Useless Warm Front

[D_Hailsham]

My son's back boiler stopped working yesterday. We checked all the electrics (Y Plan) and everything tested OK, so we called the service engineer today. He came and said the boiler had had it - needed a new one.

MY son is entitled to a Warmfront grant, so he phoned them up and explained the situation. Their reply was that it would take up to six weeks before an "assessment" could be made and another six months before the boiler could be installed. My son told them that he has two small children, couldn't they do it any quicker? He also asked if they could get the work done and claim back afterwards? The reply in both cases was no.

My son can't afford to pay for a new boiler, so we will have to help him out.

No wonder there are so many complaints about Warmfront.

 

[Agile]

Its well known thats the situation, I have done repairs for people waiting for their warmfront install.

The effect is that in many cases parents or other sources pay or lend money to get the system replaced so its perhaps a way they ration the available money?

A back boiler is so simple that I dont see any reason why it should not be repaired as long as the flue is in good condition.

Tony

 

[D_Hailsham]

A back boiler is so simple that I don't see any reason why it should not be repaired as long as the flue is in good condition.

I know, but the fire front is also U/S and a new one will cost a between £500-900. Add on the price of a new gas valve (£170) and labour costs and you are looking at well over £1000 to repair a 25 year old inefficient boiler.

 

[Agile]

The firefront can be capped off whilst still allowing the boiler to work. BUT I dont read anything from the OP saying the fire is US ?

That would tide the owner over until the warmfront replacement.

Tony

 

[D_Hailsham]

The firefront can be capped off whilst still allowing the boiler to work. BUT I dont read anything from the OP saying the fire is US ?

That would tide the owner over until the warmfront replacement.

I am the OP, so I should know if the firefront is not working!!!.

The fire front was capped off some time ago, so only the boiler has been working. If you replace the gas valve, so the boiler is working, Warmfront will not be interested. It has to be not working when they send their assessors - after Christmas! In any case the first thing Warmfront will try to do is repair the boiler!

It's a lose-lose situation.

 

[BingoBongo]

I didnt think warmfront would do anything if the part was available.

its not as if it has been condemned.it just needs repaired

what model bbu is it?

why was the fire capped?

 

[D_Hailsham]

what model bbu is it?

401

why was the fire capped?

Not sure. Think it failed the spillage test.

 

[BingoBongo]

grey button gas valve is about £90-£100

 

[nickso]

The firefront can be capped off whilst still allowing the boiler to work. BUT I dont read anything from the OP saying the fire is US ?

That would tide the owner over until the warmfront replacement.

I am the OP, so I should know if the firefront is not working!!!.

The fire front was capped off some time ago, so only the boiler has been working. If you replace the gas valve, so the boiler is working, Warmfront will not be interested. It has to be not working when they send their assessors - after Christmas! In any case the first thing Warmfront will try to do is repair the boiler!

It's a lose-lose situation.

there are ways around all of that if you really want a shi tty boiler ****tily installed.

 

[bengasman]

there are ways around all of that if you really want a shi tty boiler ****tily installed.

How can you say they will do a ****ty job? It's a government initiative, and all the installers are carefully vetted, so it must be good.

 

[nickso]

How can you say they will do a s job? It's a government initiative, and all the installers are carefully vetted, so it must be good.

i dont generally consider you to be humorous but that was quite funny.

 

[namsag]

So how exactly has the boiler had it .
Gas valve faulty?? whole valve or operator gone
V4600C £44 from Abcot same as an operator if that has gone both simple repairs.

And who told you valve £170 , strange you would believe this when you post on here all the time.

Not warmfronts fault that so many people can now claim for new boilers they only have limited resources for installing fault lies with the government

 

[bengasman]

i dont generally consider you to be humorous but that was quite funny.

It did make me giggle when I read this post, coming from the promoter of trustmark and the likes.

 

[D_Hailsham]

And who told you valve £170 , strange you would believe this when you post on here all the time.

That was the first price I found on the Internet. Just done another trawl and the lowest I have found is £60 on Ebay for a new one - not that I would think of getting a second-hand one installed.

Not warmfronts fault that so many people can now claim for new boilers they only have limited resources for installing fault lies with the government

Agreed it's not Warmfront's fault that the government only gives them a fixed amount to spend each year, which obviously has to be spread over the year.

My son is lucky as we will be able to help him; but what about the elderly pensioners who suddenly finds themselves in a similar situation, are they expected to freeze over the winter because nothing can be done for them? Maybe you expect them to use electric fires to keep warm and turn on the immersion for hot water - even boil up a kettle when the wash in the morning. Oh yes, and don't forget to put on two pairs of socks and wear three jumpers and an overcoat in the house.

There needs to be a faster way of assessing what needs to be done and a better way of prioritizing the jobs which need doing first.

all the installers are carefully vetted

Who said the installers are carefully vetted? The only vetting, if any, done by the government was of the firm which tendered to run the scheme and, as most of the installation work is done by subsidiary companies, I doubt very much if they will do any more than making sure the company keeps up its Gassafe registration.

The Trustmark scheme is completely different; and I sometimes wonder if the reason some contributors are so against these schemes is that they know they would not get accepted.

 

[kirkgas]

DH i appreciate this job is your sons and therefore important to you, but it is totally unreasonable to expect the grant scheme(ie me) to fund a £3k heating system tomorrow to save your son (or you) shelling out about £60-90 (if you are Registered to fit it) or about £150 to get someone in, from the knowledge i have of the scheme, if you qualify (you have no repairable heating) you get booked in and done as soon as possible, so how can your son be a priority over someone else?
if yours sons heating is fixable are you sure he qualifies for new heating, surely his repair is one of the easy ones so how come tons of people dont simply phone and order new heating rather than pay an RGI for a repair