Anyone use British Gas or Homeserve boiler breakdown cover?

Westyfield2 · 7 Apr 2011 at 18:17

Had the top level of British Gas thing for ever, always had good service from it. Even when the boiler broke on Christmas Eve a few years ago, out they came and fixed it same day :cool:

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Jez · 7 Apr 2011 at 18:22

Westyfield2 said:
Had the top level of British Gas thing for ever, always had good service from it. Even when the boiler broke on Christmas Eve a few years ago, out they came and fixed it same day .

Sounds like good service, but have you added up what you have paid? You could probably get all of your home insurance for what BG charge just for their homecare...

Rodge · 7 Apr 2011 at 20:46

I use the homecare 200 and found it a good service so far.

Last time they came to fix my diverter switch the guy told me "when you take the cover out they are suppose to come to your home within 28 days to inspect the boiler which they usually don't". They didn't for mine which was a 10 year old boiler.

What they don't tell you is that if they don't inspect it within 28 days for what ever reason they are then legally obliged to cover your system.

Disco Boy · 7 Apr 2011 at 20:49

We pay £16.93 something a month with zero excess on callouts, all parts and labour, radiators and valves, central heating controls and one boiler service per year. This is with British Gas "homecare 200" who have pricematched Eon.

Have always been happy with the service.

Stellios · 7 Apr 2011 at 20:50

I know of 1 person thats bothered with it and when they had bother British Gas came out, condemned the boiler and disconnected her heating in the middle of January then quoted £2500 to fit an entirely new central heating system, which she ended up getting fitted for £1500 by an independant company.

Could have just been bad luck in her behalf, but its doesnt speak too well for them....

Berserker · 7 Apr 2011 at 21:54

~~#M-Bizzle#~~ said:
Seems all these new boilers are pants.

Im still using a Potterton Flamingo 50 thats been in the house for 30 years.

Never had a problem with it, apart from needing a new thermocouple in all that time.

Puts these fragile modern ones to shame!

It's called 'parts from the cheapest supplier', and is what you get when everyone demands the lowest price and doesn't think of the consequences. I've got a 20-year old washer drier - try that with most modern plastic rubbish.

The only problem, of course, is that that 30-year-old boiler is also probably horrendously inefficient by modern condensing boiler standards. Swings and roundabouts - pay the higher gas bill or pay for more boilers. :/

At least my 10-year-old Worcester Bosch is still going strong, and most engineers who have serviced mine love them for reliability.

As for service cover, I'm on the top BG policy. Have been since they installed it. It's not cheap, but I'd rather have the peace of mind where gas appliances are concerned. Had an 80% success rate on annual service visits (one engineer shut off the gas inlet to test for leaks, and then left, and the other didn't completely shut off the filling loop). Both fixed very promptly though.