I occasionally get sent emails asking for help. This one today has prompted me to open a discussion and to try to give some advice which might help. This is today's email:-
"""Hi, I wonder if you could just give me some advice please as I don't want to get ripped off by incompetent gas engineers, of which there seem to be plenty. I don't want to be fooled by the change the pcb trick and still have the same problem."""
I would say that with an independent if you have called them and asked them to diagnose the fault and they replace parts which dont cure the problem then you should not be paying for the part and they should then reassess their diagnosis until they get it right ( and at no extra charge such as any further hourly rate )
In my view its better to go with someone who has a fixed price or capped hourly rate otherwise you could end up paying for many hours spent looking for the fault because they are not very skilled at the task.
Alternatively you could use a BG, manufacturer's or other fixed price repair which is usually cheaper if expensive parts are needed. On the other hand its more expensive if no or cheaper parts are needed. I would say that less than 10% of my total repair charges are over £200 and even so very few over £250.
It would be interesting if I was able to add a poll to this post with questions on the reasonableness of what you have been charged for boiler repairs ( as compared with your solicitor or dentist for example )
"""Hi, I wonder if you could just give me some advice please as I don't want to get ripped off by incompetent gas engineers, of which there seem to be plenty. I don't want to be fooled by the change the pcb trick and still have the same problem."""
I would say that with an independent if you have called them and asked them to diagnose the fault and they replace parts which dont cure the problem then you should not be paying for the part and they should then reassess their diagnosis until they get it right ( and at no extra charge such as any further hourly rate )
In my view its better to go with someone who has a fixed price or capped hourly rate otherwise you could end up paying for many hours spent looking for the fault because they are not very skilled at the task.
Alternatively you could use a BG, manufacturer's or other fixed price repair which is usually cheaper if expensive parts are needed. On the other hand its more expensive if no or cheaper parts are needed. I would say that less than 10% of my total repair charges are over £200 and even so very few over £250.
It would be interesting if I was able to add a poll to this post with questions on the reasonableness of what you have been charged for boiler repairs ( as compared with your solicitor or dentist for example )
