"Richard Owen" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I've recently moved house (September), and I continued my British Gas
3-star
service contract that I have had for 5 years.

An engineer came round this Monday to do the annual service on the 24 year
old Glow Worm boiler. As soon as the engineer left, the pilot light went
out, and kept going out within a few minutes of relighting. The same
engineer came back today to solve the problem by fitting a new gas valve,
cheerfully joking about Murphy's Law when you start messing with something
after months or years of fault-free operation.

During the fitting process the engineer accidentally bent the thread of an
elbowed threaded pipe. This is an irreplaceable part due to the age of
the
boiler, so the only option was for the engineer to arrange for a quote for
a
new boiler. The British Gas quote-monger will be coming round this
evening.

Cheek! If I took my car in for a service and the garage damaged the
engine,
I'd hardly get a bill for a new car would I?

Does anybody know where I stand regarding responsibility here?

1. Even if I wanted to replace the boiler, I would probably not choose
British Gas because of the cost.
2. If I hadn't paid them to service the boiler, I wouldn't be in this
situation.
3. The engineer admitted the damage, so shouldn't British Gas rectify
their error?
4. If they offer a discount because of their error, could I get a quote
from a different supplier and ask British Gas to pay the equivalent of
their
offered discount?


I cannot think offhand of a bit of vulnerable threaded bent pipe on an old
type GlowWorm boiler although the model details would be a big help. In any
case it may not be beyond a bit of judicious straightening and maybe a
thread clean up with a die nut. SERIOUS damage could hardly be considered
accidental and it could be that Mr hamfist was bucking for his introducers
commission from his employers.
I'd get a local independant guy to take a look before chucking big money
even after discounts at BG. If the local guy can and does effect a repair
you should claim the cost of the repair from BG although it might take a bit
of a fight to get it.