paper chase
Harry Tuttle wasn’t available, central services turned-up
My home insurance notifies a local heating engineering service. 5 hours later the service calls me to arrange and ‘emergency’ appointment. Emergency means within 24 hours, but no time specified. We agree a visit time – 2 days out
The engineer quickly diagnoses the problem as a broken fan on a common boiler, tells me he’ll phone me when he’s sourced the part to arrange a fitting. He can’t source the part there and then because he need clearance from my insurance company.
5 hours later, no call, I phone my insurance who know about the part and the cost but cannot approve it until the engineer tells them how long he was onsite. They can’t take my word for his time on site. The say they’ll follow up with the engineer.
2 hours later I phone again and find the repair has been approved. The Heating engineering service won’t arrange a visit until they’ve actually picked up the part which will be within the 24 hour period, from approval, that their service contract with my insurer specifies as emergency cover. That’s 24 hours to get the part, not to fit it. They suggest that I call them back in 2 days time if I haven’t heard from them.
Effectively, 6 days after reporting the ‘emergency’ problem to my ‘home emergency insurance’ provider – who subcontract out their service, I will be able to try and arrange a time to have the broken part replaced. UK emergency services are bogged down by organisational bureaucracy. More than 6 days to diagnose and get hold of a replacement broken fan seems rather poor to me. I’m anticipating they wont be able to get an engineer round to fix it within 24 hours of calling me …. …and that I’ll have to chase them with phone calls.
February 26th, 2013
I think you should name names, and join this campaign I’ve just invented, which is called NFGE, or NOT F’ING GOOD ENOUGH.
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February 27th, 2013
At least it wasn’t British Gas Home Care where my annual insurance payments would have paid for 4 replacement fans…
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February 27th, 2013
1. YES @ Tim.
2. What an absolute pain in the ass.
Pearl
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March 1st, 2013
That was emotionally scaring. I now feel the need for a shotgun.
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March 1st, 2013
Expat, certainly scaring, but more effectively tackled with a power screwdriver than a gun. I suspect it’s going to take me a while to get back to blogging regularly after this substantial household shake-up…
[heating is back on, parents are on multiple different drugs with hospital visit regimes in place - the life of elderly boilers extended...]
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March 2nd, 2013
If you notice that your boiler is not functioning properly, or is acting suspiciously, it is important that you contact a professional repair company right away
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