"Interesting" take on Part L by BG engineer...

[RichardS]

Was talking with my brother last night & talk turned to an interesting conversation that he'd had with a BG heating engineer.

At the moment he's in a rented house, whilst he renovates another place. The boiler in the rented place is covered by a BG 3star contract & it was up for a yearly check (lets leave aside the whole question of BG service contracts - adequately covered here in the past). In a conversation with the engineer, brother is asking about the cover, and what happens if something goes wrong with the boiler, as it has in the past. To which question the bloke replies "well, we're not legally able to repair this boiler now - it's not Part L compliant. You'd have to have a new boiler fitted".

To which, I was speechless. Well not, actually - my reply was that he was speaking out of his arse, and the rest of the response would have made Gordon Ramsay blush. There is always the possiblity that brother got it completely wrong, but he was quite definite about what BG bloke had said.

Am I right, and the BG engineer is on a commission-fuelled sales mission that would shame even the worst excesses of our financial services industry, or is there any truth whatsoever in this?

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

Yes. British Gas Engineers get a basic salary and receive commission on top for everything they sell.

That's why, when you have your boiler serviced they say something like "It'll need replacing real soon" in the hope the customer asks for a quote.

sponix

[Andy Hall]

The statement is, of course, complete crap. There is nothing that dictates that an old boiler can't be repaired as long as it can be done within the dictates of the various gas safety legislation.

If he looks in the BG contract at the small print, he will discover that they are committing themselves to virtually nothing in terms of repair. To be honest, I am surprised that they have not been pulled up under unfair contract terms legislation. I made a complaint about their advertising some while ago to the ASA.

AIUI, the repair guys do receive something for new sales. What would be interesting to know is whether this guy has made up this story on his own or whether this is a spin given to him by the company. If I were on the receiving end, I would certainly push to find out and then go to Trading Standards (and if organisationally inspired, the press as well).

I am not sure that the service business is regulated in any way (I believe not), but this really is an abuse of market position and the FUD factor.

[Ed Sirett]

Absolutely none.

There is no question of an existing boiler not being repairable, economic and practical consideration being favourable. Rightly so, the regulations take into account that unnecessary boiler replacement would waste more energy than it saved!

Non-condensors fitted within the last three years may also be replaced in their entirety with non-condensors under warranty.

[Ed Sirett]

I have along with a number of others complained to the ASA about the 'talking flame' ad which implies that independent (i.e. non BG) gas fitters are incompetent and expensive.

[:::Jerry::::]

interesting

service

conversation with

discover

Pot calling the kettle black then, isn't that how some on this group describe BG (not that I'm in favour of BG service contracts)?

[Geoffrey]

irrelevant stuff snipped - if you aren't going to snip, you might just as well top post!

ASA = Advertising Standards Agency. Now reread your post and say "doh!"

[Doctor Evil]

Send him around to the electric caber tossers house. He will have a field day.

[Ed Sirett]

I don't think that I generally describe them as incompetent (although some of the sales reps are). They are however very expensive for a so so job.