OP, as someone else commented, BG will not transfer your account to your new house without a boiler/heating inspection.It really is not BGs fault when you forgot to tell them you had moved. I am sure you will get a refund, I might add that the engineer perhaps should not have told you you should get a refund.The account is nothing to do with him.
Sorry to bump this thread but is Homecare 400 worth adding?
It does mean that if you have an electrical or plumbing problem you have someone to call. There is (on my cover) a £50 excess and it is set up as an emergency cover, so you can't (usually) get them to deal with several little problems at once.
If you already have a reliable electrician and plumber you don't need Homecare 400.
It does mean that if you have an electrical or plumbing problem you have someone to call. There is (on my cover) a £50 excess and it is set up as an emergency cover, so you can't (usually) get them to deal with several little problems at once.
If you already have a reliable electrician and plumber you don't need Homecare 400.
I would probably go for the non excess one just in case. Don't know any good plumbers or electricians. Was thinking it would be good as it has a boiler service too.
I would probably go for the non excess one just in case. Don't know any good plumbers or electricians. Was thinking it would be good as it has a boiler service too.
I didn't even realise that there was still a non-excess option. No doubt you have to pay a lot more for it, but you may prefer it for peace of mind.
What I have found is that when the renewal comes round they always want to increase the cost a lot. You then need to ring them up and negotiate a reduction. One year the reduction meant I paid less than the previous year!
I had to write about my experience with this company. Last year I had trouble with the boiler, no hot water. I called them and they sent someone who diagnosed the problem, changed a part which I paid for as well as signing up to the £25.55 a month plan. a year later September I moved house and forgot to tell BG. Last week i called to have my boiler checked again and was told my contract had to restart a fresh anew. I informed them they were still taking debit payments, but no way were they helping to east this situation. I have to pay £99 for last weeks visit. BG have continued to take £25.55 since December 2013 up to February 2015. I have cancelled the contract and am planning to write and calculate. Is this the worst company in the Uk?
Do you find it funny mate? I most certainly do not. I feel I have been mugged.
What "advice" do you want?
Yiu just want to rant about a situation that you're responsible for.
I've had BG Homecare for years and made very good use of my cover.
I can't fault the service I've received.
I didn't even realise that there was still a non-excess option. No doubt you have to pay a lot more for it, but you may prefer it for peace of mind.
What I have found is that when the renewal comes round they always want to increase the cost a lot. You then need to ring them up and negotiate a reduction. One year the reduction meant I paid less than the previous year!
Yes it's like £17 pounds vs £26. Not sure I fancy the excess even at the price difference.
Is it a one year contract? Heard horror stories of big price hikes?
My boiler started leaking a few weeks back so I had to switch it off which meant no hot water or heating. I called them at 11:30 pm.
By 12 the next day my heating and hot water was back on.
I was expecting them to say it would be a few days etc but nope. Just gave me a time, the engineer came out when they said, the diverter was leaking, went off to get a replacement. Came back and fixed it.
I don't see the point in service contracts but I did call out British Gas for a one-off repair a few months ago and they were excellent. I had spent the morning on the phone trying to find a local plumber but they were all "too busy" unless I paid for an emergency call out. One call to BG and they had someone out the next morning and the fault was repaired for a fixed price.
Everyone says that you should use a reliable local plumber but they can be hard to find as the good ones are always busy and are booked out weeks in advance.
We've had homecare for about 11 years now, but will be looking elsewhere when it renews next Aug, as the past 4 months have been horrendous. In fact, the past 16 months have been poor, ever since we had them install a new boiler. We had a leak that Dyno-rod plumbers couldn't locate (was the toilet that they should have found on day one.... a BG engineer found it 3 months later! .... ceiling underneath was cut open unnecessarily).
Most importantly, be aware British Gas Services (who operate Homecare policies) had a new computer system installed, and it's left "many" people, like us, with direct debit collection problems (or so they told me). Three times over 16 months we've had direct debit issues, each time a manager has been involved and supposedly corrected, but then it last failed again on renewal in Aug.... and they cannot give a date when it will be fixed! If I wasn't so tired of it all, I'd have taken them to Ofgem by now.
So check your direct debit closely if you take this cover. It's a bloody nightmare - and it used to be so good too.
I don't see the point in service contracts but I did call out British Gas for a one-off repair a few months ago and they were excellent. I had spent the morning on the phone trying to find a local plumber but they were all "too busy" unless I paid for an emergency call out. One call to BG and they had someone out the next morning and the fault was repaired for a fixed price.
The point is that you are then not wacked for call out charges, labour and parts all in one hit. You probably paid almost as much for one job that I pay over the whole year, which is split into nice monthly payments. And I call make endless call outs all year but if you have another problem you are going to get wacked for another bill all over again.
If I don't take British Gas what's the alternative? One of the covers not sure if it was Homeserve does not cover flats. And I wonder what £26 will be after the first year it says 10% discount online.
If I don't take British Gas what's the alternative? One of the covers not sure if it was Homeserve does not cover flats. And I wonder what £26 will be after the first year it says 10% discount online.
I take calls for Vaillant/Homeserve any do cover boilers in flats. Having a quick look it seems that Homeserve DO cover flats.
The point is that you are then not wacked for call out charges, labour and parts all in one hit. You probably paid almost as much for one job that I pay over the whole year, which is split into nice monthly payments. And I call make endless call outs all year but if you have another problem you are going to get wacked for another bill all over again.
In 5 years my boiler has cost me about £100 in repairs. If I'd had a service contract I would have spend well over `£1000 in that time.
If you myself making "endless call outs" all year then there must be something fundamentally wrong with your boiler. I'd be getting a new one.
This is one of the struggles in me making a choice.
These packages are expensive enough as it is. I want cheap cover but there's always a catch.
And these policies work out much more than my home and buildings insurance.
I'm with HES - my landlord pays £10 a month, I think, and I find them very good and very quick.
When my boiler bust last Boxing Day, I was without any heating or hot water for a week before anyone could come out to me, and our first choice was British Gas. I waited for two days for them (not surprising, given the time of year), and they did bugger all because my boiler wasn't in their database. So they turned up, charged my landlord for the visit, and took one look and went away. Then we found HES and they sorted the boiler out. Give them a look, if you like?
Right seems the right idea is to change policy every year but right now I need something incase I need a call out.
I found plumbing and drains cover plus electrics for £3 with EDF. Aviva are doing a policy through Homeserve £2 a month with boiler service but £95 excess that's a lot of money however as is £26 pounds. I have an old back boiler so in terms of full replacement none of them will replace.
It's all about cost I am trying to save for double glazing so I want insurance however I don't want to over cover myself but not under cover insurance wise. £5 seems ok but I could pay upto £15-20 but I want to avoid the full £26 this year at least..
247 home rescue is £15 no excess on boiler so that's £18 all in. Only thing I wouldn't be covered for is locks and doors and wasps nests. So I could do that or £2 with £95 excess £5 vs £18 but better than £26 and that goes up I know people who pay £35 for British Gas home care..
On further inspection AA and many others don't cover emergency repairs on back boilers. Wonder if I should just take plumbing and drains plus electric for £3 a month and get a one year boiler service? No cover for my radiators though? I read I can get a new Boiler for £20 a month paying it up worst case if I had to get one..
Comments
OP, as someone else commented, BG will not transfer your account to your new house without a boiler/heating inspection.It really is not BGs fault when you forgot to tell them you had moved. I am sure you will get a refund, I might add that the engineer perhaps should not have told you you should get a refund.The account is nothing to do with him.
It does mean that if you have an electrical or plumbing problem you have someone to call. There is (on my cover) a £50 excess and it is set up as an emergency cover, so you can't (usually) get them to deal with several little problems at once.
If you already have a reliable electrician and plumber you don't need Homecare 400.
I would probably go for the non excess one just in case. Don't know any good plumbers or electricians. Was thinking it would be good as it has a boiler service too.
I didn't even realise that there was still a non-excess option. No doubt you have to pay a lot more for it, but you may prefer it for peace of mind.
What I have found is that when the renewal comes round they always want to increase the cost a lot. You then need to ring them up and negotiate a reduction. One year the reduction meant I paid less than the previous year!
I hope thing work our for the west, mate
What "advice" do you want?
Yiu just want to rant about a situation that you're responsible for.
I've had BG Homecare for years and made very good use of my cover.
I can't fault the service I've received.
Yes it's like £17 pounds vs £26. Not sure I fancy the excess even at the price difference.
Is it a one year contract? Heard horror stories of big price hikes?
My boiler started leaking a few weeks back so I had to switch it off which meant no hot water or heating. I called them at 11:30 pm.
By 12 the next day my heating and hot water was back on.
I was expecting them to say it would be a few days etc but nope. Just gave me a time, the engineer came out when they said, the diverter was leaking, went off to get a replacement. Came back and fixed it.
My first experience but a very positive one.
Everyone says that you should use a reliable local plumber but they can be hard to find as the good ones are always busy and are booked out weeks in advance.
Most importantly, be aware British Gas Services (who operate Homecare policies) had a new computer system installed, and it's left "many" people, like us, with direct debit collection problems (or so they told me). Three times over 16 months we've had direct debit issues, each time a manager has been involved and supposedly corrected, but then it last failed again on renewal in Aug.... and they cannot give a date when it will be fixed! If I wasn't so tired of it all, I'd have taken them to Ofgem by now.
So check your direct debit closely if you take this cover. It's a bloody nightmare - and it used to be so good too.
It is a contract for one year and the £17 is an introductory price. They will try to charge a lot more in the second year, but can be beaten down.
I take calls for Vaillant/Homeserve any do cover boilers in flats. Having a quick look it seems that Homeserve DO cover flats.
They do it seems I can get drains and water for 50p a month and electrics for £2.50 no excess and boiler cover and heating for £8.50 but a £50 excess.
Might work out a better deal for me as some of it doesn't have an excess? £11.50 would cover me but it could rise after the first year?
Yes, it will rise after a year.
This is one of the struggles in me making a choice.
These packages are expensive enough as it is. I want cheap cover but there's always a catch.
And these policies work out much more than my home and buildings insurance.
I'm with HES - my landlord pays £10 a month, I think, and I find them very good and very quick.
When my boiler bust last Boxing Day, I was without any heating or hot water for a week before anyone could come out to me, and our first choice was British Gas. I waited for two days for them (not surprising, given the time of year), and they did bugger all because my boiler wasn't in their database. So they turned up, charged my landlord for the visit, and took one look and went away. Then we found HES and they sorted the boiler out. Give them a look, if you like?
http://www.homeenergyservices.co.uk/
I found plumbing and drains cover plus electrics for £3 with EDF. Aviva are doing a policy through Homeserve £2 a month with boiler service but £95 excess that's a lot of money however as is £26 pounds. I have an old back boiler so in terms of full replacement none of them will replace.
It's all about cost I am trying to save for double glazing so I want insurance however I don't want to over cover myself but not under cover insurance wise. £5 seems ok but I could pay upto £15-20 but I want to avoid the full £26 this year at least..