Complaint worth holding out or report to Energy Ombudsman
Looking for advice – British Gas HomeCare / BoilerMate 2000
I’m looking for some advice on whether I have a legitimate complaint against British Gas and what my options are.
I have a BoilerMate 2000 thermal store and have a British Gas HomeCare policy. The unit stopped working, so I called British Gas out under my HomeCare cover.
An engineer attended, diagnosed a seized/faulty pump, but told me that the BoilerMate wasn’t covered under my policy. As a result, the pump wasn’t replaced and I was effectively left with the option of replacing the hot water system instead.
What I find particularly confusing is that:
Around 2 years ago, British Gas attended the exact same BoilerMate under my HomeCare policy and repaired a fault.
Before the recent visit, I also contacted British Gas via live chat/sales, and was told that my BoilerMate was covered.
Their AI/live-chat service also confirmed that it was covered.
British Gas have now apparently admitted that I was incorrectly told it was covered, but despite this, the pump still wasn’t repaired under the policy.
I was then quoted around £2,500 for two engineers to install a replacement hot water cylinder.
On the installation date, only one engineer turned up, so the work couldn’t be completed. I was then left waiting another four days without hot water before it was eventually completed.
The circumstances made this particularly difficult because my partner was 9 months pregnant at the time, and we also have a child under four.
British Gas have offered me £250 compensation, apparently for being left without hot water for the four days. However, I don’t feel this properly reflects everything that happened.
My main question is:
If the original problem was a failed/seized pump, and British Gas had previously repaired the same BoilerMate under HomeCare, why wouldn’t they simply replace the pump this time?
I’m also struggling to understand how they can say the BoilerMate isn’t covered while simultaneously acknowledging that I was given incorrect information saying that it was.
I’m considering taking the complaint further, but before I do, I’d really appreciate some advice from anyone familiar with British Gas HomeCare, BoilerMate systems, consumer rights or complaints.
Am I being unreasonable in thinking that British Gas should have repaired the pump under the policy, particularly given the previous repair and the information I was given?
And is £250 a reasonable compensation offer for the overall situation, or should I be challenging this further?