I have a ten year old Vaillant boiler, which was intermittently failing to fire up. This has now been fixed by a friendly neighbour who used to work for British Gas. He fiddled for a few minutes, finely adjusting some of the controls and now it fires up every time. If it gets worse again, he says it may need a new Diverter valve, for which Vaillant charge an astonishing £210 and which should take about two hours to fit.
A Vaillant fitter had been to fix it. I was forced to pay a large sum in advance, but when the man arrived late, it was already five on a Friday afternoon. He was chewing gum and did not introduce himself.
When he discovered that a painter had disconnected a radiator, of which I was unaware, he walked out. He later declared to Vaillant that the installation was dangerous, so no Vaillant employee was allowed to visit.
When I phoned to explain what had happenned, the Call Centre told me that Vaillant had no office in the UK and that there was nobody I could report to. The Call Centre person refused to give me his name or the name of the employee who had visited. After writing to German Head Office I received an astonishing letter from the UK, on plain paper with no address and no signature. It said the matter would be looked into.
Of course, nothing happenned although eventually I got my money back. Do they realise what impression this behaviour creates with customers? .
A Vaillant fitter had been to fix it. I was forced to pay a large sum in advance, but when the man arrived late, it was already five on a Friday afternoon. He was chewing gum and did not introduce himself.
When he discovered that a painter had disconnected a radiator, of which I was unaware, he walked out. He later declared to Vaillant that the installation was dangerous, so no Vaillant employee was allowed to visit.
When I phoned to explain what had happenned, the Call Centre told me that Vaillant had no office in the UK and that there was nobody I could report to. The Call Centre person refused to give me his name or the name of the employee who had visited. After writing to German Head Office I received an astonishing letter from the UK, on plain paper with no address and no signature. It said the matter would be looked into.
Of course, nothing happenned although eventually I got my money back. Do they realise what impression this behaviour creates with customers? .