Government boiler grant - this is a stupid system!!

[Zofloramummy]

So my boiler has packed in, repeated flame failures. Currently on day 2 of no hot water and no heating.

I’m an owner occupier, minimum income, on universal credit, I have a 7 year old child. I can’t afford large unexpected bills.

So I do some online research, find out about boiler grants. I fit the criteria for a new boiler, possibly with a one off fee of £249 to pay. But I’m in credit with my energy supplier so that should cover it. Great no problem!

Oh no, silly me. I ring them today to be told that the scheme only covers broken boilers. Yes I say, mine is broken. Nope I have to have a qualified engineer certify as irreparable. Which means I need to pay for a gas engineer visit. If it’s fixable then I’ll not qualify for a new boiler even if I can’t afford the repairs!

They then say if it is condemned that I will then qualify no problem. It’ll take 4-5 weeks if I’m lucky to get the new boiler in. I say as I have no other source of hot water or heating and I have a small child that is ridiculous.

It’s one of those bloody red tape jobs. I think I can get some help, but no, not until I fork out money I simply don’t have and then the time span is ridiculous. If we get a cold snap it’ll be jumpers and hot water bottles. We will have to pay for swimming to access a shower.

So fed up.

I'm not sure of the problem.

They will give you one for free. But only if they can confirm the one you have is beyond repair. How is that unreasonable?

Phone another supplier, you don't have to use your own.

The scheme is not designed for completely broken down boilers because it's not an emergency service, it will take several weeks to get your application processed and the install booked.

Who did you ring?

Can you get the credit paid back to you so you can get it repaired/diagnosed? It might be a simple fix.

Bit entitled isn’t it? They’re giving you something for free after all. It’s not like having a new boiler is a human right.

I'm in the same situation as you but was told by them that I wasn't eligible as my youngest was over 5. I'm pissed off now reading this probably wasn't the case - we had no heating or hot water for 12 weeks last year (including during the beast of the east at -15C for weeks) until I could sort fixing the damn thing! And my washing machine pump broke at the same time. That was a fun period of my life...

The OP is "entitled" to help, and has been given the wrong information.

I’m ranting because I’m so fed up of one thing after another when it comes to government schemes, benefits etc.

According to the governments own website (having just had a read) it isn’t for only broken boilers, it’s meant to be a help to improve energy efficiency for people on qualifying benefits. Therefore it shouldn’t matter if it’s broken or not as mine is over 15 years old, I’m on the right benefits and I qualify for the grant.

Yes I know it isn’t an emergency service I’m just so annoyed at the situation. I rang EDF and used the number on their eco grant web page. I spoke to a woman who said that wasn’t her area and gave me another number to ring if I can confirm my boiler is condemned.

Really bloody confusing. So anyhow I’ve managed to get my local gas guy to come and have a look, £50 upfront. Hopefully he can at least tell me if it is fixable, how much to fix it etc.

As I should qualify for a new boiler despite what I’ve been told this morning I’m going to apply anyway but via another energy supplier. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t with them apparently.

Funnily enough my washing machine drive motor went kaput just after Xmas! It’s also dd’s Birthday in 2 weeks and we are supposed to having a house party 😬

Thanks Tomtom

12 weeks roomba! How did you cope? I dont even have an electric shower and my parents live 45 mins away so I can’t nip there for a wash lol

I also checked about having my credit paid back and they only do it once a year, I have to wait until June.

Op you boil a kettle op and strip wash. I once didn't have a boiler for 9 months, then during building works another 6 months and when I moved abroad 1 year.

Boiling large pans of water and the kettle quickly becomes the norm.

Yes I know you need to boil water. I was being literal.

I’ve also lived with no working toilet or boiler when I had my house renovated years ago. That was pre children and not in the winter though.

Which company are you using?

EDF

I think that's a real cheek saying they will only give YOUR money back to you once a year. I would try again with that. Be assertive, tell them that it is causing hardship, don't be fobbed off. Companies like this make a lot of money out of over payments. Just because that is their policy doesn't mean they have any legal right to withold what is, after all, your money.

We had one through Npower who weren't our energy supplier. We had to pay £650 towards it. We waited about 9 weeks. We had no heating or hot water for over a year. You learn to live with it.

Have you already done the application on this site?

www.boilergrants.co.uk/warm-front-scheme-now-eco/

or did you go straight to your energy supplier?

Try having a broken boiler and not being eligible for a free one or any help towards it at all

I understand that I am lucky to be eligible, I was angry this morning and posted to have a vent.

Thank you for all the advice, I went straight to my energy supplier so I will try that link.

OP pay £150 for an electric shower (if you can) to be installed. They heat the water themselves and you can take the head off to fill the bath if you wanted.

Alternatively, if you have a kettle or pans and a hob that works then sink baths are the best option for now.

You dont have to pay for the swimming pool at all, that is just being overdramatic and not pragmatic at all.

What did people do before boilers exactly? 🙄 It's not luxury but it works. And it's how most get on with things when their boiler is dead until they can get it repaired.

Ask the energy company to pay you back your credit. They are obligated to send you a cheque within a few days or bank transfer - use it to pay for your boiler to be repaired. It probably just needs a new ignition or the current one is damp.

I’ve been on Universal credit for 6 months after losing my job through ill health. I was lucky to get another part time job quite quickly but have had 6 months of my benefits being messed up, taxes messed up, never the same amount of money each month.

In that time my washing machine died, the car broke, I was admitted to hospital and then now the boiler. I’m tired of being constantly stressed and worrying what will go wrong next.

A part time job that should say, I was full time before. I now do 25hrs.

Yes an electric shower is a good idea.

Anyhow I’ll stop being dramatic and pull myself together!

Yes, but you can’t really expect the government scheme to give new boilers out to people just on the basis that someone tells them it’s broken, that would just open it up to abuse.

Have you not signed up for a service/repair plan for the boiler? I know it’s not much help now, but as an owner occupier you really can’t rely on the state sorting this sort of thing out for you unless you’ve at least put in the effort of trying to get it fixed.

You’d probably be best off getting a Wonga loan to get it fixed/condemned this time and then looking around for boiler cover.