Why are British Gas quoting me nearly £4000 (inc vat)to replace my combi boiler in a like for like situation?
No additional pipe work or extra bits are needed.
The core charge for the boiler itself is £650 (ex vat) more expensive than the average internet price and comes to about £1350 from British Gas(ex vat).
With the timer / stat and flue the 'internet' total (inc vat and delivery) is £1030 as opposed to British Gas price of £1850!
Any help as where to go from here?
Thanks
2007-12-17 05:01:41 · 15 answers · asked by manofmusic 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Most people I know charge about £1600.00 for a straight swap including supplying the boiler and powerflush . They still make a goodly sum from this. One caveat though. Sometimes as all new installations have to comply with current standards, and old installations were often put in by fire-men on their days off for pin money, there can be extra work needed in uprating gas supply . Also can need electrical certification sometimes as well.
Unfortunately Corgi go around making all installers life miserable so often regulations you (and I) might think unimportant need money spending on them to be complied with.
It is extraordinary that 20 years on they are saying there are 50 deaths a year from carbon monoxide exactly the same amount as when they first came into existence. So really why don't they just go out of existence then and leave everybody alone.
2007-12-17 09:43:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had this same issue about 3 years ago. In the end I got a local plumber/heating engineer to do the job for me. I got him from yellow pages. If you ring a few and let them come to your home to give you quotes you can them weigh the heating engineer up as they are weighing the job up and then just go with the one that you feel most comfortable with which may not necessarily be the cheapest but I can guarantee that they'll be a lot cheaper than british gas. Also, plumbers/heating engineers can be difficult to find so once you've found one that you like you will feel comfortable calling him/her again at a later date and you can't put a price on that. If one thing is for sure - you'll need them again for something so you may as well put the leg work in now.
2007-12-17 11:46:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi If you have made a reasonable and genuine off of settlement - in the form of a payment plan and THEY reject it - then invite them to take you to court. This is because they are not entitled to reject out of hand any reasonable offer - just as they can not 'load' a person for being poor. You should not worry about this because the district judge will not be impressed with their 'scare tactics' they are (in my view) breach of a duty of care in as much they have inhibited you from a move to a cheaper provider. I would strongly recommend that you go to a CAB / solicitor - being on benefits / student, you may well qualify for civil funding (aka legal aid) - I would also get onto tha ombudsman / ofgem regulator. IF this is a situation of THEIR CREATION you may have a claim against them for the stress anxiety - the sleepless knights etc - and don't forget how your course work has suffered as well ! the sooner you get this going the better - they may even have to reduce their bill as well as consider compensation. Good luck
2016-05-24 08:58:24 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
we've just been to a job that they quoted 8200 to convert the system to a combi !!! unfortunately its a wrongly trusted name plenty of great installers out there who tend to do a better job than bg but get lots of quotes dont go with the cheapest and try for worcester boiler make sure the system is flushed properly every company and installer will put a mark up on products not excessive but reasonable to cover any eventualities bg put there name on all stuff thats why your charged more...
all the best.
2007-12-17 05:30:15 · answer #4 · answered by davey 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of the time when a big company like that quotes, you are paying for the name. it might be an idea to find some good boiler salesmen in your area, ones with a good reputation, and get quotes from them. You are almost guaranteed to get it done cheaper elsewhere.
2007-12-17 05:06:09 · answer #5 · answered by loudpurplehair 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a quote from a local Corgi registered plumber
2007-12-17 05:10:19 · answer #6 · answered by Fred3663 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Look in your local paper for a registered gas installer and get quotes.British gas are a bunch of cowboys.
2007-12-17 10:17:19 · answer #7 · answered by taxed till i die,and then some. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get someone else to do the whole job, supply and fitting, and NOT British Gas.
That what free enterprise and competition is all about. When my grandmother had a new boiler fitted she had not choice under those friggin socialist government of Harold Wilson. We have moved on now. You have choice.
Get someone else to do the job
What a stupid question.
2007-12-17 05:07:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
To Watchdog, write, phone, contact them somehow, and explain your predicament. It would seem that is the only way that BG gets off its big fat a**e and does something for its customers. I have just spoken to some prat from BG about their charges and i could have quite cheerfully throttled the ****. Either that, contact their big chief, find his e mail and bombard him with e mails until you get a better deal.
2007-12-17 05:07:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Go to yellow pages and get quotes from local fitters.
2007-12-17 05:04:40 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋