Useless Warm Front

[Agile]

I think that some of you dont know the actual rules of the system.

I was called to a couple living in Neasden who wanted me to repair their heat only boiler. They wanted it done as cheaply as possible because they were going to get a now boiler fitted by warmfront after about six weeks.

Their boiler was about 8 years old and had a failed thermistor which I replaced at a total cost of about £104.

Now this boiler was, once repaired, totally servicable and newer than half of the boilers that I see.

They had a "05" spacewaggon and a "T" reg Golf on the driveway and that gave rise to thoughts that the Warmfront scheme is wasting assets on the significantly less deserving whilst some more deserving go without!

Tony

 

[bengasman]

If the company that gets the millions of taxmoney uses inadequate subcontractors in stead of properly hiring sufficient numbers of competent staff, and the government allows this practice for years, methinks its another failed policy.

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.

The trustmark scheme is exactly the same; a government initiative that costs millions and fails to achieve its objective. I can't speak for others, but I have no intention of doing any work for any project that involves those fools.

 

[Agile]

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

I am surprised that the OP did not include the salient information that the firefront was U/S.

However, for say £170, the boiler can be repaired and give immediate heating as normal.

It seems to me that a situation is being derived that the boiler is not working just for the Warmfront assessment so that a grant aided installation can be made. Whereas the heating could be reinstated for about £170.

After so many complaints about Warmfront installations i am surprised that the owner is even considering one.

Tony

 

[heatingman]

contrary to popular belief it is very difficult to become an approved warmfront installer, the checks and balances carried out by Eaga are rigourous beyond extreme.

For the genuinely needy there are many option schemes for obtaining replacement/upgrade heating work.
Warmfront, Warmzone, CEN, Coldbusters, Age Concern, Social Services to name just a few. Dependant on circumstances some of the scheme administrators will do a rapid 7/10 day turnaround.
But it is an unfortunate fact of life that some people know exactlly how to work the system to obtain a new boiler/system. I get to see it first hand and it gets right up my hooter.

Porsche Cayenne's, 60"+ plasma cinemas, wall to wall marble, swimming pools and they get a new heating system, something is seriously wrong with the grant/benefit system in whats left of good ole blighty.

 

[namsag]

Come on D.halisham you have posted on here enough times to know what imformation is req , what exactly was the fault with the boiler.

Yes its unacceptable that a pensioner would have to wait months but then again would they have to if the the installers where not busy fitttng heating for young perfectly fit people who can do what we used to years ago when heating was a luxury
.And could wait till the warmer weather for installation.

Perhaps a selection process based on age and health should be implemented from October to March

 

[bengasman]

contray to popular belief it is very difficult to become an approved warmfront installer, the checks and balances carried out by Eaga are rigourous beyond extreme. ...

I must be thick, as I don't even have the beginning of an idea how it can be that so many (thousands upon thousands, if not tens of thousands) installations that cost so much money (average used to be about £3000 for a like for like swap, and is now around £3500) are of such poor quality.
I can deliver a complete system that works flawlessly for many years for that amount.

 

[Garfeild]

[quote="Agile";p="1401332]I am surprised that the OP did not include the salient information that the firefront was U/S.[/quote]

He did.

 

[CortinaV8]

Bit of a joke really, my boiler broke last year, beyond economical repair.

Get this, I actually had to live without heating or hotwater for about 2 months until my plumber could fit me in (middle of winter) and I also had to find a couple of thousand to pay for it, myself!!!!!

It's an outrage.

 

[Agile]

[quote="Agile";p="1401332]
I am surprised that the OP did not include the salient information that the firefront was U/S.
Tony

He did.

This is the original posting!

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.



Thats the original posting. There is nothing there to say the firefront is not working!

Contrary to popular belief, I have been told by those who have been in contact with Warmfront that they will also repair heating for needy people.

But I have yet to hear of a repair. Coule it be there is more profit for their own installation companies to do a full installation ???

Tony

 

[Garfeild]

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.

Here

 

[londonboy]

I work for an eaga installer and I can assure you the criteria is tough, you need a 100% pass rate.

Also the timescale they give is worst case scenario, the work reaching our office to installation is probably 2 weeks.

I agree repair should be an option, at the moment it isn't offered to us.

 

[bengasman]

I work for an eaga installer and I can assure you the criteria is tough, you need a 100% pass rate.

100% of what?

 

[nickso]

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.

eh? i dont even know what that is no matter promote it.

 

[Axel]

I have been offered £2700 from Warmfront for new boiler, when my old one breaks down, but you can be sure as hell I'll be keeping the old Potterton going for another 10 years...there's no where to fit a condensing boiler, and I can imagine the long term repair / replacement bills on any new boilers over the next 10 years coming to more than repair & service of my old CF boiler...

 

[bengasman]

i dont even know what that is no matter promote it.

Not you, the op.