SHOCK HORROR! CORGI fitters L@@K at this!!?

Question

Just rang someone called Lee Davies at the Gas Board. He's told me that the 'pilot light' in a gas back boiler (which you HAVE TO HAVE ON) otherwise ya heating and hot water wont come on.... costs over £30 per month to run. Apparently thats why every1 is going over to combi boilers. Im not sure whether to believe this, and wonder why it hasnt been brought to everyone attention before??
its outrageous news.

My question is:-
HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE ARE:--

1) AWARE OF THIS COST?
2) AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH IT?
3) REALISED YOUR HOT WATER IS ON ALL THE TIME COS OF THIS PILOT LIGHT?
4) ARENT GETTING HOT WATER THRU IT EVEN THO YOU'RE MEANT TO BE DOING, EVEN THO ITS NOT SWITCHED ON?
5) ARE TOTALLY CONFUSED AT THEIR CHARGES?

Have you changed to a combi boiler?
Are you gonna change to a combi boiler?

They have also jus told me that I can have the meter changed at a cost, and then they want to charge me £63 +VAT to get the tester people to look at it... Im stunned!!

thnx for the 1st 4 answers! I jus put phone down on that Lee b4 coming in&write this..Im gobsmacked to say the least!Council are looking in2 probs I was having;my bills for last 2yrs r on way2me, but what he said grinds me down..I did argue the point with him.Iv tried ringing Meridian News just now, as I thinkits summit that should be out in the open.And if its no true I woinder why a gas official would tell me this.Perhaps he's anti gas...an imposter from lecy ppl!! hehe!! Im annoyed too&'d love 2believe! my past bills have not had these charges;like poster bills are £15ish. Im so upset & confused I have no hair left to pull out at this rate lol

yes id like hot water, but get it instant from the shower. this does the dishes and the washbowl (hands face teeth)... nout to do with gas or immersion!
Shower is instant anyway.
Gas is OFF at mains now, which means I eat pot noodles etc. They want 7day test done...more xpence.
Been ongoing now for nearlly 2mths.
Im jus sitting duck waiting for the moon to turn to green cheese... lol.... then Id probly eat it!!!!

I did challenge him.

Heres the number!
You try. Ring and say that you have just read it in yahoo answers and wondered if the woman who'd written it was a complete idiot, or if she'd got something against British Gas; and say is it true about a pilot light cost running being £30plus per month.

Ask for
LEE DAVIES
the number is
029 208 40 702.

This sounds outrageous to me too. Thats why Im trying to contact the News & Press about it, as I feel it should be brought to peoples attention.
Maybe higher usage people dont notice it, and dont question it, I dont know. This is new to me but I intend to get to the bottom of it, thats for sure!!

Have a great day, all you yahooies......
PW xx

He also said that pilot lights on combis can be switched off, and thats why they are cheaper for people to run and why indeed everyone wanted the new combi boilers.... Myself Im looking to go 'all electric' on my first chance of a break off!

Answer 1

Well seeing as the pilot light in our boiler is always on, and our monthly gas bill came to £17 for last month, including all our hot water (no heating right now), I don't know where that figure came from... The MOST we pay in the deepest coldest parts of winter is £30 a month.

Someone needs to look at changing gas suppliers. And anyway, don't you WANT the hot water on all the time? You never know when you might need to wash your hands, or when you might want a shower, or to wash the dishes!

Answer 2

A permanent pilot costs 4% of your efficiency in heating hot water, that does not mean 4% of your bill, so, the cost of the pilot is negligable, BG staff are paid commission to talk you (or cheat you) into buying a new boiler, there costs are the most expensive anywhere, and once a manufacturer (of a boiler for example) says they are stopping making a model, BG will tell you it is obsolete, even when they know full well that the parts are available and will be for several more years.
Combi boilers in the main these days do not have a permanent pilot, all modern ones have electronic ignition and only light anything when called on. A back boiler was probably the most reliable boiler ever, sadly they cannot be replaced now except in rare circumstances, but combi's, in particular condensing combi's are far more efficient. Not everyone will change to a combi, but everyone WILL change to a condensing boiler as it is law! Oh, and BG telesales staff are not qualified engineers, nor are a lot of the field sales staff.

Answer 3

I don't think a properly adjusted pilot flame will cost any more than a pound a month to run, if that. Most modern boilers,(not just combi's) have electronic ignition when heat is required and therefore do not need a pilot flame. I have had a Vaillant combi for 18 years and about to change it to a Vaillant condensing combi. You can't switch off pilot lights on combi's, they don't normaly have them. Our gas bill is currently £45.00 per month for all central heating, hot water and cooking (gas hob). I think your Gas board man needs some re-training.

Answer 4

The figure for the pilot light of £30 a month is rubbish. As for having the hot water on all day is nonsense. You only use gas if you use hot water, You have been given a sales pitch to have a new boiler.

Answer 5

I used to be with British Gas - too expensive, poor service and dishonesty. One chap who came to do the annual service to the boiler asked me to give him a good report then he would fit a new air filter to the warm air central heating system. He wouldn't do it otherwise! BG lost loads of customers a few years ago and it serves them right! I changed to Southern Electric for my gas and electricity and my bills are much cheaper. I have also had the old gas boiler removed and have a Worcester Bosch combi which has given no trouble at all.

Answer 6

I don't know who best to advise you to speak to on this...

I'd be getting a Corgi registered independent boiler maintenance person to come and check out your boiler to make sure that the ventilation and flue are good and that you are not having problems with the pilot using more gas because it has been poorly maintained before you moved there.

Just be careful and buy a carbon monoxide tester as well. My sister has a gas combi boiler but I don't trust the gas myself...

Answer 7

If your pilot light is costing £30 per month to run it is most definitely not a pilot light, it a flame thrower, I've never heard such rubbish, I would find it hard to believe that your pilot is costing £30 per year, I think you should try talking to some one with a brain, com-bi boilers are fine until they go wrong then you lose both heating and hot water.

Answer 8

What a prat who told you it costs £30 a month to run a pilot light. What does he think you are, the local crematorium?!.
If you think your meter is faulty, they should check it for a fee of around £20. If it proves to be faulty, this fee is waivered.
Contact the technical directorate at Ofgem.

Answer 9

I very much doubt a pilot light costs £30 pm to run.

Answer 10

seems rather odd. All boillers including combi have a piolt light so they fire uo when you need them. if you switch it off you'll get no hot water at all. I have a combi boiler now(old one condemmed!) which only fires up when I switch the hot taps on so it's cheaper cause you're not paying for hot water sitting in the cistern just the stuff you use. If pilot lights cost that much we'd all be bankrupt. Challenge him on it.