To refuse to pay!

[Rainer]

Background. Our boiler has been proving a bit of a disappointment. It has progressively deteriorated so now it is barely working. It's no spring chicken but it shouldnt be at the end of its working life yet.

Boiler repair man was selected by me as someone who had fairly recently started up on their own and whom I knew through dds class. He was a nice bloke and it thought would be trustworthy.

That was two months ago. He has to his credit been out to us 9 times. However during that period there have been times where he didn't reply to texts and I've had to chase worry.

He's replaced three parts none of which have fixed the problem.

He said after the first part he would speak to the manufacturer to help diagnose the problem. We waited for two weeks and texts from me again went unanswere. He didn't speak to the manufacturers it turned out and instead fitted two new parts to 'try'.

He invoiced for the first part and time even though he was aware it hadn't solved the issue. I was reluctant to pay as I've always settled when job is complete. However I appreciate he is a one man company and I settled this (bigger) bill. The second bill for two more parts I have yet to pay. I'm annoyed that he didn't do what he said he would do and has brought two new parts 'hoping' they would work without properly researching it.

He has now spoken to the manufacturer and come up with three new possibilities. However that was on Tuesday and my text to arrange which day (any this week other than tues) has gone unanswered as has my text to say can he contact dh to arrange times over today or tomorrow as I'm working.

Meanwhile it's getting pretty chilly in my house and boiling our poor kettle every time is getting pretty old.

Am I completely unreasonable to decide if he makes no contact to come by tomorrow to get someone out who will actually prioritise us and be capable of fixing our boiler?

[Ahickiefromkinickie]

YANBU. Get a recommendation from someone you trust, and who is Corgi registered.

He doesn't seem to care you have no hot water and heating.

Working through '3 possibilities^ will take ages.

[LeninaCrowne]

Gas Safe registered (no longer CORGI)

[2gorgeousboys]

I don't think you are being unreasonable to refuse to pay the second bill when the action taken was not as agreed. You have ended up paying for 2 parts which may or may not work (and obviously haven't) and if asked about this before he ordered them, presumably you'd have said no.

We were in a similar situation with our boiler last year and on the recommendation of our repair man friend, we signed up to a British Gas Home Care scheme. You pay a one off call out charge (about £100 I think) and they come back as many times as necessary and with whatever parts are needed all included. There is then a monthly scheme you can take to cover future repairs. We called them and the came out the same day and repaired it the next.

Hope you manage to get heating and hot water sorted soon as it's a horrible time of year to be without them.

[PlumsGalore]

You would have been better calling the manufacturer and getting one of their service engineers out. More expensive but at least they know their boilers and have the right spare parts.

I had dozens of British gas visits with my last boiler, they blamed the gas pressure and national grid said there was nothing wrong with it, it went on for weeks, in the end I had the BG manager, National Grid manager and a young lad from the boiler company there. He fixed it in half an hour. BG manager skulked away and National Grid man waved him off cheerily.

[FlamingoSnuffle]

I did exactly the same as 2gorgeous when my local chap couldn't even put a fuse in the boiler without it blowing so he couldn't even diagnose the problem.

He suggested British Gas on their first fault fix, I think it was £99 and considering how many times they have been back out to me under their care plan I have done well.

My heating died Christmas eve and they said they could come out Christmas day. I bet that a one man band wouldn't do that.

If I rang them before 8 they were usually out the same day to me. And this wasn't a one off it was several times a month at one point. We were just desperately waiting till summer to replace the boiler (which we have now done) I just wanted to get through last winter with heating and hot water.

[PlumsGalore]

PS, I think he will be happy you don't contact him again, he hasn't a clue and he knows it!

[Catsize]

Bit awkward, given he is linked to your daughter's school.

Get someone else by all means, but I would probably pay the bills and put it down to 'bad decision'.

Our oil boiler has died after 10 years. My parents' oil boiler beast lasted 45, albeit it was the size of a small factory. Could yours just need replacing?

[Rainer]

They aren't in dds class anymore so no worries there really.

Money is tight (isn't it for everyone) so we really hoped to avoid signing up to British gas but it might be the way forward.

[hungryhippo90]

Sorry, he's charging you for two additional parts, on the new boiler? Please tell me I've read that incorrectly? All parts are supposed to be good for a year, at least.

[Rainer]

Yes. The boiler isn't new. We had one rather expensive part, didn't fix it. Had two undisclosed amount parts fitted after first part failed to fix the problem

[Rainer]

None thinks I'm evil customer from hell?