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Original poster

British Gas turned out boiler off 22 Nov

86 replies

blackfluffycat · 04/12/2023 07:26

It's December and snowing. No Hot water, Heating or Washer for nearly 2 weeks.

No problems with boiler. Just had a routine service. The engineer advised us not to use it and switched it off. They sent someone out on the Friday (24th) to give us a quote for a new one.

I asked when it could be done he said it could be done the following week.

It's booked in for this Wednesday but they don't even know where it's going. Whether they need new piping to go upstairs and remove the floor boards so it might not even be Wednesday.

Am I expecting too much?

I know I can't do anything about it and they will be busy but it's been really difficult for us to have a shower and wash clothes never mind the cold. DDs are 11 and 13 so not babies but still.

Thanks.

it won’t let me edit the title. “Our” not “Out”

OP posts:
Janieforever · 04/12/2023 11:50

blackfluffycat · 04/12/2023 11:46

We had to go either BG as we gave it on finance.

He said to fix the boiler, work new pipes etc will cost same as getting a new one.

The wrong size pipes were put in so need new ones.

Ok that makes sense, it’s also fine to go with bg, we used them, the good thing with bg is they quote for the job and if it’s more, then they don’t charge more, if that makes sense, they only charge what they quoted.

if the washing machine isn’t working, possibly it takes hot water, unless you wash clothes by hand?

id guess your shower isn’t electric. As if it was the water would be hot.

Noseyoldcow · 04/12/2023 11:54

I had a British Gas service contract and they couldn't come out and fix the boiler within a reasonable amount of time. When I objected, they said I could call Local Heroes and they would refund me any costs. And they did. This was ages ago, so don't know if it still works like that, but if the boiler is on a service contract with them, it's worth a try.

whichwaytohome · 04/12/2023 12:02

I feel for you @blackfluffycat .

My Dsis is in the same position as you now. British Gas turned off her boiler. In her case it's her twat of a DP's fault, as he built a conservatory, the length of her kitchen and dining room; the boiler on the kitchen wall, now vents straight into the conservatory. What's worse, he knew the flue shouldn't vent straight into the conservatory, but decided he wanted to do it anyway!

GasPanic · 04/12/2023 12:06

blackfluffycat · 04/12/2023 11:38

@PrimoPancake ❤️❤️❤️

There is no name on the shower it's just a silver horizontal bar.

That sounds like a bar mixer shower. It has a tap at each end, one for water flow and one for temperature ? That means it runs off the boiler (water cylinder) and is not electric.

As other people have said there may be an electric pump for it.

Do you have a system boiler ? If the tank is properly serviced and has an immersion heater you may be able to use that on a temporary basis.

Problem is people do not use them very much so don't know that they exist. Plus because they are hardly used they are often in a poor state of repair.

Jaxhog · 04/12/2023 12:08

We had a similar problem last winter, when BG found a gas leak and we had to have all our pipes replaced. Our lovely neighbours loaned us some space heaters and offered their showers! It took two months and a big leccy bill, plus lots of new jumpers.

Best of luck.

Original poster
blackfluffycat · 04/12/2023 12:10

Sorry everyone I assumed boiler was electric. Dh is military and has pissed off as usual and I have to sort it but I only know certain things 🤯🤯

OP posts:
madeinmanc · 04/12/2023 12:18

Can you afford to go out and buy an oil-filled radiator today?

GoingDownLikeBHS · 04/12/2023 12:19

OP you need a second opinion, the issue here is that you have asked British Gas to do the work - a local plumber could have done that very quickly and would have done the survey about boiler position/pipes etc on the spot. I hope someone more knowledgeable can come up with an idea now - you might have to just wait and see what happens on Wednesday.

GoingDownLikeBHS · 04/12/2023 12:21

Just saw your DP is military is this service accommodation you are in?

Janieforever · 04/12/2023 12:27

GoingDownLikeBHS · 04/12/2023 12:19

OP you need a second opinion, the issue here is that you have asked British Gas to do the work - a local plumber could have done that very quickly and would have done the survey about boiler position/pipes etc on the spot. I hope someone more knowledgeable can come up with an idea now - you might have to just wait and see what happens on Wednesday.

The issue isn’t bg, she’s already said they needed finance hence why using bg. They didn’t also wish to pay the call out fee from local plumbers, at least read the thread..

Sparehair · 04/12/2023 12:28

blackfluffycat · 04/12/2023 12:10

Sorry everyone I assumed boiler was electric. Dh is military and has pissed off as usual and I have to sort it but I only know certain things 🤯🤯

No worries- it gets confusing. It sounds like your shower runs off the boiler ( gas) so if the boiler is off, it won’t heat up. An electric shower normally looks something like this and heats it’s own water using electricity. They heat up even if the boiler is off. They tend to be a bit shit tbh but good as a stand by.

washing machine should work. Even if it’ll just cold wash it’s better than nothing. I had a cold only wm when I lived in Asia and it was ok. Think Australia also only has cold water wm

British Gas turned out boiler off 22 Nov
GasPanic · 04/12/2023 12:34

BG are very careful with regulations in my experience. They do things by the book and my installation was very polished and happened extremely smoothly, but I guess can be (a lot) more expensive as a result of that.

Independent installers can vary somewhat in their outlook on things. On my quote I had an independent tell me it was ok to chuck the condensate into the soakaway (no thanks) and another telling me the gas feed wasn't big enough and I needed to pay 2K to upgrade it (it was big enough).

Maybe try someone like Boxt if you are looking for a comparable quote. You may also find that when you get another business to quote they identify other issues, or at least confirm the original issues that other people find are correct.
Also, if you tell companies like BG and boxt you are getting quotes from the other they will work hard to give you their best price and terms.

Pluviophile1 · 04/12/2023 12:35

Maybe you have a power shower - they use electricity but don't heat the water. They just boost the flow of the water already heated by your boiler (or not, in your case).

Callipygion · 04/12/2023 12:48

I wouldn’t touch British Gas with a barge pole. They did this to us about 20 years ago - when we had a 5* service plan with them, they came to do the annual service and said they had to cap it off as the cover was warped and we needed a new boiler. However my husband caught the engineer practically hanging off the housing cover bending it. Long story short, took them to the ombudsman and they had to pay us for the cost of repair of our boiler and compensation. They weren’t just doing it to us either, I think they were on one of those rogue type trader programmes at the time about it.

BorgQueen · 04/12/2023 12:59

What does the report say, use the exact words given please.
DH is a gas engineer and it’s very unusual to condemn a boiler of that age.
He is assuming there is a gas leak from either within the boiler or the flue. A possible other reason would be that their was live electricity, DH was thrown across a room once because of a loose wire.
If it’s been well maintained then it’s even more unusual.
BG would rather you pay for a new boiler than repair it.
You could ring the boiler manufacturer and ask their advice, they usually do a fixed price repair for £300ish that covers up to 3 major parts and will have their warranty.

filka · 04/12/2023 13:16

14 years seems a very short lifespan for a boiler that has been regularly serviced by BG. And I'm sure the pipe sizes would have met the specifications at the time it was installed. I smell a rat here.

BorgQueen · 04/12/2023 13:20

DH works on plenty of 20+ year old boilers. He’s only ever had to condemn one, that was only because the parts were obsolete.
BG are renowned for refusing to fix perfectly servicable boilers.

Janieforever · 04/12/2023 13:23

filka · 04/12/2023 13:16

14 years seems a very short lifespan for a boiler that has been regularly serviced by BG. And I'm sure the pipe sizes would have met the specifications at the time it was installed. I smell a rat here.

That’s not how it works, firstly the boiler may have been installed much later than the pipework. Secondly they said that fixing the boiler and the pipework would be just as much as a new boiler, which I believe and that’s as bg do the whole thing under one quote. They need to do a survey it seems so might not be wed.

the op seems not to know fully what’s going on, but as they need finance and don’t wish to pay a call out fee for someone else to quote, they kind of are stuck.

rbe78 · 04/12/2023 13:41

ohtowinthelottery · 04/12/2023 08:00

Just wondering if the 'electric' shower is actually a power shower. We have an electric shower in one bathroom which works independently of the boiler but in our other bathroom the box on the wall is just a pump to pump the water off the hot/cold water tank - so if there's no hot water you get a cold shower.

I've never had dealings with British Gas as I always use an independent plumber for my boiler but just because a boiler is 14 years old doesn't mean it's condemned - ours is 20 years old and works fine. Did the engineer actually say that there is a fault with the boiler?

This ^

If the shower uses electric but it's not heating up, it's a power shower. These use electric to boost the pressure of the shower, but don't heat the water.

Can't believe how many people are insisting the OP is wrong when she's telling us there is no hot water in her shower - what, do you think she is just imagining the cold water??

fetchacloth · 04/12/2023 13:59

filka · 04/12/2023 13:16

14 years seems a very short lifespan for a boiler that has been regularly serviced by BG. And I'm sure the pipe sizes would have met the specifications at the time it was installed. I smell a rat here.

Yes, me too. I would definitely get an independent view on this.

myusernamewastakenbyme · 04/12/2023 14:31

I am terrified of my boiler dying....its a combi so if it dies no hot water or heating...at least in my old house i had a woodburner and an electric shower.

Original poster
blackfluffycat · 05/12/2023 00:52

GoingDownLikeBHS · 04/12/2023 12:21

Just saw your DP is military is this service accommodation you are in?

No

OP posts:
Original poster
blackfluffycat · 05/12/2023 00:54

filka · 04/12/2023 13:16

14 years seems a very short lifespan for a boiler that has been regularly serviced by BG. And I'm sure the pipe sizes would have met the specifications at the time it was installed. I smell a rat here.

Hi. We have only just gone with BG.

They came to do the initial service and told us they can't insure it.

OP posts:
Original poster
blackfluffycat · 05/12/2023 00:57

House was built 13 years ago and we bought it off plan. So the pipes and boiler are the same age. Barratts seem to cut corners.

OP posts:
SecondUsername4me · 05/12/2023 08:24

blackfluffycat · 05/12/2023 00:54

Hi. We have only just gone with BG.

They came to do the initial service and told us they can't insure it.

Show quote history

I'd suggest getting an independent boiler inspector in who specialises in the make of boiler. If you contact the brand direct they'll point you in the direction of (eg) a Baxi boiler servicer in your area. Or google could help.

It's a bit odd that BG have, in the first mo th they are your provider, have condemned it and want you to replace it (presumably via them).

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