My partner and I opted to have LPG Gas Central Heating installed
at our new home back in July. We had seen a representative from
British Gas who had drawn up a contract for the installation and
gave us an installation date(26th September 2001).
We paid an initial deposit of £347.00 approximately and
also signed a finance agreement for the remaining costs.
Prior to the date of installation we had ripped out all of our
electric heaters from the house in preperation for the new system.
A day prior to the installation date, all of the radiators, boiler,
copper pipes etc was delivered to our house and placed in the
kitchen.
My partner had booked off two days holiday so that he would be
there whilst the system was installed. On the morning of installation
my partner received a call from a British Gas representative and
was told that the engineer was off sick and therefore would not
be able to install the system until mid December!!
After several telephone calls to the National Central Heating
Office, Stockport my partner managed to get another date for installation
being 22 October 2001. Meanwhile we had to endure a freezing cold
house and a kitchen full of central heating equipment.
During this time I had contacted my local Citizens Adive Bureau
(Chesham Branch)and they have written a letter of comlaint to
Mark Thain, Britsh Gas, Stockport on my behalf and I have still
yet to receive a reply.
On the second date of installation the engineers actually arrived
only to find that the boiler that had been sitting in our kitchen
for the past month was infact the wrong boiler and therefore they
could not carry out the work!!
We asked if they could get the correct bolier delivered straight
away and they said it would take up to two weeks minimum for delivery!!
Therefore we decided to cancel the order due to the fact that
they had let us down twice. I sent a fax to Debbie Bancroft at
British Gas Accounts Department that same day requesting return
of deposit and assurance of not being liable towards any further
cost or charges (due to the fact that I had signed a finance aggreement).
I have still yet to receive a reply on this, however I have finally
had the deposit credited back to my visa account on 9th November.
Even though I have had the deposit returned the heating equipment
is still cluttering up our kitchen.
I have not received a single letter of apology (or acknowlegement)
or compensation from British Gas. The Citizen Advice Bureau has
sent a letter and a fax to British Gas and have also failed to
receive a reply. They have also informed Trading Standards of
the situation who are also awaiting a reply.
Link to Other British Gas Complaints
A Right of Reply email has been sent.
update 23 November 2001
An email from British Gas indicating
some movement to resolve this complaint. Ms Holt has been notified.
26 November 2001
"Thank you for putting my story on the consumer complaints
list. I have not heard from British Gas as yet but I will let you
know if they do contact me in the near future." Ms Holt
6 December 2001
"Yesterday I had a call from PAS Plumbing in Hemel (they delivered
all the heating equipment) to say the had a call from Stephen Fisher
at British Gas asking if they could arrange a date to collect the
equipment which is currently still sitting in the Kitchen.
I spoke to the lady at PAS and told her I have still had yet to
have any contact whatsoever from British Gas regarding acknowledgment
of previous letters sent or compensation on the matter. They seem
to be avoiding putting anything in writing but getting others to
contact via the phone.
I asked her to get someone at British Gas to contact me a put this
request in writing along with an acknowledgment and some form of
compensation for the inconvience my partner and I have endured over
the past three months.I still await to hear from them." Ms
Holt
