British Gas Homecare A Waste of Money (British Gas HomeCare)

Member Name: Glenn Curtis

Product:	British Gas HomeCare
Date:	30/11/07 (214 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Slow, inefficient, unreliable

5 October
Leaking radiator in the downstairs hall reported to BG.
6 October
BG arrived, isolated the radiator and informed me that a new radiator was required. As it was a Saturday, this could not be ordered until Monday.
22 October
Contacted BG to find out why the delay. Was told you did not know why but would be chased with Service Department and I would be contacted within 48 hours.
26 October
No response; phoned again and was told it would be chased
29 October
No response; phoned again and was told the original job had been closed. A new job would be arranged and engineer would come on 31st October
31 October
Engineer came and ordered radiator. Told the new radiator would be installed on 14 November.
10 November
Letter sent to BG; no response received.
14 November
Engineer came, drained heating system and installed new radiator
Water started pouring through kitchen ceiling as soon as heating activated again
Engineer unable to find source of leak and did not have tools to raise floorboards etc
Not prepared to wait; called own plumber who diagnosed ruptured hot water tank; turned off water and eventually leak stopped.
Paid plumber £50 for visit
15 November
Two engineers came; I informed them of what had been found. Was told new tank required but could not be installed due to shortage of staff until 19 November. Their manager told them it could not be done sooner even though elderly person would be without heat.
Informed we would need to pay for a temperature thermostat (£320) to be installed on the new tank as it was a requirement
Borrowed two electric fires from neighbour
16 November
Bought another electric fire (£40)
19 November
Engineer came to install tank
Told hot water tank temperature thermostat not in stock
Not all parts required available; engineer had to go out and visit three BG supply depots to get parts. He was unable to get them all; he wasted three hours on this exercise.
Told engineer would return on 20 November once he had found the parts required
Hot water working via immersion heater
Told we would have to get our own plumber to install a feed to central heating as we had some lead pipes and he was not trained or allowed to deal with them
20 November
Engineer arrived PM; informed he had spent all morning tracking down parts that should have been ordered but had not been. Engineer able to finish installation.
Heating system working


29 October
Reported Creda tumble dryer stopped heating
2 November
8:45 Engineer came but was unable to gain access to dryer due to how unit installed in kitchen. Told he would return later if issue sorted but if not, gave me list of parts that should be ordered.
9:15 Builder came and sorted out the access to the dryer; BG contacted ; told engineer would return later
Phoned in afternoon by manager who told me the engineer would not be returning. Told him of parts to be ordered.
8 November
Engineer due in PM
Phoned at 17:30 to check still coming; was told engineer had called at 14:30 and been unable to gain access to gated estate. I do not live on a gated estate; he must have gone to wrong address
Told I would be contacted
9 November
No response; I phoned and was told engineer would come on 12 November
10 November
Letter sent to BG; no response received (as of 30 November).
12 November
Engineer came without any parts; he ordered parts again and arranged to return on 15 November
15 November
Engineer came with parts but not all parts had been supplied; he ordered missing component
Phoned BG to complain and was told Customer Services would contact me. Never heard from them.
21 November
Engineer came with parts and fixed tumble dryer

Summary: Took 6 weeks to replace radiator, 4 weeks to fix tumble dryer, no heat for 5 days