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Property/DIY

Are a British Gas delaying annual services.

13 replies

HappydaysArehere · 19/08/2020 09:01

BG used to be good. They would notify you that your service was due. The last few years this has failed to happen. Now they display a notice on their app which says we will let you know but they don’t. You used to be able to ring up on their automated service and book. This year the automated voice informs you that your service isn’t due for three months even though it is due now. You can’t get past this. I tried to speak to a human but despite long waits they cut me off, the last time after ten mins only. After a very prolonged online effort to get help via their app I eventually received an appointment for the middle of October. Now this delay has happened before and I am fully expecting a repetition of what happened two years ago and that I will be told they are cancelling it as they are too busy to attend and they don’t do servicing at that time. This scenario was also experienced by a neighbour who was given a December appointment only to find surprise, surprise they were too busy too attend. Eventually she got one the following February thereby missing the service for that year. At one time all the Servicing was done in the summer months. After the trouble I had over the last two days and fears that the fixed appointment will be cancelled I am wondering if BG is fit for purpose.

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Fleurchamp · 19/08/2020 09:55

You're right! My service is due this month and I have heard nothing.
I am going to check up with them.
Thanks OP.

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HappydaysArehere · 19/08/2020 09:59

Hope you get one without trouble. Also, watch your blood pressure if not!

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SlipperyLizard · 19/08/2020 10:08

They called me last month to arrange ours (now done a couple of weeks ago) but it wasn’t due until September! I figured they were trying to keep their engineers busy by bringing them forward, but must have just been an error.

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Bells3032 · 19/08/2020 10:12

Yes. I had one booked in May and was emailed to cancel it due to Covid. I haven't been asked to rearrange it yet (selling the property now anyway so not chasing on it).

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HappydaysArehere · 19/08/2020 10:55

These cancellations that I am my neighbour have experienced Has been nothing to do with Corona having taken place two/three years ago and now I am expecting more frustration. Expecting Corona to be blamed as so many big businesses are doing. I’m not buying it especially as it is so difficult to talk to anyone. I am fed up with offering up a begging bowl for an essential service which I am paying hundreds of pounds for. If October is cancelled I am walking.

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CeibaTree · 19/08/2020 11:30

We had ours last month no problem. Maybe it depends where in the country you are for availability of engineers.

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HappydaysArehere · 20/08/2020 08:30

CeibaTree. You may well be right as my brother in the Watford area had his okay last year. We are in the Bromley area and as said above my neighbour and I have had a lot of bother for the last few years. It is the annual service which has driven us mad.

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odindog · 11/01/2021 09:59

British Gas have really gone downhill! My boiler stopped working,3 times I waited for an engineer to turn up with no show. Online chat a waste of time, say they understand my predicament but can not do service at moment( meant to be annual but over 18months now) eventually after a lot of stress an engineer came out and has shut off gas due to broken flue. No hot water, no heating, freezing! What on earth am I paying insurance for? will now have to pay for new boiler ! Maybe if I had had service at correct time none of this would have happened!

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Rege · 11/01/2021 10:17

Don’t get me started with BG! Everything was ticking along nicely, until 2019. Service date kept being postponed until our service for that yr was missed. Then in 2020 a bloke turned up unannounced in April, no one was inHmm. I got on the phone to them to complain and eventually a service was booked for October 2020 (note no service since 2018) in Octoberit was cancelled again and postponed till November. Thankfully service happened in November, we also got a refund of the service missed. 2 days after service, hot water stopped working, called BG - 3 days & lots of kettle boiling, engineer came out and fixed hot water. 23rd of December both heating & hot water stops working (this is all Can’t speak to anyone, we don’t fall into vulnerable category, earliest appt is 4/1. So we spent whole of Xmas & New Yr freezing cold. This is all within 2weeks of the last service. I call out gas emergency service, lovely chap turns up and says boiler is dead! How can boiler be dead within 2 weeks of last service?

@OP We’re in Watford area by the way Wink

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Candleabra · 11/01/2021 19:28

Yes. They're also delaying repairs. Unless you are without hot water or heating you're not a priority. I've had my repair rescheduled twice now. I pay a lot for the service contract. Not impressed.

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Spickle · 11/01/2021 23:56

BG re-scheduled my service twice. They advised that they prioritise break-downs, vulnerable old and young people, particularly in the Winter. They are actively delaying services for the Spring/Summer months when the weather is warmer and people don't need to have their heating on.

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Megthehen · 12/01/2021 00:08

have just enjoyed a week of no hot water or heating and was initially given an end of January date for a repair. Used the chat and got a next day visit but no repair yet. Read that BG's owner is trying to change pay, terms and conditions for staff (worse conditions) and staff are pushing back. All power to them. Probably affecting availability of staff? More greedy owners of utility companies again.

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Bouledeneige · 13/01/2021 21:48

Sore point with me. I had one booked in November - as I also had a problem with my boiler. He fixed it but then asked if I could re-arrange the service as he still had a few to repair and it was nearly the end of the day. I made the mistake of saying yes fine - to be nice. My re-booked service has now been cancelled. The next date they can give me is early March. After an argument with them about this they are going to pay for my new service with a local Gas safe boiler engineer.

They said it was cancelled because of the demand with winter boiler problems. In reality its because of the strike.

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