Glow Worm "One Off Repair" Complaint Help

[mkdr30]

Hi All

Long story short (ish)

I have a Glowworm Flexicom 30CX, for a few months the pump on it has been noisy/rattling etc...

The other day I get home to find water pouring from the casing. Suspected the pump but not 100% sure, I opt for a Glow Worm engineer for £260 with a promise to fix boiler within 48 hrs.

2 very cold days later the guy turns up, my builder is onsite, I'm at work.

He replaces the pump and leaves. Builder had to get this info from him on his way out otherwise it would have been pure guesswork . He was supposed to call me before 9am to arrange a time, never did this - also never gave anyone his name.

No documentation left onsite, no notes, no phone call to me (the customer). I had to call group service to find out what he had done.

I get home and our regular plumber is there - wife called him over as the heating wasn't working. He found the system completely drained and the boiler isolated.

He also found the pressure relief valve disconnected and dangling internally, which I would have never noticed - so goodbye solid wood floor if it ever over pressurised.

Apparently he had refused to refill the system to test as "your heating might leak". We are lucky to have good relationship a plumber we trust who found and fixed these issues - but it still cost us extra to rectify.


Am I reasonable in thinking this is shoddy, un-professional work?, or is it what I should of expected from a boiler manufacturer engineer?

Does anyone have any contacts for Glow Worm they could share that might help me make a complaint? Their customer care team are being totally unresponsive.


Thanks

 

[mkdr30]

you might question why I went with glow worm when we have a good plumber on hand.. - well plumber advised it would be cheaper to replace the pump this way, and be done in a day.

I think there's not much in it and totally obviously regret it now.

 

[gazdaz36]

The first thing I would say is that as it's the CX model the engineer would only of needed to drain the boiler, as it can be isolated from the heating. Leaving the pipe from the pressure relief valve disconnected is just careless on the engineers behalf. Finally as he would of isolated the boiler from the heating system then the only thing that would of leaked is the boiler that he was there to fix.
Sadly it's like most companies these day, they are pushing their engineers to the limit, giving them more work than they can complete in a normal working day. Ultimately some engineers rush leaving boilers in a poor and sometime dangerous condition

 

[Agile]

Perhaps not in this case but us independents suffer from a problem that many customers dont trust us and instead prefer to use British Gas and other large companies like boiler makers.

My view is that whilst there will be some rogue independents, most will be helpful caring people who will usually come quicker and be cheaper when expensive parts are not required. Makers and BG can get parts so much cheaper than they sting us for.

I will usually be able to go to a boiler the same day when called by 1200hrs although that is when I can get there and not a customer's choice of time.

Tony

 

[gazdaz36]

Oh and as for the who to contact try the main man Keith Mathers. He's the director of group service.

 

[mkdr30]

thanks for the replies and for the name.

I totally get what you are saying about engineers under pressure and the issues of expensive parts. I'm complaining to Glow Worm but will try and focus blame on the company.

In this case I knew it was the pump - and thought the Glow Worm repair would be the best option for price and knowledge of the product.

My main complaint is that the engineer didn't communicate, didn't give his name or explain in detail what had happened to cause the problem.

The lack of documentation left on site is confusing - I thought boiler and heating repair was all about documenting a service history so the next guy can see whats been done?

£260 + £100 to fix the issues.

 

[mkdr30]

sorry about the quality - this is the PRV after the engineer left site.

Untitled

• mkdr30
• 16 Feb 2015
• 1

 

[Agile]

Yes, that is careless but is an example of what can happen when someone is under pressure.

But I dont understand why he apparently did not connect boiler to heating system.

As for names, it is an odd feature that some in the heating industry for some reason do not like giving their names. Even some giving advice here to!

Even British Gas engineers usually do not give their names and if they do its often just a first name. I dont know what they are frightened of!

Once I had a TV licence inspector call. He claimed ( wrongly ) that he had a right of entry! He refused to give me his name, but he had his identity pass on a thread around his neck and did not prevent me looking at it. He had no answer when I asked him why he refused to tell me when it was on his card!

Tony

 

[petit_pablo]

Even British Gas engineers usually do not give their names and if they do its often just a first name.
Tony

Engineers name is written on the paperwork we leave on every job. Some put full name, others just forename.

You make lot of assumptions about British Gas without actually knowing much about how we operate.

 

[mkdr30]

Even British Gas engineers usually do not give their names and if they do its often just a first name.
Tony

Engineers name is written on the paperwork we leave on every job. Some put full name, others just forename.

You make lot of assumptions about British Gas without actually knowing much about how we operate.

Hi

Assume you are BG engineer? Would be interesting to get your take on my opening post. Do you think we should be making a complaint? As usual I get a bit in my teeth and sometimes don't know when to let go...

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Assuming he did actually change the pump and once the system was filled it worked ok?

In which case, Its not perfect by any stretch, but depending on whats going on in your house and the apparent condition of you heating system, he will have arraived to find the boiler empty of water due to the pump leak, and possibly not wanted to take the risk of filling a system where site work is happening when builders are in and about.

The PRV pipe is an easy one to miss although that does not make it ok by any stretch, but again, if soemones being pushed/rushing a job then it will happen.

As far as commiunication goes, he must have told someone he was worrieyd it might leak for you to know that, ideally he would have left a note, but hes under no obligation to leave a load of paperwork in the house. Also the morning call, its quite possible he couldnt get a hold of you for any reason, I know personally when I call a customer, if they dont answer I dont have time to keep trying them all morning.

Of course Im looking at this from a glass half full perspective.

You say you also had to pay an additional £100, what was that for? the plumber to top up the water pressure?

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Yes, that is careless but is an example of what can happen when someone is under pressure.

But I dont understand why he apparently did not connect boiler to heating system.



Tony

It would be connected, but they mean he could Isolate it at the CH flow/return valves, there very sturdy (wont leak) valves, and fill the boiler on its own, but that doesnt help your heating scenario.

As I say, Ive worked in a few places where bad expiriences make you particulaly paranoid ie the case that others are in working or have worked on heating systems (a lot of failures through no fault of a plumber can happen after system has been drained and refilled such as when fitting new rads etc) and if the engineer has had a genuine concern then they could leave the boiler fitted with the new part and leave for customer to fill.

 

[mkdr30]

Assuming he did actually change the pump and once the system was filled it worked ok?

In which case, Its not perfect by any stretch, but depending on whats going on in your house and the apparent condition of you heating system, he will have arraived to find the boiler empty of water due to the pump leak, and possibly not wanted to take the risk of filling a system where site work is happening when builders are in and about.

The PRV pipe is an easy one to miss although that does not make it ok by any stretch, but again, if soemones being pushed/rushing a job then it will happen.

As far as commiunication goes, he must have told someone he was worrieyd it might leak for you to know that, ideally he would have left a note, but hes under no obligation to leave a load of paperwork in the house. Also the morning call, its quite possible he couldnt get a hold of you for any reason, I know personally when I call a customer, if they dont answer I dont have time to keep trying them all morning.

Of course Im looking at this from a glass half full perspective.

You say you also had to pay an additional £100, what was that for? the plumber to top up the water pressure?

there was no suggestion of a possible leak, he apparently said (to our builder who was fitting a floor at the time) he doesn't ever re-fill systems after fixing a boiler "because he was not insured".

yeh pump replaced, boiler working and much less noisy so from that end a good result.

what annoys me is that he knew he was leaving site with the boiler isolated and the system drained having never spoken to me. How many people has he done this to who don't have the knowledge or experience to re-fill and bleed etc...

a lot of people wouldn't know what to do...

The extra £100 was for the plumber to come out same evening, refill, bleed, balance and take a look at a towel radiator valve which has been ceased up for a while. Hence the slightly higher rate.

I just didn't trust that the engineer had done a thorough job, wanted someone I trusted to check and that cost me the extra - I don't think I should have to do this, especially not with the boiler manufacturer involved. - but it was worth it to find the PRV.