Help - BG say need new boiler!

Diyers, are there any heating engineers among you? Today, BG disconnected my girlfriends boiler saying it was dangerous.

a) She is on the BG Homecare 200 plan b) The boiler is a Powermax fss155 (combi). c) The fault diagnosis was 'heat exchanger leaked and blocking gas combustion route.'

The BG engineer told her the parts required to fix it are no longer available hence she must buy a new boiler and tried to book her in there and then for an appointment.

My question is two-fold: what parts would be required to fix (c) and how could i check that they are not available? If it turns out they are available and i can prove this to BG ,will they have to fix it or would they say parts have to be available through their supplier?

Thanks in advance.

Reply to
bob
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Another observation. Do not on any account let her get the boiler from BG, if needed, without getting other quotes. We had a very similar situation last year; the BG 'engineer' not only disabled the boiler, but removed the expensive spare part fitted days before for an unrelated problem.

The BG quote was 3875, reduced to 3275 as a 'loyaly' (sic) bonus. I had two other quotes of about 1900, both of which included more work than the BG quote. I also consider the BG guy underestimated the boiler size.

I went for a local guy who did a fantastic job. He also started work sooner than BG said they could (despite the hard sell from them saying they had more staff and could do it sooner).

Reply to
Bob Eager

hence she must buy a new boiler and tried to book her in

Check with Potterton

If it turns out they

Reply to
Stuart Noble

Well there is no harm in getting a quote from BG. Then get competitive quotes and make your mind up about BG. I think a recall a recent thread where someone reported advantageous pricing on a replacement in similar circumstances.

can't answer that but a quick search of the usual online spares merchants didn't throw up any availability for Powermax.

Jim A

Reply to
Jim Alexander

Ask BG for a quote under their "System Improvement" programme.

If BG doesn't want the hassle/cost of repeated repair they may install a new boiler for just the cost of the boiler itself and lose the cost of the extra parts and labour.

They did it for me a couple of months go, replacing a dreadful Potterton Envoy with a Glow-worm 30hxi for =A3775.55 - all in inc VAT!

This included a new filling loop, new flue, plus a new pressure gauge and safety valve on the expansion vessel. He used a couple of metres of 22mm pipe and fittings. The flue was in a slightly different place from the old one, so the technician had to brick up the old hole and cut a new one.

All done in well under a day! The deal did not involve BG's salesmen but, as the man explained, it was their service dept. looking for mutually agreeable. ways of cutting their costs and my aggravation. It suited me since I had planned to get rid of the wretched Envoy this spring anyway. EP

Reply to
ephraim_pule

Ask BG for a quote under their "System Improvement" programme.

If BG doesn't want the hassle/cost of repeated repair they may install a new boiler for just the cost of the boiler itself and lose the cost of the extra parts and labour.

They did it for me a couple of months go, replacing a dreadful Potterton Envoy with a Glow-worm 30hxi for =A3775.55 - all in inc VAT!

This included a new filling loop, new flue, plus a new pressure gauge and safety valve on the expansion vessel. He used a couple of metres of 22mm pipe and fittings. The flue was in a slightly different place from the old one, so the technician had to brick up the old hole and cut a new one.

All done in well under a day! The deal did not involve BG's salesmen but, as the man explained, it was their service dept. looking for mutually agreeable. ways of cutting their costs and my aggravation. It suited me since I had planned to get rid of the wretched Envoy this spring anyway. EP

Reply to
ephraim_pule

You both must be mad! Her for paying BG each month for nothing and you for having to ask "oh what do we do" on here. Come on - a bit of common sense is required on your part.

I get letters from BG all the time - scare tactics really. They always tell me how much boilers cost to fix via them and how much their expensive insurance policies are. They post them to pensioners via lists bought from Age Concern too. How much has she spent on this worthless insurance cover? I bet she could have paid a reputable local company to do the repair by now or had a new one fitted.

CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER and ask them about the parts - you can still get them. Also get some quotes from non-cowboy companies.

NEVER NEVER pay for expensive insurance policies in which the wording is such that you are never really covered - as in this case. Learn to read the terms and conditions.

Reply to
Pete

Ask BG for a quote under their "System Improvement" programme.

If BG doesn't want the hassle/cost of repeated repair they may install a new boiler for just the cost of the boiler itself and lose the cost of the extra parts and labour.

They did it for me a couple of months go, replacing a dreadful Potterton Envoy with a Glow-worm 30hxi for £775.55 - all in inc VAT!

This included a new filling loop, new flue, plus a new pressure gauge and safety valve on the expansion vessel. He used a couple of metres of 22mm pipe and fittings. The flue was in a slightly different place from the old one, so the technician had to brick up the old hole and cut a new one.

All done in well under a day! The deal did not involve BG's salesmen but, as the man explained, it was their service dept. looking for mutually agreeable. ways of cutting their costs and my aggravation. It suited me since I had planned to get rid of the wretched Envoy this spring anyway. EP

Glad it as OK for you, I found the problem with BG is the sales people. They are trying to get rich quick so they will inflate prices based on what they think they can get away with. Never buy their warranties, no matter what scare stories they lie to customers about - if you read the terms and conditions they do not cover you anyway. They should only sell them after the first year once the manufacturers warranty expires. Even after that you still can claim from the manufacturer as products are expected to have a certain lifespan. It would be unreasonable for a product just to last a year or two! BG tend to contract out anyway, so there is a huge percentage for the sales person, then a cut for BG after they have paid a third party.

Reply to
Pete

How long have they been taking her money to maintain a boiler they can't obtain parts for?

Reply to
Andy Burns

Andy that's a really interesting point, remember seeing something on watchdog about this and how they were not notifying their customers when the boliers fell out of being repairable.

Reply to
bob

Even if BG offered a better price for the replacement of a boiler I would eschew them on account of their general reputation for customer service. I'm afraid that they're still regarded as "the gas board" and gods to be looked up to. I had serious problems with them a few years ago when I had a servicing contract with them. EVERY year they'd arrange a service date to "do" my old boiler (a Thorn Olympic), then either phone me on the day to cancel the visit (which isn't very funny when you book a day off work for the purpose) - or not call at all. Even when I had a problem with a baffle-plate on the balanced flue and the boiler flame kept blowing out in strong winds they couldn't fix it. As they knew from previous visits the flue terminal was upstairs and they needed a ladder to gain access; they turned up (!) several times without any such ladder. Eventually one of their regional "managers" visited me and still gave me no confidence in their ability. I repaired the baffle-plate thing myself with four nuts and bolts and a few washers (and a ladder!)

Reply to
Frank Erskine

My brother was told the same story about his (admittedly) old boiler. For 'not available' read 'not available from BG stores'. I found the part online in a couple of minutes.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

And did BG do the repair with the part that you obtained?

Reply to
Grumps

My brother decided to have the boiler replaced anyway - but not by BG. And a right pig's ear the company he got to do it made - including recommending and fitting a Potterton Envoy. But at least he still gets value for money from his BG service contract - it's broken down at least twice a year ever since.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

This is why I am in no hurry to replace our Baxi back boiler, despite it apparently having no part availability. All you hear about is modern boilers breaking down regularly as they are much more complex and electronic than the old ones. Yes, yes, a modern one might use less gas, but how much of that is because it ain't working?

Peter

Reply to
Peter Ashby

To be fair not all boilers are as unreliable as the Envoy - fortunately.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Okay when we need a new one, either when the present one breaks (no problems so far) or we redecorate the lounge (the attached fire is ugly and we don't use it), I will ask for advice on models.

Peter

Reply to
Peter Ashby

That is a good idea. My brother wanted the Potterton because my Kingfisher was much more reliable than his Vulcan - bought at approx the same time, about 20 years before. But didn't think to ask. In the interim, Potterton had changed hands and are no longer the 'Rolls-Royce' of boilers.

But by the time you come to change, who knows?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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