Being ripped off by my heating and boiler cover - help needed
I have heating and boiler cover and our hot water has been playing up. I paid the excess and called the heating and boiler cover and they sent an engineer.
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
Original post by Kutie Karen
I have heating and boiler cover and our hot water has been playing up. I paid the excess and called the heating and boiler cover and they sent an engineer.
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
You need to be very firm on the phone. Demand the service you have paid for. If they refuse, lodge a formal complaint, and ask for details of both the trade body they are a member of and any arbitration or ombudsman service which covers the company (in order that you can take the matter further). You will have to be tenacious, determined and make yourself a thorn in their side.
You need to make them want to do the work just to get you off their back.
P.S. If you're talking about the three-port valve which directs water heated by the boiler to either the central heating or hot water system, then these do sometimes fail and get stuck in one position. A powerflush will make absolutely no difference to that.
Original post by DataVenia
You need to be very firm on the phone. Demand the service you have paid for. If they refuse, lodge a formal complaint, and ask for details of both the trade body they are a member of and any arbitration or ombudsman service which covers the company (in order that you can take the matter further). You will have to be tenacious, determined and make yourself a thorn in their side.
You need to make them want to do the work just to get you off their back.
P.S. If you're talking about the three-port valve which directs water heated by the boiler to either the central heating or hot water system, then these do sometimes fail and get stuck in one position. A powerflush will make absolutely no difference to that.
You need to make them want to do the work just to get you off their back.
P.S. If you're talking about the three-port valve which directs water heated by the boiler to either the central heating or hot water system, then these do sometimes fail and get stuck in one position. A powerflush will make absolutely no difference to that.
Thanks, That is useful. He was going to order the divertor valve and I wished I hadn't said anything on hindsight about the radiators when he was leaving. . I know I am being pressured into getting the powerflush done as he said the valve will get dirty again and so they can't do it. Is this even true or a pressure tactic?
Original post by Kutie Karen
Thanks, That is useful. He was going to order the divertor valve and I wished I hadn't said anything on hindsight about the radiators when he was leaving. . I know I am being pressured into getting the powerflush done as he said the valve will get dirty again and so they can't do it. Is this even true or a pressure tactic?
The only evidence they have that you system could even benefit from a power flush is that you mentioned that "a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly". That could be for multiple reasons.
In my opinion it's a pressure tactic, so they can offset the cost of having to replace the valve under the heating and boiler cover by making a decent profit on the power flush.
Original post by DataVenia
The only evidence they have that you system could even benefit from a power flush is that you mentioned that "a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly". That could be for multiple reasons.
In my opinion it's a pressure tactic, so they can offset the cost of having to replace the valve under the heating and boiler cover by making a decent profit on the power flush.
In my opinion it's a pressure tactic, so they can offset the cost of having to replace the valve under the heating and boiler cover by making a decent profit on the power flush.
Yes you are absolutely right and that is what I think too. However, they have now made it that if I don't do the powerflush then they will not change the diverter valve. I am not sure how to prove to them that it isn't necessary and soemthign I can consider at a later date. Any suggestions as to how to do this with them?
Original post by Kutie Karen
Yes you are absolutely right and that is what I think too. However, they have now made it that if I don't do the powerflush then they will not change the diverter valve. I am not sure how to prove to them that it isn't necessary and soemthign I can consider at a later date. Any suggestions as to how to do this with them?
If it were me I'd go straight to the contract / terms & conditions and see what it says there.
If it says something like "other maintenance activities may need to be undertaken, at the customers expense, prior to any repair work being carried out if in the exclusive opinion of XYZ Ltd this is necessary" then you have little room to maneuver.
If however it doesn't say anything like that, then I'd point out that you've paid for a service which they are refusing to undertake, contrary to the terms of the contract. I'd then ask them where in the contract it gives them the right to refuse to do the repair in these circumstances. If they can identify no such clause, then they have no right to refuse to replace the valve.
Original post by Kutie Karen
I have heating and boiler cover and our hot water has been playing up. I paid the excess and called the heating and boiler cover and they sent an engineer.
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
Welcome to the world of being responsible for a property. This situation is why these 'cover' policies are rarely value for money. A private plumber might recommend the powerflush (and btw, the issues are linked, and there is a good chance what the plumber said is true) but if you say 'I get what you say, but give me a quote but I'll have to save up and look at it in 6 months or so', then they don't care if you do half a job.
A company you are paying a 'cover' policy, has a vested interest in linking product. You can think it is forcible upselling, and sometimes it is, but sometimes it's just doing the full job once (higher margins), rather than risking multiple further callouts (lower margins on multiple jobs).
There's absolutely no point in going the legal route, a load of stress and effort for zero end benefit. Either do the whole job, or get in a private plumber to do the job and drop the 'cover' service at the end of the year.
Original post by Kutie Karen
I have heating and boiler cover and our hot water has been playing up. I paid the excess and called the heating and boiler cover and they sent an engineer.
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
The engineer said the diverter valve needed replacing and he would order one. As he was leaving I also mentioned a couple of my radiators was not heating up properly. He then said straightway taht I needed a powerflush. This costs several of hundreds of pounds to do. Now the boiler cover insurance are refusing to replace the diverter valve without me carrying out the powerflush first. I feel ripped of as it is not really necessary and they are just forcing me do these works.
What can i do?
What is the issue with the radiators not heating up properly? Do you mean that they get hot at the bottom but are still cold at the top?
If that's the case, then it's probably air trapped at the top of the radiator, and that can be bled off. It's a pretty straightforward job to do; but you need to make sure you won't end up spraying dirty water on your walls!
Original post by martin7
What is the issue with the radiators not heating up properly? Do you mean that they get hot at the bottom but are still cold at the top?
If that's the case, then it's probably air trapped at the top of the radiator, and that can be bled off. It's a pretty straightforward job to do; but you need to make sure you won't end up spraying dirty water on your walls!
If that's the case, then it's probably air trapped at the top of the radiator, and that can be bled off. It's a pretty straightforward job to do; but you need to make sure you won't end up spraying dirty water on your walls!
A couple of the radiators don't warm at the bottom but very hot at the top. Any suggestions?
Original post by Kutie Karen
A couple of the radiators don't warm at the bottom but very hot at the top. Any suggestions?
Not something I've come across before. Sorry ☹️
Original post by martin7
Not something I've come across before. Sorry ☹️
that does sound like the bottom 'could' be sludged up and therefore the power flush would clear this all out.
Original post by bamtutor
that does sound like the bottom 'could' be sludged up and therefore the power flush would clear this all out.
Ok. But does it have anythign to do with replacing the diverter valve?
Original post by Kutie Karen
Ok. But does it have anythign to do with replacing the diverter valve?
not directly, but if they fit the new diverter valve without the power flush, the system will still be full of 'gunge' which is why they may be suggesting it needs doing.
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