What are you all up to
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Rather interesting watching our local news tonight (Look North) extensive coverage about the Ripper. I had forgotten just how bad it was growing up with him out there, and the unbelievable relief when he was finally caught.
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You got through to BG?
I've been trying everything over the past few weeks. Our policy renewed (which was fine) but out last "annual" service was in Sept 2019. We had a new boiler fitted this time last year but the "annual" service is now overdue which, I am concerned, may invalidate the warranty.
Tried online - they say "service not due in the next 3 months" - try live chat to discuss. Live chat always seems closed, managed to get on once and I was number 6 in the queue and having waited 15 minutes gave up. Tried call back - wow, that was prompt, but "sorry we don't have details of any accounts, we can only give general advice" - try email. Emailed customer services and got a very prompt reply - "sorry we don't deal with that sort of enquiry on line - the best and quickest way is to try live chat"!
So come next renewal we will almost certainly dump them and get the local company who fitted our new gas fire to take on the servicing.
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Very interesting reading the BG posts. Due to a renewal notice OH got through to BG today because we've been paying a service contract fee monthly and we're now running into the second year without a boiler service. After a lengthy but determined "discussion" he got a part refund on the fees paid for this year. I've read that it's more economical to ditch these monthly fees but having had to wait previously for a local gas contractor (they are very busy people) we'll stick with BG as they do respond to a call out promptly. OH nailed them down to a service next February...let's see if they stick to their word!!
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Moulesy, I got through at about 7.45pm, fifteen minutes before they close, Monday to Friday!
Tried live chat first but nothing doing there.
Brue, we use them as they'll prioritise us due to age of MiL. Plus, just like BT, I want people she can recognise/trust in the event kf emergency if we aren't at home for any reason.
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I am glad I am not the only one paying a monthly service fee and now overdue an annual service by 6 months! Like you Brue I prefer to be with BG because I am more confident than relying on local firms to come out at short notice. Must try that trick of getting a refund!!
David
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Quite possibly Brue
luckily this is one of our usual go to local sites so within our area just. Sure isn’t too busy just a handful of tourers there are statics on site here most of them privately owned haven’t been a walk yet to see if they are busy or not. This will likely be our last trip for a few weeks the van has its annual service next Friday service W engineer coming to the house so not too bad. The next booking we have is for Edinburgh at Christmas but not too confident we will be getting to go there 0 -
Although our energy supplier is E-on at the moment, we are with Scottish Power for our boiler service. They outsource to a regional company, Domestic and General, and we have had an excellent response from them, usually within a couple of weeks of us booking a service at a date suitable to us,not the other way round. It's just a pity that they themselves don't run a service scheme of we would certainly switch to it.
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Nice to hear that you've managed to get away, Francis, unlike TG I am jealous.
Hope that we will be able to head off again in early December, if the lockdown is lifted here and no tier restrictions are in place. I do have a hospital appointment for a week on Monday for a consultation which may lead to another visit there, and that could jeopardise our plans but fingers crossed it won't.Not done a lot today apart from the usual dog walks, and a little weed extraction in the garden. Was fine but cooler and then a heavy shower of rain this evening.
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Nellie
For years the BG system has been great. They usually email saying it's time for the annual service and you log in to their website and select a time convenient to you. With COVID they seem to be a bit like dentists in that they are holding staff back for emergency work (I assume because a proportion might be off because of the virus at anyone time) As our boiler is only 18 months old any service will probably be fairly basic but I would also like some quotes for other work as it's a devils own job to find reliable independent agents here.
David
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👏👏 😊😊
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"I would also like some quotes for other work as it's a devils own job to find reliable independent agents here."
David - have you heard of an organisation called "Rated People"? It's a bit like Trusted Traders - when we need work done on our static I have used their website and got very quick replies and excellent work done. You enter your postcode and details of the job you want done, get quotes from up to 3 local companies and just choose the one you want. It's ideal for us when we're not down in Cornwall - the neighbours give them a key and they just get on with the job. Might be worth a look.
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We used to have a contract to "service?" our boiler,got our money back a few years back,when after a previos years service? I checked what was expected to be done in the boiler manufacturers (veissmann) service manual,and was advised "we only check if it is working and test ignition and ionisation controls"if you want a full service it will be about an additional £150 to strip it down for a full service
We now use a local service engineer and he says ring me if it breaks down i will come out and service it,but most modern boilers on natural gas burn so clean it is unusual to need more than a quick check ,the only thing (in our hard water area) that needs a good clean out that i do is the heat exchanger that can get gunged up,if your domestic heat fluctuates ring me
He charges £85 unless more time is required and that includes "removing and flushing out the heat exchanger about evey two years
Ps we did need a new about £70 heat exchanger the first time he came 5years ago? as the contract we had did not clean it out
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We have never been tied into any contracts for servicing. As I worked for our local council for many years, I built up a good relationship with a lot of the specialist electricians, plumbers, joiners etc..... who worked on our facilities, and always had access to their phone numbers for private work. Plus a lot of my staff had second jobs as tradesmen, somthings like decorating, building etc.... got done as well. These contacts were like gold, reliable, good work, helpful.
More difficult nowadays. We try for contacts recommended by others, I have a good gas engineer/ plumber, but he is snowed under at moment with a waiting list even for minor jobs well into next year. Have been trying to find a plumber to fit a new shower, but no joy yet. “Rated People” is a good system. You just need to check things out, ask the right questions. Have used this a few times for Gardener services and Tree Maintenance.
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The boiler saga is now on Chapter Four. Should have been fitted yesterday......... 🤷♀️ The air was blue here yesterday morning, until better news cheered us up. Monday now.......apparently😂
I am not usually know for being tolerant in the face of so much incompetence, but the tradespeople doing the work are very good. It’s the HQ surveying, and communication that are abysmal. Their one redeeming feature is that they are excellent at accessing funding. We were expecting to pay around £3.5-4K for all this work. As it is, we are getting the work done for a mere £400, and that’s only because it’s a big task swopping from a conventional system, with cistern and tanks, to a Combi. Had it been like for like, the whole lot would have been free. So it’s worth being patient and polite, at the moment. And I have the contact details of the sub contracted fitters, scaffolders, electricians etc.....
I shall be doing a review of the Company HQ though, when all is completed😁 Unless they offer us some new radiator valves............🤣
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Several of our neighbours are/were before retirement as most in our road now, but still do odd jobs if needed ,one problem these days is the "qualifications?"required and proof of ,to work on Gas/Electricity in premises it cost them hundreds of pounds per year to keep up to date including mobile LV service persons
Our gas man we use has taken over completely from his father who retired two years ago (same age as me , George Sweeny the actor) i was an apprentice at same day release college as him (Clapham tech)back in 1958-60
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Interesting to read the discussions about BG and other service contracts as our gas fire decided to die on us yesterday evening. This morning OH has rung the local company we have used for years and they are coming out on Monday morning. Luckily the new boiler is doing a grand job with the central heating and it is still fairly mild. We also have a fan heater if we feel the need. We are a bit nervous as the fire is 30 years old. We have never done service contracts or extended warranties. OH was Warranty Manager at Perkins Engines for many years which might explain why.
DK thanks for the heads up about JL click and collect. I decided to order a few Christmas presents and collected them yesterday afternoon. The guy was very pleased to see someone as he said it has been very quiet. Apparently most people seem to opt to click and collect from Waitrose for some reason. As it was 'Kindness Day' yesterday he gave me a little bag tied up with gold ribbon as a present and inside was a lovely candle
Well done JL!!We have no idea what is going to happen about Christmas so I am not booking any slots. Local son and DIL have asked us to go to to them if restrictions permit. We shall see.......
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I don’t think the need for being certified competent is a problem JV, not in this day and age, and especially as folks are so likely to go to court if there are any issue. Technology is changing so quickly as well, and they need to keep up to date. But if it’s a fairly simple, risk free task, or just advice, it can be helpful having knowledgeable neighbours.
We do quite a bit of our own DIY, simple stuff, such as putting in new light fittings, an extra plug socket, routine car maintenance. I can paint and decorate competently, although it’s not a task I enjoy now. Skills gleaned mainly via Mum and Dad, at work or watching others. My latest skill is hairdressing.......limited to a tidy Bob for Mum, and a tuppenny all off on a Number 2 blade for OH. 😂 I am better at clipping dogs and horses though.
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I would think it is much easier to do click and collect at P/boro Waitrose than the JL store when noting the positions of the two ,and a Waitrose shop at the same time
I would think it could be the same hereWe have a lidl petrol generator on standby to keep our gas boiler going if we get a power cut,and an old Gaz camping stove for hot drinks
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We have no idea what is going to happen about Christmas so I am not booking any slots. Local son and DIL have asked us to go to to them if restrictions permit. We shall see.......
Are you comfortable with being indoors with your family Millie? I would love it but am too anxious about them and the ‘virus’! Our son is also concerned as they, and our grandchildren, are mixing so much with others, the children being at school etc. DIL is also a teacher. Our neighbour has 3 children, her 2 girls have decided to miss Christmas with them this year. They have asked their son and family not to come, which she says was very hard, but like me she is too worried about the situation at present. We hope we can see our family before Christmas as they have (at present) booked a local hotel and we hope to meet outside somewhere for a while, weather permitting. Fingers crossed. 🤞
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NTH, we had a service and call out contract with DG on our previous boiler, worked well.
We now have a Worcester Bosch boiler, servicing was covered by the local plumber while it was under warranty, he then advised us to take a contract out with WB direct. We could have gone back to DG but its not always a WB engineer that comes out. If you direct to WB it is always one of their engineers that comes out. We had ours serviced back in August, no problem getting an appointment just called up to make sure they were still doing them because of Covid. We got an excellent service this year as we had 2 of them, one still training so as is often the case the more experienced engineer really made sure everything was done by the book.
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MIllie
I wonder if people realise that Click and Collect is available in the department stores, it was quiet at JLMK. There is no change at Waitrose because they just carry on as before. In CMK they were well organised as they had a collection desk facing onto the public walkway so no need to venture in store.
David
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Same here DK. I drove in. Plenty of parking in their C&C area and the guy was waiting at a desk in the doorway. Very well organised.
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