Forum Topic

Are home care policies worth the cost?

I has a British Gas policy for some years then switched to Corgi as a better deal. Now I have cancelled it. Why? They took over a month when I had a leaking boiler valve. Their engineer said the problem was due to sludge in the pipes. Three times I emailed a letter from the plumber who had flushed the system six months ago. They reckoned they could not find any of the emails sent to them. So I cancelled the contract and paid for the plumber to fit a new valve. So now no further monthly payments from me to Corgi or any other such service.

Graham Weeks ● 4249d10 Comments

Perzactly!

Tony Colliver ● 4241d

The British Gas Homecare policies are a huge rip off.Only the basic one is worthwhile.How can a boiler be correctly serviced when they do not de-furr the radiator or hot water pipes or clean the flue? Neither is carried out by BG.They will though very quickly tell you that the flue is no longer safety compliant and insist that the boiler needs replacing - even if it is just several years old.Boilers are designed to last at least 20 years. Build and component quality though is so poor that few do.Much of that has to do with the cosy arrangements between the Gas Council, service providers and manufacturers.  Good and bad to that long established arrangement, this is the bad.BG/Homecare contracts that cover everything simply don't. If you have ceramic washers in your taps...not covered. The wrong kind of toilet cistern...not covered. In fact we found barely anything in out house was covered. It is buried in their small print but they know we rarely ever read all of it.So it will always be a few who might and say thanks but no thanks. And of course only a small percentage actually use the service. If we all did it would collapse.So I do the same now. Set aside a fund for big problems and learned to fix the lesser things.  Some of which are far easier than are made out to be.

Anthony Waller ● 4247d

I wouldn't have any other policy.Self-insure by putting away the premiums you would have paid into a jar.With any luck by the time it comes around to boiler replacement time you will have enough in it to buy a new one straight off.If breakdowns do occur in the interim then dip into the jar.I have to say though that properly installed and maintained plumbing rarely breaks down.Obviously this strategy is less successful if you have inherited an installation that is pants in the first place.It's just the same with cars - paying the AA / RAC is a complete waste of time if your car is properly maintained in the first place.I do think that calling products such as the BG one "insurance" is a slight stretch however.  Like pet "insurance" it should really be looked on as an instalment plan because one way or another you are going to pay anyway.  Given that, I would rather keep my instalments where I can see them thank you until they are needed.

Tony Colliver ● 4248d

Mark is a great plumber but is not always immediately available (quite understandably) hence my 'belt and braces' approach. As example, when I had the burst valve on Christmas Eve, Mark was in Rotherham.

Nigel Brooks ● 4249d

I have decided no policy now as I am happy to rely on Mark, the plumber you recommended IIRC Nigel.

Graham Weeks ● 4249d

I now pay £18/month with no excess from BG for full CH and plumbing cover. A leaking radiator on Christmas Eve was dealt with inside three hours and a boiler PCB electrical fault the next day. No complaints.

Nigel Brooks ● 4249d

I decided 3 years ago that the ch/drains ins. from BG that had crept up (dispite 'discounts' where the monthly price still went up)to £34 pm. was far too much so opted for a reduced tariff of £18pm and I pay the first £50 of any call out and do not pay any more if the same fault occurs again or the repair takes more than one visit.I saved roughly £180 per year and have had 2 call outs in the last 3 years.Go figure...

Keith Iddon ● 4249d

OK Tony, I understand what you say, but what other policy would you have instead of BG's expensive one?

Gerry Tan ● 4249d

The answer is no - they are not good value.They cost a fortune and the restrictions on cover are numerous.BG is in business to make a profit and they certainly do on  these policies.They are heavily marketed towards small landlords like myself but I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

Tony Colliver ● 4249d

We've had British Gas Home Care policy for years now and I wonder if its good value. I still don't know, but I suppose a policy is usually a safe position despite the monthly cost. Any other opinions?

Gerry Tan ● 4249d