It never rains but it pours.

Court summons arrives in the post at 11:45, central heating
boiler goes bang at 17:30.

Vaillant ecotec 831 boiler fitted less than 5 years ago.

Faults to date ...

Design fault, a rubber ring to be replaced by a graphite ring.

Design fault, a pressure sensor gives up the ghost.

2 weeks after guaranteee expires, the change-over valve fails
but exhibits water leak that has been there for months. Vaillant
refuse to honour under the guarantee.

Vaillant pressure us to take out extended warranty, which we do
because of change-over valve replaced. When the small print comes, it
specifically excludes any faults that existed before the guarantee
so cancel the policy immediately.

Thermostat fails requiring use of manual override.

Yesterday, rubber expansion joint fails. Emergency engineer says that
it is another design fault having a rubber hose next to the heat exchanger,
and that replacement will be a telescoping metal joint.

The emergency engineer says that our experiences both with Vaillant and
with theor boilers are commonplace, and that he always recommend
Worcester boilers.

Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.

On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:49:29 +0000, gareth wrote:

Vaillant ecotec 831 boiler fitted less than 5 years ago.

Faults to date ...

Design fault, a rubber ring to be replaced by a graphite ring.

Design fault, a pressure sensor gives up the ghost.

2 weeks after guaranteee expires, the change-over valve fails but
exhibits water leak that has been there for months. Vaillant refuse to
honour under the guarantee.

Vaillant pressure us to take out extended warranty, which we do because
of change-over valve replaced. When the small print comes, it
specifically excludes any faults that existed before the guarantee so
cancel the policy immediately.

Thermostat fails requiring use of manual override.

Yesterday, rubber expansion joint fails. Emergency engineer says that it
is another design fault having a rubber hose next to the heat exchanger,
and that replacement will be a telescoping metal joint.

The emergency engineer says that our experiences both with Vaillant and
with theor boilers are commonplace, and that he always recommend
Worcester boilers.

Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.

My experience of Vaillant is

- *extremely* unresponsive technical support line: I once hung on for
over 40 minutes being told how important my call was to them etc and gave
up; I later contacted general customer services who suggested I email
them! (Which actually worked - they did get back to me - but as much use
as a chocolate teapot if you've got a customer's boiler in bits in front
of you and need to talk to someone now.)

- Vaillant engaging in finger-pointing exercise over a fault: a boiler
I'd fitted for a customer was making howling noises from the flue (which
I think they're a bit prone to do) and they got a Vaillant bod out to
look at it who said the primary circuit hadn't been flushed properly,
which didn't seem a likely fault. I powerflushed the system (I'd only
just got the machine after installing the boiler) and not surprisingly it
didn't make a blind bit of difference.

My experience of Worcester-Bosch is
- generally being able to reach tech support on the phone when I need it
(can be a bit busy when everyone's got frozen condensates)
- tech support being generally clueful (can be a bit off with more
esoteric issues)
- being pretty helpful when you do have to call them out, including
attending for free a boiler that was a couple of weeks outside warranty



--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my father did,
not screaming in terror like his passengers.

On Mar 26, 12:49*pm, "gareth" wrote:
It never rains but it pours.

Court summons arrives in the post at 11:45, central heating
boiler goes bang at 17:30.

Vaillant ecotec 831 boiler fitted less than 5 years ago.

Faults to date ...

Design fault, a rubber ring to be replaced by a graphite ring.

Design fault, a pressure sensor gives up the ghost.

2 weeks after guaranteee expires, the change-over valve fails
but exhibits water leak that has been there for months. Vaillant
refuse to honour under the guarantee.

Vaillant pressure us to take out extended warranty, which we do
because of change-over valve replaced. When the small print comes, it
specifically excludes any faults that existed before the guarantee
so cancel the policy immediately.

Thermostat fails requiring use of manual override.

Yesterday, rubber expansion joint fails. Emergency engineer says that
it is another design fault having a rubber hose next to the heat exchanger,
and that replacement will be a telescoping metal joint.

The emergency engineer says that our experiences both with Vaillant and
with theor boilers are commonplace, and that he always recommend
Worcester boilers.

Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.

Hi, sorry to hear about your problems. I have a Valliant system boiler
(not combi) that has been ok for a number of years.
Do not forget that you have a 5-10 year (or however long a boiler
should reasonably last) guarantee through the sales of goods act 1974.
Your complaint is with the supplier of your boiler (plumber, shop,
Valliant?). Do not take out extended guarantees. Write to supplier a
few times with recorded delivery to show that you have tried to
resolve the matter (do not get fobbed off with having to pay for
repairs etc.). Then if no joy, do the small claims thing (can be done
on-line, or used to be able to do this).
Good luck.

"nafuk" wrote in message
...
On Mar 26, 12:49 pm, "gareth" wrote:
Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.
# Hi, sorry to hear about your problems. I have a Valliant system boiler
# (not combi) that has been ok for a number of years.
# Do not forget that you have a 5-10 year (or however long a boiler
# should reasonably last) guarantee through the sales of goods act 1974.
# Your complaint is with the supplier of your boiler (plumber, shop,
# Valliant?). Do not take out extended guarantees. Write to supplier a
# few times with recorded delivery to show that you have tried to
# resolve the matter (do not get fobbed off with having to pay for
# repairs etc.). Then if no joy, do the small claims thing (can be done
# on-line, or used to be able to do this).
# Good luck.

Thanks for an interesting suggestion.

Unfortunately Servowarm are no longer in business.

I have a vague idea that someone in Birmingham purchased
the rights to their business.

In message , gareth
writes
"nafuk" wrote in message
...
On Mar 26, 12:49 pm, "gareth" wrote:
Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.
# Hi, sorry to hear about your problems. I have a Valliant system boiler
# (not combi) that has been ok for a number of years.
# Do not forget that you have a 5-10 year (or however long a boiler
# should reasonably last) guarantee through the sales of goods act 1974.
# Your complaint is with the supplier of your boiler (plumber, shop,
# Valliant?). Do not take out extended guarantees. Write to supplier a
# few times with recorded delivery to show that you have tried to
# resolve the matter (do not get fobbed off with having to pay for
# repairs etc.). Then if no joy, do the small claims thing (can be done
# on-line, or used to be able to do this).
# Good luck.

Thanks for an interesting suggestion.

Unfortunately Servowarm are no longer in business.

Servowarm were badged glowworm boilers IIRC

they didn't actually make their own


--
geoff

In message
,
nafuk writes
Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.

Hi, sorry to hear about your problems. I have a Valliant system boiler
(not combi) that has been ok for a number of years.
Do not forget that you have a 5-10 year (or however long a boiler
should reasonably last) guarantee


UP to 6 years IIRC

--
geoff

In message , gareth
writes

Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.

Vaillant are better than most, it's the boiler of choice for most
fitters around here

I used to recommend WB, but no longer think that their build quality is
good enough

I think that you should go out abnd buy an Ideal ICOS - you'd spend so
much time trying to get it working that you wouldn't get around to
posting such drivel here


--
geoff

On Saturday, 26 March 2011 12:49:29 UTC, gareth wrote:
It never rains but it pours.

Court summons arrives in the post at 11:45, central heating
boiler goes bang at 17:30.

Vaillant ecotec 831 boiler fitted less than 5 years ago.

Faults to date ...

Design fault, a rubber ring to be replaced by a graphite ring.

Design fault, a pressure sensor gives up the ghost.

2 weeks after guaranteee expires, the change-over valve fails
but exhibits water leak that has been there for months. Vaillant
refuse to honour under the guarantee.

Vaillant pressure us to take out extended warranty, which we do
because of change-over valve replaced. When the small print comes, it
specifically excludes any faults that existed before the guarantee
so cancel the policy immediately.

Thermostat fails requiring use of manual override.

Yesterday, rubber expansion joint fails. Emergency engineer says that
it is another design fault having a rubber hose next to the heat exchanger,
and that replacement will be a telescoping metal joint.

The emergency engineer says that our experiences both with Vaillant and
with theor boilers are commonplace, and that he always recommend
Worcester boilers.

Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.

2011 to now, one might have thought if they were this bad, they would be out
of business in 6 years or so.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
wrote in message
...
On Saturday, 26 March 2011 12:49:29 UTC, gareth wrote:
It never rains but it pours.

Court summons arrives in the post at 11:45, central heating
boiler goes bang at 17:30.

Vaillant ecotec 831 boiler fitted less than 5 years ago.

Faults to date ...

Design fault, a rubber ring to be replaced by a graphite ring.

Design fault, a pressure sensor gives up the ghost.

2 weeks after guaranteee expires, the change-over valve fails
but exhibits water leak that has been there for months. Vaillant
refuse to honour under the guarantee.

Vaillant pressure us to take out extended warranty, which we do
because of change-over valve replaced. When the small print comes, it
specifically excludes any faults that existed before the guarantee
so cancel the policy immediately.

Thermostat fails requiring use of manual override.

Yesterday, rubber expansion joint fails. Emergency engineer says that
it is another design fault having a rubber hose next to the heat
exchanger,
and that replacement will be a telescoping metal joint.

The emergency engineer says that our experiences both with Vaillant and
with theor boilers are commonplace, and that he always recommend
Worcester boilers.

Moral : Don't buy a Vaillant boiler, not only are they crap but Vaillant
have a predatory attitude towards customers' bank balances.