polester Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 My MIL has just had a call from someone offering a free boiler replacement,they're coming Saturday afternoon to discuss it with her. The problem is she gets confused about what people say to her and neither me or the missus are available to be there too. I've looked it up and you can transparently get a new boiler fit under a government scheme. It just smacks a bit of hard sell to ring in the evening and then to come out on a Sat afternoon. We've told her agree to nothing and not to sign anything. Has anybody else had any experience with this deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 Its genuine but that don't mean the guy who comes round is. It will save her on running costs- IF she qualifies! if you can see the pilot light she likely does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOLDCREST Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 They ring me several times a week...Or rather a pre-recorded message advises me I can get a free boiler on the government scheme......I hang up the phone. Does she actually need a new boiler? if she does, rearrange another appointment when you can be there with her...I NEVER trust cold callers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 it could be genuine, especially if she receives any benefits or pension credits. you gave good advice regarding not signing anything imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delburt0 Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) Don't trust all these free schemes, tesco rang me last yr saying the could insulate my house free through government backing, I said yippee crack on. They said there was a month left before the free period ended, needless to say I. Didn't hear anything for 6 weeks then a firm called me wanting to quote me, I said is it free they said no I missed the deadline. I told them to do one. I did ring tesco and they said they didn't process in time as the company was too busy. On the other hand my parents had cavity wall insulation and there loft insulated a few yrs ago totally free courtesy of mr Cameron because they where old Edited November 7, 2013 by delburt0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdfish Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 My mother had a new boiler and thermostatic valves throughout. Warm homes scheme . I work for British gas, it's genuine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itchy trigger Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 do not let her take it up, my stepmum would not be talked out of it, said it must be ok, its from social services, no its not, its them warmfront ********, she was 97 and disabled, lived in a bungalow, these ***** took out her gas fire with a back boiler that worked perfectly, they had told her it needed replacing as it was obsolete, put the combi boiler in the loft where it was dificult to get to, every time it went on the blink she had to get someone to phone them up, called round one day early last winter she's sat there cold, its not working, no heating, no hot water, just 1 oil filled radiator to heat all the bungalow, rang them up, wanted me to go up into the loft to see what the fault was to see if I could fix it before an engineer would be sent, anyway warmfront engineer was sent next day,, rang her up next evening to see if the 'engineer' had been, he her told its fixed, everythings working, but she said I've no hot or cold water, rang warmfront after a lot of argy bargy they wanted me to go, I had to get snotty, told them I live 120 miles away, will they pay for the diesel, told them someone had better get there first thing tomorrow to get it sorted, the plonker of an engineer had only turned the water off and not turned it back on, failed again 2 weeks later got the local plumber to that as could not get warmfront out to it for 3 days, failed again 8 days after that, warmfront fixed it properly then, took them 2 days, it was a leak under the floor, their, warmfronts new pipework! she ended up with mild hypothermia and fell, ended up in hospital, pnuemonia then died, look up warmfront or any of the other similar schemes on the web, its an ongoing disaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polester Posted November 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 From what I've read she would qualify for a new boiler it just seams to good to be true and so I'm suspicious. If a stranger wants to give you something valuable for free I can't help thinking what's in it for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delburt0 Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 From what I've read she would qualify for a new boiler it just seams to good to be true and so I'm suspicious. If a stranger wants to give you something valuable for free I can't help thinking what's in it for themi might not be as old as a lot of members (tongue in cheek) but we all no as the saying goes ,,,nothing in life is free.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holly Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 wife worked for a company called warm front for a while , the free boilers central heating loft insulation etc is there for the taking ( if you qualify) her job was to assess the people applying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 The welfare state is a bloody joke. If people need new boilers and have to actively apply for some sort of scheme, that's one thing, but to invent a scheme where companies seek out people who might qualify so that they can fit boilers and be payed by the govt is insane. I can only imagine the quality of boilers, quality of installers and installations that such a scheme would bring. Not surprising there are stories like the sad one above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 Government giving away free boilers ?? I had to flipping Marry One Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 do not let her take it up, my stepmum would not be talked out of it, said it must be ok, its from social services, no its not, its them warmfront bas$$$$$, she was 97 and disabled, lived in a bungalow, these tw*** took out her gas fire with a back boiler that worked perfectly, they had told her it needed replacing as it was obsolete, put the combi boiler in the loft where it was dificult to get to, every time it went on the blink she had to get someone to phone them up, called round one day early last winter she's sat there cold, its not working, no heating, no hot water, just 1 oil filled radiator to heat all the bungalow, rang them up, wanted me to go up into the loft to see what the fault was to see if I could fix it before an engineer would be sent, anyway warmfront engineer was sent next day,, rang her up next evening to see if the 'engineer' had been, he her told its fixed, everythings working, but she said I've no hot or cold water, rang warmfront after a lot of argy bargy they wanted me to go, I had to get snotty, told them I live 120 miles away, will they pay for the diesel, told them someone had better get there first thing tomorrow to get it sorted, the plonker of an engineer had only turned the water off and not turned it back on, failed again 2 weeks later got the local plumber to that as could not get warmfront out to it for 3 days, failed again 8 days after that, warmfront fixed it properly then, took them 2 days, it was a leak under the floor, their, warmfronts new pipework! she ended up with mild hypothermia and fell, ended up in hospital, pnuemonia then died, look up warmfront or any of the other similar schemes on the web, its an ongoing disaster Jeez man that is a hell of a sorry story, disgraceful service, they should be ashamed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20alex09 Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 All of these "free" energy saving measures are paid for by increases in energy bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good shot? Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) All domestic energy users are paying for this by way of green taxes added to energy bills and then paid to suppliers in order to provide these energy saving schemes. Likewise if you are paying more than 10% of your household income for heating you can claim £135 to go as credit to your supplier. All paid for by green taxes. Edited November 7, 2013 by Good shot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100milesaway Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Ask anyone who has had a modern gas boiler fitted and they will tell you if your old one works well, leave well alone. These modern boilers have loads of teething troubles and the British Gas fitters that came to put one in for my neighbours, have now been back 4 times allready.The problem gets worse in the winter when it's icey, as the outlets freeze up and stop working. Our other neighbours have the outlet lagged and still have to cover it with a duvet and it still freezes. British Gas even have fitters coming out putting heat exchangers in the grids ( outlet) but they still freeze up. Our estate has lots of soakaway drains and this is another major problem for this daft system, the gas team told us there is not a cure. from Auntie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 The welfare state is a bloody joke. If people need new boilers and have to actively apply for some sort of scheme, that's one thing, but to invent a scheme where companies seek out people who might qualify so that they can fit boilers and be payed by the govt is insane. I can only imagine the quality of boilers, quality of installers and installations that such a scheme would bring. Not surprising there are stories like the sad one above. The problem is the engineer gets too small a fee to attract good people and the boilers are the cheapest not the best, its all about the efficiency rating. Basically a good idea (from a green point of view) stuffed by a load of no nothing civil servants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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