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Memorandum submitted by Dee Speers (FP 02 )
Warmfront experience
Background
I am the recipient of disability living allowance, having been forced to seek retirement on medical grounds due to ill health. Warmfront and their preferred installers have always been kept fully informed of my situation and need for clarity.
In March 2007, my home was assessed by Warmfront as in need of cavity wall insulation and requiring a new boiler. On June 19th 2007, I was advised I had qualified for a Warmfront grant and the installers were employed to quote for the work.
I was advised by Warmfront, that I would need to "make a payment of £364.63 to the installer in order to cover the difference between the cost of the work and the Grant value"
This I did and work duly commenced with cavity wall insulation being installed initially in April 2007 by the Instagroup. I have received a guarantee and all work was carried out satisfactorily.
In July 2007, I received communication from Warmfront, in response to a letter I had sent in seeking advice on costings et al, this was deemed to be "commercially sensitive" and only the details of proposed work was included. Warmfront did however, confirm that the installers were Corgi registered. I was also given the contact details for the installers if I needed answers on any other technical questions.
I called the installers prior to installation and spoke to an employee who informed me he was an engineer. The employee also informed me of the make and model number of the boiler, I had paid towards in July 2007. I asked for advice on drainage and was assured "all work would be carried out according to Ideal installation instructions"
I felt reassured, that as a person with limited understanding of condensing boilers that I had tried to get as much information as possible. I was recovering from serious illness and needed to know that disruption would be minimal.
In July 2007, I received a letter from Warmfront's Enquiries Dept at Eaga. , indicating that the installers were waiting to be notified of all parts and "will contact yourself to arrange install date for boiler replacement and once the boiler is installed you will receive a users guide in regards to the drainage system you referred to in your letter".
I refer you to my letter seeking answers which was sent to Eaga'and is dated 21st June 2007. I specifically mentioned that the installer had recently visit my home and spoke about installing another boiler but I am still unclear as to where the excess water will be drained to. I understand that for environmental consideration, the new generation boilers are mainly condensing boilers but I also understand that the condensed liquid which leaves the boiler is toxic and I'm afraid that I am still not sure where this fluid is to go. Please can you send me information on this company and are they registered under whatever Governing body which covers this type of installation?"
I had enquired about the Breakdown Service and was advised in the same letter: "Your central heating system is covered by a breakdown service for 2 years from the date we installed it.
The Ideal boiler was installed on 21st August 2007, the installer was pleasant enough and I basically left him to complete his work (just offering him the odd cup of tea) I was reassured that all was in working order as the radiators were working and after the engineer had left, I looked around some of the areas where work had been carried out. I noted that I may need to decorate the panel which was removed in the spare room upstairs, as I suspected he had to access pipework close to the airing cupboard. But the boiler seemed in working order and I accepted that all was ok. My mobility was still restricted and I didn't have all the most salient facts to hand at that time.
I was advised that someone would be coming to check quality of work and sign it off, once again I was reassured that if anything was wrong he would pick it up. But the installation work and remedial work were signed off as satisfactory and I hadn't yet discovered the loose floorboards and exposed panel pins. (I was satisfied that the boiler was working as the radiators were warm (and that was my knowledge base then!)
After Installation
On making a bed up in the spare room a couple of days later, I had to move the bed and then discovered that floorboards were left unsecured and I almost put my foot through the ceiling, I put out my hand to steady myself and caught my finger on a panel pin left sticking out where the panel had not been properly replaced. I could not figure out why this was not noted by the Warmfront inspector so I contacted Warmfront and was advised that "as its now signed off it may be difficult to get this fixed".
I was also now very concerned about the long black pipe (over 6 mtrs long) fixed to the side of my house and running in a straight line into my downpipe, just above the rain water diverter into the water butt. .... I was assured this was to take the condensate vapour away......and I believed this to be the case. The installers did send someone back to rectify the remedial work and this was fixed of a fashion. I have since paid someone to re-secure all work and re-decorate the room. I was also having other work done on a conservatory and I was preoccupied with the focus on this. A heavy trellis from the garden was moved and fixed on the side wall to cover and try to disguise part of the condensate pipe
Everything seemed to tick along until January this year and after I spent four days away looking after elderly relatives, I returned home to find my kitchen flooded. After much confusion as to what had happened, the fact is that the incorrectly installed condensate pipe backed up water into the boiler and into my kitchen, causing flooding which has impacted hugely on my wooden floor, kitchen units and life in general! The result is a hefty insurance claim and much disruption as a new kitchen needs to be fitted and the flooring needs to be replaced.
Where are we now?
Having discovered the extent of the damage I have spent months researching boilers, condensate regulations, impacts of flooding on wood, and general regulation requirement.
February 2009...I have had a complaint upheld by Warmfront, Customer management at Eaga (which I am informed now means closed?) and I am still trying to settle the insurance claim.
The installers were called back to my property by Corgi (who I sought a gas safety check from) and given 10 days to re-install the condensate pipe properly, in a soakaway containing limestone crystals, as per regulation guidance. The staff from the installer brought here by Corgi, included the managing Director I believe and after the condense pipe was cut back in preparation for future work on soakaway, one of the installer's staff asked if I wanted the trellis put back on the wall. I said yes please and it was only later I discovered that the heavy trellis was replaced using screws into existing holes but no with wall plugs, the heavy trellis was effectively left balanced on screws and I paid someone to fix that too.....before it fell off and injured someone. N.B Due to the slipshod attitude to me and my home, I have now refused to have the installer back on site!
In the Installation and Servicing manual left with me by the installer, I note that on the benchmark 'gas boiler commissioning checklist' that the statement is asked "The condensate drain has been installed in accordance with the manufacturers instructions" Clearly the tick under "Yes" is WRONG!
Please advise: Do Eaga have a pecuniary interest with the installer?
The current situation now that the condensate pipe and boiler parts have been replaced?
· I have settled the insurance claim but am still waiting for confirmation of the terms of my guarantee that the boiler will not be compromised by shoddy installation and flood water, moss and grit.
· The installers have admitted liability and the case is ongoing. I am currently being asked to consider moving out of my home and having my wooden floor removed, under which asbestos in Marley tiles has been discovered. This will impact on all internal ground floor decorations (some of which were only completed at the end of last year!
· There appears to have only been one service recorded in the service record and during that service the engineer commented that the 'Spiro vent' was incorrectly fitted. I rang Warmfront and was assured that the system would be covered by them until work on the spirovent was completed and I would get a letter informing me of this. (to date nothing has been sent to me!)
· My 2 yr Warmfront guarantee runs out this month and I am seeking written confirmation from Warmfront on whether replacing parts (as opposed to replacing the boiler under guarantee!) in a flooded boiler will adversely impact on boilers life or future insurance requirements and how will an incorrectly installed spirovent impact on same. (no reassurance has been sent)
· I have written to the Warmfront Customer Management Team and cc'd to Warmsure Customer Services. I have kept Warmsure, Warmfront, Eaga and AXA fully updated with photographs and reports but to date I have not had my letter acknowledged or been able to speak with "the grey team" via phone.
· I have now been informed that another complaint has been opened on 9th August 2009, but only because I asked for an update!)
1st February 2010: I accept that problems sometimes occur but the reason a complaints system is in place should be to resolve the complaint not inflame the situation! I have asked for answers to the above and to date nothing has been given.
Outstanding: · Written confirmation from Eaga / Warmfront that the terms of my guarantee are not affected by the flood which occurred within the boiler? · Confirmation that the replaced Spirovent is now conducive to full insurance protection. · Written evidence of resolution of the complaints I brought to Warmfront and information as to what action has been taken in the light of these upheld complaints?
February 2010 |