Am i being ripped off?

[Geoggy]

Hi,

Newb here so please go easy.

I have a Gloworm 30CI combi boiler.

Came in today after working away for a week and house was cold. On boiler the pressure wat at 0.4bar and the red light was on.

So I connected the fill hose and added some water. I took it to 0.7 bar and the light went green and the system fired, but I started to get a drip from the boiler.

So I turned it off and called a local company that I have a repair plan with - I pay a monthly amount which covers call outs and labour and I just pay for parts.

So the guy arrives and is here about 2 minutes and tells me it needs a part. Now forgive me I should have written it down what this part was called. I remember the word cartridge and him talking about it being something that differentiates between the Hot Water and the Heating.

So he said the office would call me in the next 15 minutes with the price of the part and hopefully it can be fitted tomorrow. In the meantime he said it was fine to put the heating on - just top the system up with water to about 1.7 bar and put a bucket under the drip and keep topping up until its fixed.

I asked him how much the part would be and he said he didn't know.

So the phone rings and I get quoted £380 for "the parts my boiler needs."

So here I am googling the boiler and the word "cartridge" and all I can find is a three way valve cartridge which is £57 on a website called AK Boiler Spares.

Is this the part I need? Or is there some other kind of "cartridge" that could cost £380?

Or am I just being ripped off. One of their guys is coming tomorrow to give me a quote for a new boiler, but after tonight's research I am beginning to think its a set up.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Dan Robinson]

Does sound dodgy to me, but then I have low opinions on most of these policies.


They don't do it for the love, and will shaft you where they can - including the big boys.

The only cartridge i can think of the the three way one. Also commonly called the diverter valve cartridge.

Let me check your boiler details.

 

[Geoggy]

thanks Dan. The boiler is 7 years old and this is the company that installed it

 

[sooey]

380 quid

Was that just for the parts or the complete repair?
Either way it sounds way too much.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Looks like a farily simple part to change.

7 years means it should have some life left.

How much have you spent installing it, and then per months on this contract?

How many parts have they changed over the years?

I think if you add it all up, you are probably a significant way to have paid for a new boiler already.

 

[Dan Robinson]

380 quid

Was that just for the parts or the complete repair?
Either way it sounds way too much.

That's just the part - OP has been paying for the labour monthly


Wish I could make money that way - sadly I have scruples.

 

[Geoggy]

its 9 quid a month for the plan which includes an annual service.

i haven't had any problems with it at all since its been in

i will call them tomorrow morning and challenge them on the price

the irony now is, the heating has been on since 6pm and the boiler isn't dripping!

 

[dcawkwell]

Walk away and cancel any policy.

Replacement part even if it needed the whole diverter valve is about £100.

Most likely just an O ring needed a couple of pounds.

 

[hazetimesfive]

i found a bill from pimlico plumbers inside boiler manual for changing an air pressure switch once...

£440

 

[Geoggy]

ok thanks all - do i just pick up the yellow pages and get a local heating engineer out then?

 

[dcawkwell]

ok thanks all - do i just pick up the yellow pages and get a local heating engineer out then?

Yep.

 

[Agile]

What would happen if YOU offerred to buy the part yourself?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yep or ask a neighbour to recommend.

You have spent £756 on the policy which I suppose isn't too bad over the years as long as they did a PROPER service.

Still if their model is to fleece you on parts costs then it is still unscrupulous. They should structure the annual plan accordingly. All you have been paying for is an expensive annual service essentially.

But again, I don't hold much of an opinion on these policies, from both a business and an end user point of view.

 

[ChrisR]

If he means this bit:

It's £120 inc vat full retail. (!)

 

[bell824]

alarm bells ring!!

that is the part they are talking about no doubt chris, even more shocking it isn't even more than an hours job to replace so at your price and a conservative guess at £100 call out/labour charge you would be quids in with an independant!

Even at glowworm's fixed price repair cost's you would be better of!!