite when we explained the reason it had not been commissioned was that it would not start due to the board they had now replaced!!!!!!!

It might be worth arguing with Ferroli but as others have said (typical of most italian companies) they are not particullarly interested

 

[AlF2008]

If we get it working today I'll just move on. If not then I'll fight it for a while but with the expectation of getting nowhere.

Thanks again

 

[dcawkwell]

No serviced so just a get out for the manufacturer.
Now they are off the hook boiler warranty void.

No use crying about it now. Should have got it serviced
within the 12 months no if's no buts.

A nice gas man might service it and back date it.

 

[holty]

funny how customers treat warranty on boilers different to say, as if they buy a new car. i bet most would have a £200 oil change if it meant no warranty and car costing a bomb .so why is it different for boilers. have to say though unlucky to have a ferolli. i went to one today which has had 7 warranty callouts in 2 years so far. and i had to ring up today for a customer to get them back out on this pile of ****. due to divertor valve. needless to say, shes ready to get the thing replaced.

 

[AlF2008]

No use crying about it now. Should have got it serviced
within the 12 months no if's no buts.

thanks for that - very helpful.

 

[holty]

think you did miss the helpful bit. won't be the first time someone has back dated a warranty card.

 

[AlF2008]

funny how customers treat warranty on boilers different to say, as if they buy a new car. i bet most would have a £200 oil change if it meant no warranty and car costing a bomb .so why is it different for boilers.

Actually they are completely differernt to cars - I've never heard of a car that turns on the service light at the service interval (12 months or XXXX miles) and the manufacturer says sorry you should have had it serviced before the light came on. Sorry but your warranty is invalid.

I actually asked our installer about whether the inspection and checking he did prior to the warranty visit in august would constitute a service and he said just about but not quite but that anyway it wasn't due one until the end of the year. I would obviously have pushed him to do it then or prior to the end of the 12 months if I realised Ferroli would renege on the warrant due to this.

If it is the PCB then 3 months is a totally unacceptable time to fail - regardless of the warranty issue.

 

[AlF2008]

think you did miss the helpful bit. won't be the first time someone has back dated a warranty card.

Yes I did understand that part - hey maybe I should just forge the paperwork and not have to bother with the service at all.

 

[holty]

i think you missed the point. it states on many of boiler warranty's they need an annual service to comply with the warranty. it's there get out clause. i myself do work for a manufacturer. and they are lenient on this but some manus aren't. that's why CHEAP **** boxes like ferolli offer the crappy 5 year warranty. then sting you afterwards. only fitted 5 optimax. and each one has come to haunt me. luckily the customer realized we advised against getting a cheap boiler but needs must. still ferolli are a farce.

 

[holty]

Yes I did understand that part - hey maybe I should just forge the paperwork and not have to bother with the service at all.

thats up to you. but you will be committing fraud by using someone else gas registration number. while your at it. claim as much on benefits as you can. if you wana go down that route.