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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have concerns about this company?

40 replies

Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:07

Started a thread in property earlier but no replies.

Problem with boiler - no hot water. Call someone out.

Bloke turns up Tues. Not sure what problem is. Will send someone today between 1 and 5. I ask when it will be fixed and he says he doesn't know. When I say well I can't go indefinitely with no hot water (and tbh although I don't say this I'm a bit Hmm he didn't know what the problem was) he says if they can't do it Thurs it will be Fri. Ok fair enough.

At 3.30 today they say will be with me 4.30-5. New guy turns up at 6.15. Tells me it's just a valve. He hasn't got the part but his colleague has who is on his way.

Other guy turns up at 7.45. Spends ages on the phone saying how he can't fix it.

After some toing and froing tells me that it's a problem with the heat exchanger which needs cleaning and he'd advise power flushing the system. He will get his boss (the first guy) to call me. It's now 9.30pmm

Then get a phone call. First thing he says is Oh yes there's loads of problems with your system. Then starts asking me about a tap...who turned this on. I say I've no idea. He says oh it's all wrong. You need loads of new parts - heat exchanger, valve, etc...I say gently that man 3 said about cleaning it. No he didn't, he told you it has to be replaced.

When I query this he gets increasingly shitty and starts saying loudly, just get another opinion then...get another opinion. You don't appreciate we've bent over backwards to try and resolve this for you, we've had 3 people out

(This wasn't my fault that he didn't know what the problem was, the other one didn't have the part and the third one changed that part and then decided it was something else. Not to mention being loads later than they said).

He was really unpleasant and aggressive. I felt quite threatened by it and I don't feel I can use this company. I'm a single parent and feel quite vulnerable in situations like this.

WIBU to go elsewhere? It's upsetting because it means another week with no hot water Sad

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 14/11/2019 23:11

Are you paying for all these visits yourself or are these people sent by your landlord? If you're paying, I'd swap and use a different company.

If it's your landlord, you need to tell them what you've told us.

Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:13

My house, no landlord.

I've not paid this company anything yet. Fortunately.

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Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:15

The company are very highly rated on trustatrader and on Facebook. Lots of good ratings for punctuality, efficiency and diagnosing problem quickly etc which hasn't been my experience at all

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BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 14/11/2019 23:17

When my boiler broke I rang the manufacturers direct and asked them to refer me to local recommended fitters of their products. They gave me three companies near to me, one of which was able to come and fix it there and then.

HundredMilesAnHour · 14/11/2019 23:19

I wouldn't necessarily trust Facebook reviews etc. A lot of people get friends and family to give them glowing reviews so it can be a bit dodgy.

Are you willing to say what area you're in and maybe someone can help?

If you're in London, I'd recommend Aspect Maintenance. They're not the cheapest but every tradesmen they've ever sent me has been top notch. Obviously this doesn't help if you're not in London, sorry.

jent85 · 14/11/2019 23:19

It's not the Apprentice Winning Gas Company is it?

CanuckBC · 14/11/2019 23:19

I would say they are trying to screw you around. How is it suddenly needing replacement when it was just a part? Then a cleaning? Sounds suspicious and taking advantage of a single mom to me.

It’s sad that I am going to say this, do you know of a mechanical minded man who could help you? Give you an idea as to what’s wrong so you can sound informed so they can’t take advantage. Get a second company in to take a look.

Lulualla · 14/11/2019 23:20

It's your boiler. Ring the company. I always do; it's a waste of time finding some random for yourself.

Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:26

This company are approved by the manufacturers...no idea how.

I don't have anyone to help unfortunately.

I will just have to take a chance on another company. It's absolutely shit having no hot water though it really is, especially as it will now be next week to get it sorted.

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Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:27

I'm in South East London.

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midnightmisssuki · 14/11/2019 23:30

Not to scare you but I know someone who’s partner was a builder - he would get his friends to leave good reviews on trust a trader. He was appalling!

HundredMilesAnHour · 14/11/2019 23:32

Call Aspect then since you're in London. They have prices on their website.

I've used them for almost 10 years and as a single woman living alone, I've been treated with respect and not fed any stories by tradespeople trying to take advantage.

www.aspect.co.uk

DontCallMeShitley · 14/11/2019 23:37

If you are on Facebook find a local group and ask for recommendations of people they have used. Ensure they are Gas Safe registered.

You could ask PigletJohn on here, he might be able to give you an idea of what is wrong or ask in Property/DIY.

Choosing a company randomly is a nightmare, as you have discovered. Google the boiler and see what you can find to see if you can fix it yourself or what the problem might be, then you are less likely to be taken in by cowboys.

FacebookRager · 14/11/2019 23:38

He was really unpleasant and aggressive. I felt quite threatened by it and I don't feel I can use this company. I'm a single parent and feel quite vulnerable in situations like this.

This bit makes me think that he's trying to rip you off. Dodgy traders get pretty defensive as soon as something is questioned.

I'd say second opinion pronto. Just a diagnosis and quote.

Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:44

The company are regularly recommended on our local FB pages by multiple people that's where I got the details from. However the whole experience has been less than professional.

They are an approved repairer by the manufacturer and gas Safe registered. I'm not sure what more checks I could have done beforehand.

I have googled but I can't find anything about replacing the heat exchanger and lack of hot water. When a heat exchanger fails there is mention of various 'symptoms' none of which my boiler seems to have.

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Ghjon · 14/11/2019 23:45

This company was the only one who didn't want to charge me a call out fee just for looking at it. Everywhere else seems to want £100+ just to take a look.

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NightsOfCabiria · 15/11/2019 00:01

I’d get another company to come out, preferably one recommended by a friend/neighbour/colleague etc.

Have you googled the make/model and common issues?

NightsOfCabiria · 15/11/2019 00:04

I agree with others saying trusted trader / find a builder /my builder / review sites cant be trusted as you can buy reviews by the bucket load, just like Insta followers. They're meaningless now.

Ghjon · 15/11/2019 00:10

I don't have anyone to recommend a company really. A friend's DH is a plumber but I know she is reluctant to get him to do work for friends as it can get awkward. I have had the name of someone from another friend but they didn't respond to my messages.

I've not been able to find anything linking the issue to the part they want to replace.

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Baileyscheesecake · 15/11/2019 00:22

Ask friend whose DH is a plumber if he can advise on whether service you’ve been given so far is reasonable or if he thinks you’re justified in not trusting them. You’re not asking him to do the job for you but explain to your friend how unpleasant tradesperson was to you and how upset you are and you wouldn’t normally ask or bother her husband but you don’t have anyone else to turn to for advise. If she is a friend then hopefully she will help. If just an acquaintance then maybe won’t but surely is worth asking ?

1Morewineplease · 15/11/2019 00:24

This sounds suspicious. Why so many phone calls .. all resulting in even more ‘work.’
I would get a second opinion.

Ghjon · 15/11/2019 00:51

The phone calls and lack of knowledge makes me suspicious. I get it's not always possible to know straight Away what a problem is but after 3 visits...plus it was presented to me like this was clearly the issue.

Except not so clearly it didn't take them repeated trips to work it out!

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salsmum · 15/11/2019 00:55

If you're in se London maybe you could ring your local gingerbread group for some recommendations?? Although it's good there's no call out fee usually they add it on to the bill one way or another.

AnyMinuteNow · 15/11/2019 01:03

Dont trust trust a trader , they give traders tue chance to buy off bad reviews

Its a very corrupt system !

VenusTiger · 15/11/2019 01:06

Can you ask neighbours to recommend? That’s what we did when we moved house.
You should call these cowboys first thing and tell them you’ve spoken to the boiler manufacturer and you’re under warranty with them and they’re sending one of their own engineers out or that they need to work on it in order to keep your warranty going, anything that stops them turning up and causing more mischief.
Who is your energy supplier? Could they help?