type of boiler

[jay4444]

Hello there,
I am totally ignorant about boilers. My GCH system has a Marathon 500B boiler. I think it is abt 10 years old.
Want to get British Gas cover. They ask details of boiler. Is this a conventional gas boiler?
Thanks.

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

i didn't think they would cover boilers that old.

 

[Agile]

You might do well to read this story posted elsewhere during 2003. That might indicate your boiler could be 14 years old! Look at the six years bit!

*****
I have Three Star Cover by British Gas. They came to to do annual service on 6.3.03. Service Engineer said boiler was leaking and disconnected it but, rang in and requested another engineer to call to check over before 4pm that same day. No engineer arrived, I rang British Gas and they said that they would have someone out following morning between 8am-12noon. At 12 noon no-one had been out. Rang British Gas who said that it hadn't been logged on computer but managed to get engineer out shortly afterwards for us. He said that boiler needed new heat exchanger but that Myson didn't make boilers any more and couldn't get part, we would need new system.

Apparently Three Star Cover doesn't cover this unless boiler is less than 6 years old. I have been left without heating and hot water for 9 days now with two young children.

When boiler has been serviced yearly (Myson Marathon 500B) the service engineer opens door at front and checks things there. I have had 3 independent corgi registered engineers out who state that this boiler should also be serviced from the top but you cant do this as it is under a fixed workbench. The boiler was fitted approx. ten years ago when the kitchen was fitted and we specifically asked the engineer if we needed to have bench on a hinge for servicing and we were told no it wasn't necessary.

My wife has made numerous calls to British Gas and has asked to be put through to their complaints department and was told that they didn't have one and that the person dealing with the call had to log the complaint on the computer.

What I want to know is why we weren't told once the boiler was 6years old that we weren't covered for a new boiler but British Gas kept on taking full payment for Three Star Cover and that any parts etc would have to be paid for. Also why when the boiler has been serviced it has only been serviced from the front opening and not the top as well. I spoke to a Mr. C, Senior Service Engineer who informed me that it needn't be serviced from the top but, on reading the Myson Marathon 500B instruction booklet it states clearly that it should be serviced from the top in order to brush all flueways thoroughly and that All worksurfaces must be removable to allow boiler to be serviced.

I want to know why we have been paying for a full service for ten years and only get the front of the boiler checked. I shall also be writing to the Press about the disgraceful treatment from British Gas.
*****

 

[jay4444]

i didn't think they would cover boilers that old.

They say they will provide cover irrespective of the age of the boiler, however free replacement limited for boilers less than 7 years.

However after reading the complaint by Agile, I am not sure I should be going for the cove!

 

[jay4444]

Apologies, Quoted by Agile, not complained!

 

[Agile]

As yours is such a simple boiler there is little to go wrong.

Having the number of a competent local engineer is all you need.

The likely next 10 years might be:-

BG 10 years at £185 per annum = £1850 ( or replacement boiler cost! )

Local man:-

Year

1. service £55
2.
3. replace thermocouple and service £90
4.
5.
6. replace thermocouple and service £90
7.
8.
9. gas valve fails, replace and service £260
10.

Local man would be about £500 compared with BGs £1850 and they would not replace the gas valve anyway as they would say the part is no longer available.

Tony