Breakdown cover.

[jockskinner]

Hi again,

It wasnt the engineer that fitted the pcb that mentioned the ventilation, it was the engineer from Worcester Bosch that condemned the boiler due to ventilation issues. The pcb engineer did test the boiler after fitting it......unfortunately it had started working again prior to his visit today. He did leave the old board

 

[kitch0978]

the engineer that fitted the pcb should still have advised about the ventilation......i wouldn`t have fixed an at risk boiler unless remedial work had been carried out first to bring it up to date.......neither i suspect would most engineers.... the fact that its been fine for 15 years does not mean that you will not suffer in the future...maybe.....

 

[jockskinner]

Hi there,

The engineer works for a reputable company and I sure he is fully qualified. He has been servicing the boiler for years under a Homeserve Breakdown and service contract. As I have been paying for this contract for years (£200/year) and was not notified that the boiler was at risk....would I qualify for compensation?

 

[petit_pablo]

Well for what its worth i'd agree with the worcester engineer on how he classified the installation.

If you have zero ventilation to outside then the installation has been At risk for a long while.

 

[jockskinner]

One thing has shone through this whole experience is that there isn't two heating engineers out there who interpret the legislation the same. Certainly heating engineers come out of it in a very poor light. One has been servicing the system for years without a murmer and another condemns the system less than 5 minutes after seeing it.....this cant be right. Obviously the legislation must be quite vague and engineers can apply them as they like.
e.g. flue should be 600mm before a bent and not must be. I am also of the opinion that there are more than a few chancers out there. I have been informed that the worcester bosch guy failed it because he thought that there was 3 violations, two of which could have rectified in minutes, repair to back wall cupboard and uncovering the airvent in the hall floor that had been covered by a fitted hall carpet recently. This would have left the 600mm straight flue but he should have then just mentioned it and left it to me whether to fix it or not....at least that is how I interprit the legislation. I seems obvious that because of the restricted access to the boiler and the fact it was a Friday afternoon ....he really didnt want to do the job.

 

[jockskinner]

HEATING HAS FAILED AGAIN....SAME PROBLEM...ON AND OFF.

 

[nickso]

what a surprise.

why dont you get worcester to do the job properly after you have sorted the cock ups which are not the worcester engineers responsibilty to do....friday afternoon or not.

 

[jockskinner]

Hi again,

Its a bit risky getting the worcester bosch out again. I could fix some of the faults bar the flue but he said that he wouldnt work on the boiler unless all the faults had been done. Lets remember, this is the guy I paid over £200 originally to fix the fault but went on to condemn the boiler. He could at least have given us mere mortals a clue into what might be causing the fault for the pleasure of taking £115 for less than 5 minutes work.
I get the feeling that boiler engineers think they are masters of some black art and its mystical how they come and shake their heads and say...its going to be expensive. Its all right if you are one of the brothers but hard luck if youre just one of the paying public. I use to be a service engineer for many years and would never have treated customers like this.
I had a feeling that it probably wasnt the circuit board because I have worked with circuit boards for many years......they tend to go bang and that is the end of them. I am sure it is a sensor problem as it works sometimes but goes on and off when it is playing up. The hot water is no problem which rules out most mechanical parts. I think my money would be on something like the CH sensor. I am surprised that all you engineers out there havent had an attempt at suggesting the faulty part.
Jock.

 

[Axel]

Local Trading Standards Office.

 

[jockskinner]

Unfortunately Trading Standards do not repair CH boilers now.

 

[Axel]

No, but you have paid money to Homeserve for a service that is ultimately meant to keep your heating running, so if they can't provide this, they should at least refund you last year's premium.

Personally I find Homeserve to be brainless morons - mostly call centre, hardly any actual work - my building insurance once paid them to fix a broken window - the blokes who came fitted a new one and they cracked it as they put in the last nail, then they f****ed off never to return again.

 

[jockskinner]

I just want to be able to turn on my heating....instantly,when I need it. Not a lot to ask. Its like switching on your kettle to make a coffe....you want in now, not an hour from now or maybe several hours from when you switched it on. Because the fault is still intermittent, the chances of Homeserve and Thomas Graham ever getting to the bottom of this in becoming remoter.
Jock.

 

[nickso]

Because the fault is still intermittent, the chances of Homeserve and Thomas Graham ever getting to the bottom of this in becoming remoter.
Jock.

therein lies the problem.

i suggested you get worcester back as they at least have the chance of taking a good guess at an intermittent fault, if they get it wrong you get them back and they will actually turn up.

facts:

1)your boiler is ******.
2)the current lot are taking too long.
3)you have safety issues that need to be addressed, none of which are rocket science.
4)worcester can repair it but only if the safety issues are sorted.

guess what im going to suggest next............

 

[jockskinner]

Unfortunately...you are right but I am a disabled pensioner unlike some of you rich dudes out there. This is why I pay a breakdown and service insurance (over £200 per annum) so I dont have to pay out money that I dont have. I already payed £215 extra to get worcester engineer out. Ok I managed to get some of it back but it will cost another £208 to get them back. To carry out the most of the ventilation problems would be reasonably cheap but what actually must be done to comply with regulations. The boiler cupboard is fitted with a louver door, there is a sizable hole at one end of the cupboard where the pipes go down under the floor into the foundations. Do I need a vent in my large hallway outside the cupboard door? Just how much ventilation do these boilers need. He also mentioned that the old flue was still in place and should be covered. It sounds like he wants one vent in and one vent out...great in a perfect world.

 

[Steady]

Worcester guy was no gent. You deserved a better standard of service than that.He should have been of more practical help to you than he was regardless of whether your boiler was at risk. Obviously the call centre think the same or they wouldn't have offered to refund part of the fee. In my view this doesn't go far enough. they should come back and at least try to repair the fault on the boiler. Yes the flue issue is a problem but there is such a thing as discretion and I can't see a self-employed engineer giving the same level of service as he did even getting paid. Get the robbing sods to come back and sort it out or tell them you want ALL your money back . If you get no joy write or email their customer services and tell them you will make public at every level their woeful standard of service . Out of the three, Homeserve, Worcester or BG I would cite BG every time as the ones most likely to get your boiler going without all this effing about.