AVB Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 For years we have had this via British Gas and I haven’t taken any notice of the increase year on year (my bad). This year it will be £823 for the year which seems expensive (more than any of the cars I have insured!). Do PW’ers have any recommendations on alternative suppliers. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 You can buy a new boiler for less than that with a 7or 10 year guarantee.depending what you buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Anyone apart from British Gas. I got fed up of their engineers, on every visit, recommending that our system needed one of their power flushes. 20 years later, still not needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 1 minute ago, amateur said: Anyone apart from British Gas. I got fed up of their engineers, on every visit, recommending that our system needed one of their power flushes. 20 years later, still not needed They have to be on commission! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Just now, TIGHTCHOKE said: They have to be on commission! Of course they are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 (edited) We left the British Gas boiler service contract we had a couple of years ago........wasn’t impressed with the standard of technician, service or the call out fee! Got a local independent gas safe engineer/firm in to service our gas boiler and gas fire, very thorough, so we took out a service contract with them, yearly service and unlimited free call outs.....about the same monthly cost as British Gas........but no callout fee! I recommended them to my sister in law who had a replacement complete CH system installed by them, and also took out a service contract.....my son has also had his Boiler serviced and has taken out a service contract........both very pleased with the service! I have no problem using/supporting a local firm like this.......if they provide a quality service! This is where I suggest you look too....local! Edited March 28, 2020 by panoma1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 How much - my boiler costs less than £70 every 2 years to service - if the pump goes boobs up then under £200 inc fitting for a replacement, Thermo coupler (the most common breakdown) is £13 - nothing on the boiler itself to break other than the heat exchanger and I have a spare, taken from a skip. Household insurance covers emergency response if the system leaks - they will come and sip the leak, I would then fix the problem if it is a Radiator. You should also check the small print on service contracts, many fail to make it clear that boilers over 5 years old will not be covered - they will take your money though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 1 hour ago, AVB said: For years we have had this via British Gas and I haven’t taken any notice of the increase year on year (my bad). This year it will be £823 for the year which seems expensive (more than any of the cars I have insured!). Do PW’ers have any recommendations on alternative suppliers. Thanks. Why is yours so high? British Gas website is offering homecare 4 (there highest level of cover) for £444 per annum. Never had insurance cover for central heating, just call local plumber when I need a service (£75) or for repairs, must have saved a fortune over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Heron Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 1 hour ago, AVB said: For years we have had this via British Gas and I haven’t taken any notice of the increase year on year (my bad). This year it will be £823 for the year which seems expensive (more than any of the cars I have insured!). Do PW’ers have any recommendations on alternative suppliers. Thanks. That is expensive are you sure I'm with bg and my quote is nothing like that I can only think your boiler is very old or it is a mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted March 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, old'un said: Why is yours so high? British Gas website is offering homecare 4 (there highest level of cover) for £444 per annum. Never had insurance cover for central heating, just call local plumber when I need a service (£75) or for repairs, must have saved a fortune over the years. No idea other than I have previously just paid it every year and every year of them taking the urine adds up. 2 minutes ago, The Heron said: That is expensive are you sure I'm with bg and my quote is nothing like that I can only think your boiler is very old or it is a mistake. Boiler is about 6 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, The Heron said: That is expensive are you sure I'm with bg and my quote is nothing like that I can only think your boiler is very old or it is a mistake. No, not a mistake, this article is from 2018 but it covers the same issue …https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/7884399/british-gas-customers-outraged-cost-boiler-breakdown-insurance/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Self insure if you have the discipline to do it. Pay what you would be spending into a saving scheme such as a regular saver cash isa and don't touch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 Seems very expensive. I have always fixed things myself, but then have never had problems with a gas system either. My circulation pump blew a few months back and I phoned around. I was being quoted £300 for the pump (and to be fair it isn’t a cheap pump) plus £150-250 to fit. In the end I bought a Chinese knock off of the same model for under £40 including express shipping and fitted it myself in under half an hour. To my amazement having taken apart the old and new pumps to decide if the Chinese one was worth bothering to fit or if I should stump up £300 for the Grundfoss one, the two are indistinguishable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Heron Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 3 hours ago, AVB said: No idea other than I have previously just paid it every year and every year of them taking the urine adds up. Boiler is about 6 years old. That has got to be a mistake ring them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Heron Posted March 28, 2020 Report Share Posted March 28, 2020 I personally would not recommend home serve I put a thread on here a while ago about the poor quality of service but a lot of people seemed to be satisfied with them perhaps I was unlucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 12 hours ago, The Heron said: I personally would not recommend home serve I put a thread on here a while ago about the poor quality of service but a lot of people seemed to be satisfied with them perhaps I was unlucky. I think it’s down to the “engineer” you get! Some can’t be bothered, some don’t want to be there, some are just going through the motions....I expect a competent, professional service for my money............that was another reason we changed our contractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 (edited) hello, it would not be paying that, if i were in your position, find a good well recommended gas engineer local, have the system fully serviced about £100, then get them back every year for a service, while setting aside X amount of £s , radiators/valves/pipe work rarely need looking at unless upgrading valves, its the boiler internal parts, check if your boiler will have parts for 5 years and what can go wrong if anything, look at replacing boiler in 6 years time, but do go on the gas engineers advice, (we were lucky for my son finding a very good trustworthy gas engineer ) good luck Edited March 29, 2020 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddoakley Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Try local firms. I have several boilers to maintain and have always used small local outfits. Where I need a maintenance contract they are reasonably priced and where I don't need a contract they are always quick to react to a call. Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 We have fitted a number of Ideal boilers in the past year. They carry a seven year parts and labour warranty if the correct registration procedure is adhered to. We are happy to pay an independent qualified engineer to service them annually and issue the relevant Gas Safety Certificates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 29 minutes ago, JDog said: We have fitted a number of Ideal boilers in the past year. They carry a seven year parts and labour warranty if the correct registration procedure is adhered to. We are happy to pay an independent qualified engineer to service them annually and issue the relevant Gas Safety Certificates. Ideal will service your Ideal boiler for around the same price as an independent guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Heron Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 1 hour ago, panoma1 said: I think it’s down to the “engineer” you get! Some can’t be bothered, some don’t want to be there, some are just going through the motions....I expect a competent, professional service for my money............that was another reason we changed our contractor. I think the problem was that originally I was with the AA and the lads on there were top notch but the AA decided to get out of Central heating and passed it over to Home Serve the engineer that turned up was 19 and admitted that he was inexperienced his solution was a new boiler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 I'm on a service contract with Worcester Bosch for £25 p/m, so £300 per year. That includes an annual service and call outs if we have a problem. We have an oil burner and must have had about £1500 of work in the last 3 years - so we still feel like we're in credit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted March 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 Thanks all. To be fair to BG we have had good service from them when we have needed them but they are definitely taking the mickey. I have been considering self insuring but like the convenience of having somebody on call who will respond quickly rather than having to search around for a contractor. Corgi have given a very competitive quote which I am looking into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted March 29, 2020 Report Share Posted March 29, 2020 I pay about £290 per year with Worcester Bosch. Had them put four times last year, no charge for parts of labour. The year before I had no reason to call them out so they called me at the end of the year to book a date for a free annual service. Can’t fault them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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