In article , Andy Hall
writes
On 29 Dec 2003 08:26:01 -0800, (ANt) wrote:

Having had a new CH system fitted 3-4 years ago I thought it was time
to get it serviced..should really have been every year...but you know
how time passes :-)

snip

I had some experience of this a few years back.

The advertising is very good. It's when you sign up that the
disappointment begins. The TV advertising, especially, I felt, is
very misleading. They feature a man and a boy team who show up at a
hapless customer, and the patter gives the impression that they are
offering a paramedic service. I felt that this was less than honest
and have a case with the ASA about it.

My own experience, one winter when the boiler failed was disappointing
snip

BG, on threat of legal action, refunded my entire year's contract
payment, although continued to protest that they were inside the
contract conditions.


However, after the engineer left the building, my wife phones to say
he didn't seem to do much...certainly didn't vacuum out the boiler
which I thought would be a standard part of service.

It may or it may not be. If you look on Vaillant's web site, you
will find the installation and service documentation for your boiler.

Often BG will just put a combustion analyser in the flue and test
carbon monoxide level. This is one indication of correct behaviour
and safety but does not necessarily say whether the boiler is
operating at its most efficient.

One can argue that pulling the boiler apart every year is not
necessary - it depends on what the manufacturer recommends.


Looking on the website now I see it's not neccesarily a service but

"a yearly safety and performance inspection (except for electric
boilers) to help reduce breakdowns "

That sounds a little crap and if my wife is correct, then we still
need to get it serviced otherwise it'll certinaly shorten its life at
best nevermind the effects of it running innefficiently.

I can understand that you feel short changed, but check what the
manufacturer suggests.



snip

Their other favourite games are to tell customers that their systems
need to be powerflushed. Not included. Expect to pay £500-800 for
this. You can *buy* the machine for little more than this, and can
certainly hire them. Alternatively, you can do an effective job in
other ways for next to nothing.


Http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/pdf/Roth...Pipetool%20Tec
hnologies.pdf - Rocal 20 descaling and flushing pump. 'For the efficient
removal of lime scale and sludge from you know where. £311 + vat.
Or try googling for 'Rothenburger'. I think HSS hire if out too, also
a hydraulic pipe/radiator tester as used by all the U/F installers.

If a boiler looks as though it is going to cost them time and money to
fix, then they will tell you that it is beyond economic repair and
then offer you a new one at an arm and a leg over anybody else in the
market. They'll sweeten the deal if pushed by giving you three
years breakdown cover. Give!! Hmmm...

If you are paying by standing order, I would cancel it immediately and
offer them £30 for the work they did already.

Then find yourself a local heating firm or fitter to do the work.





Ant.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

--
Andrew