Storm Heating broke my boiler

[-AndyH-]

Unfortunately I've had a complete nightmare with them and Homeserve (I know I am going to get criticised for using boiler insurance companies here).

Basically, one of our vaillant boilers (15 yrs old or so) developed a small leak. I called Homeserve who sent out Storm Heating. The engineer said it was a faulty washer and would need to be ordered in, which should take a few days. The engineer said to keep running the boiler and top up the system if needed.

After waiting a few days, Storm Heating said they were still waiting for the part to come in but scheduled an appointment on the day before xmas eve. Unfortunately the engineer never showed up and claimed he had tried to contact us to let us know. He was then scheduled to come on xmas eve, but was again a no show. This time he claimed they had received the wrong part.

To cut a long story and many emails/phone calls later, Storm Heating's "senior heating engineer" came on the day before NY eve to replace the washer. He replaced it, but then the boiler wouldn't fire up (reset switch on front pops out after a few secs). He says he thinks it's the gas sensor and will have to order the part in.

A couple of days later, I get a phone call from Homeserve saying that they will not replace the gas sensor or repair the boiler because the repair is beyond economic value - however they will give us £200 towards a new boiler if we use Storm Heating.

So we've gone from a fully working central heating system (albeit with a leaky system boiler) to a system with only one working boiler. Whilst I know the boilers will have to be replaced at somepoint in the future, I would imagine I'm looking at £4,000+ and I am very frustrated/angry how a so called specialist can cause a boiler to fully break down and refuse to fix it. Any advice?

 

[studips]

he didn't necessarily cause the major breakdown.

i'd suggest getting a quote for the repair if you think it is economical and call your insurance back - raise a stink, if not, get quotes for a new boiler & review of the existing system, you'll have to go some to spend 4k.

even if you need a combi convert, you can halve that price (probably)

 

[Bunnyman]

Call a proper specialist storm r a joke, home serve won't use us as we r Vaillant only specialists an they only use multi trades , check the web for Vaillant Northampton

Untitled

• Bunnyman
• 26 Mar 2010
• 499

 

[-AndyH-]

we have a pretty large system - 2 x Vaillant VC GB 242 boilers, a 300l megaflo and around 60 rads - I think when it does come to replacing them, it won't be a cheap job.

 

[Bunnyman]

60 rads an a mega flow from 48kw ur underpowered big time I think?

Untitled

• Bunnyman
• 26 Mar 2010
• 499

 

[gasbanni]

we have a pretty large system - 2 x Vaillant VC GB 242 boilers, a 300l megaflo and around 60 rads - I think when it does come to replacing them, it won't be a cheap job.

I'd agree, read the small print carefully with your maintenace contract. Who decides when its beyond economic repair ? does it mention that in your contract ? I'd get Vailant out themselves to sort it and pass the bill back to homeserve ! Or give them a darn good run for their money threatening court etc

 

[Agile]

Unfortunately I've had a complete nightmare with them and Homeserve (I know I am going to get criticised for using boiler insurance companies here).

I am very frustrated/angry how a so called specialist can cause a boiler to fully break down and refuse to fix it. Any advice?

I am surprised if you really expect an insurance based cover to employ anything like an expert.

Simply you get what you pay for and thats usually uninterested and little experienced people who cannot get a better job than with those kind of firms.

To a large extent I would blame you because you evidently have a large property and are obviously sufficiently well off to be able to employ a local independent firm that have a better level of expertise and some concern for customer service and satisfaction.

Furthermore, you realise that your system is outdated and instead of renewing it and recouping the saving within three years you employ nupties to keep it going.

Tony

 

[DP]

OP get a pro in to look at the boiler. Thing that is in your favour is the fact that you have a VC 242, a solid boiler built like a birck outhouse. Am sure it is fixable-I look after several installations with this type of boiler.

T3, VC's older brother is still chugging away some 25 years later in some homes though parts are now becoming a little scarce.

Think of improving the controls to reduce your running costs instead of immediate replacement of a perfectly good boiler. Doubt if the replacement will last 15 years and cost little you have spent on the combicompact.

 

[-AndyH-]

To a large extent I would blame you because you evidently have a large property and are obviously sufficiently well off to be able to employ a local independent firm that have a better level of expertise and some concern for customer service and satisfaction.

Furthermore, you realise that your system is outdated and instead of renewing it and recouping the saving within three years you employ nupties to keep it going.

Tony

I have spent a large amount of money on independent plumbers/boiler engineers over the last 5 years or so to fix various problems with our central heating system. Unfortuantely, I've had my bad luck finding good quality tradesman - some of who have exacerbated relatively minor issues into much larger ones. I switched over to 'boiler insurance' after spending over £1,000 on two boiler engineers who were unable to fix a circuit board problem but were happy to keep changing parts.

Both our boilers have been relatively fault free during their lifetime and Vaillant say they should last at least 20 years - so why replace something that's working/been regularly serviced and does the job? I understand that parts on older boilers become more expensive as time goes on, but I don't see the point in replacing 2 working boilers (this is before my current issue). I've had various quotes to replace the existing boilers and update the system, and there is no chance that money will be recouped in 3 years. However it is something I've been planning to do in the next few years - in the summer and when some other work on the house has been completed.

 

[-AndyH-]

Update...after a worryingly large number of phonecalls to Homeserve, Vaillant sent out their own engineer to look at the boiler. He immediately diagnosed the problem - Storm Heating had removed a part to fit the washer, incorrectly fitted the washer, failed to solve the leak and then fitted the part back the incorrect way around (causing the boiler not to light up as a safety feature).

Storm Heating said we needed a new flow switch and gas exchange (around £220 in new parts) to fix the boiler. Seeing as it was their "senior engineer" (and an apparent Vaillant specialist) who fitted the washer incorrectly, put the part on the wrong way around and then misdiagnosed the fault with the boiler - I hope people never have to use Storm Heating.

I will however take the advice of finding a local company to service/maintain our boilers going forward and also look to replace them.

 

[athomemum]

Its really important that you write to your insurers so that they are aware of how inefficient Storm Heating are. Hopefully if enough people complain they will instruct homeserve not to use them. Its only through threatening to move your insurance that action will be taken.

 

[louisv]

We have an ageing but fully working Potterton in a rented house. We have landlord emergency cover from Homeserve, which includes boiler inspection from nPower.
Storm Heating issued a Gas Safety Certificate on behalf of Homeserve just a few months ago, but nPower threatened to cap off the boiler because it is unsafe. There is a cracked flue leaking into the loft space, and it has apparently been that way for ages. A simple visual inspection would have revealed this, but it is clear the Storm engineer did not do that, or failed to spot it.
I have complained to Homeserve and Storm. Gas Safe will inspect the boiler next week, and Storm should be criticised for wrongly issuing the Certificate, but I suspect the two of them will fudge the issue and say it's not Storm's fault.
So interesting to note so many complaints about Storm Heating.
I will update this forum after the Gas Safe visit.

 

[Agile]

I know nothing about Storm Heating but I expect that they may have at least 8 engineers if they do the cheap end work for Homeserve.

Just two cases where they have messed up does not indicate that they are wholly bad, although perhaps they may be.

The real problem in our industry is that there are many people who take paid short courses to get gas registered and then the only work they can get is lower paid jobs with those kind of firms. So they have virtually no experience and are let loose on the public and get it wrong.

The "senior" engineer was probably someone who only became registered a couple of years ago as they have a large staff turnover in those firms.

EDIT. I have just done a search for "Storm Heating complaints" and find they have very many listed. The two reviews on Qype are both damming! Its very worrying that one firm can generate so many complaints. One was that they made someone wait a week for a filling loop which could have been bought locally in 20 min!

Tony

 

[louisv]

This is a question to Gas Safe registered professionals.

If I am correct in my understanding that the role of Gas Safe is to manage inspection and enforcement, does the incorrect provision of a Landlords Gas Safety Certificate constitute some form of breach of the regulations?

If so, what will Gas Safe actually do to address this?

 

[Agile]

Gas Safe primarily register gas engineers!

They also investigate complaints about Gas Work and if its serious may refer them to the HSE who prosecute a very small minority.

G-S will issue defects notices to registered engineers to correct substandard work.

They also are meant to chase unregistered work but they have no "police" powers and their involvement is only to look at complaints from customers when the customers have done the detective work and provide the name and address of the illegal worker. Must just have a first name and mobile number!

If access to inspect the flue along all its length is not possible then that should be noted on the CP12 form and a judgement made of the risk involved.

Tony