Did the pcb really need replacing?

[Flipper123]

I have a Vaillant combi boiler which had an intermittent problem with no hot water. The gas fitter cam out and all typically it was working fine so he left it. We then had 3 days of no ignition light (although it would come on for a few seconds then go off) and no heating/hot water, just the flashing green warm start light and no fault codes.
He came back and said it needed a new pcb which he replaced, it still wasn't working and the ignition light was still temperamental so he said the diverter valve must need replacing too. After that it works fine. I am concerned that the pcb never needed replacing at the cost of 320 pounds.
Any advice would be great, I don't know if there's anything I can do.

 

[Agile]

I have not seen your boiler so I cannot be at all sure what your problem was.

What you have said does not indicate a diverter valve fault. That gives either hot water or heating but not both.

A fixed price repair from Vaillant or Brit Gas would have been cheaper.

What did £320 pay for?

Tony

 

[Flipper123]

the 320 was just for the pcb, it was another 160 for the diverter valve and he hasn't even serviced it yet

 

[Agile]

I know that many add a markup to parts costs as part of their charges.

His markup seems rather high! Probably adding 50% to the trade cost.

I only add about £10 to cover fetching them.

Tony

 

[rjm2k]

Had the same kind of thing happen to me years ago which is why I use BG to cover my boiler. I'm sure that if you can find a decent independent they will be just as good if not better, but there's a lot of sharks out there too

In this instance I doubt you will ever know, just put it down as a learning experience and decide how you plan for such things in the future. Maybe finding an independent (after researching and taking refs) to intially do a service and then work out from there if you would be happy to use them to fix faults (assuming they don't break the thing whilst servicing).

 

[dcawkwell]

Unlikely you needed a new pcb.
Sounds like someone who throws parts at a boiler in the hope of fixing it.

 

[Flipper123]

Thanks all, I think it's a lesson learnt although he is an independent that was recommended to us but hey ho!

I guess there's nothing I can do about it now