British Gas rant.

Blonde Logic

Yes. You can.
:mad:

Last night our boiler stopped working. We called BBritish Gas to take out heir home EMERGENCY cover advertised at 9.00 a month. We expected we would have to pay a premium for the repair being a new policy, but were told it will instead cost 28.00 a month instead of 9.00 and then reduced the next year.

We asked a pointed question: Do your service techs carry all the parts they would need for our brand of boiler. The answer was yes.

Guy arrives today, and says, sorry. Don;t have the part. Cannot get it untill next Tuedsday!!!!!!!:eek:

LAst night we at least had hot water. After whatever he did, we now have no hot water, and no heat. Until Tuesday.

Hubby asked, "How am I meant to bathe for work".

Techs reply "You should have had an electric shower, shouldn't ya":mad: Helpful mate, real helpful.

I am steamed. It is freezing in the house, and the weather is meant to get colder over the weekend. No heat, no bathing, nuttin.

I work in insurance. I move mountains for people, and I just called them and some young lad siad, in a rather droll uninterested voice...."Welllll. <silence> What do you want us to do about it?"

I suggested they perhaps stop focusing on their profits, and raising customers fees and work on making their EMERGENCY service a service that can satisfactorily deal with an EMERGENCY.

Idjits.

GRRRRRRRR. I am cold and I am annoyed. :mad:

OK. Rant over. Sorry. Thanks.

So, how are all of you anyway!? :D
 
Just don't get me started on British Gas.:mad:

I can't believe they left you like that. i'd be tempted to call them again and again until they have sent someone out.

Tell them you have the flu, or that your aged relative is coming to stay and she cannot be left in the cold...anything to force these idiots into doing what we, the customer, ask of them.

In fact tell them to start earning their blasted £567m profit. At least Dick Turpin was dressed as a robber and you got what you saw - this lot of charlatans put themselves across as "helping'....bowlarks!!!!!!:rolleyes:
 
Oh no, that's really bad - bad enough that they haven't fixed it for you and that they are leaving you for 5 days in the middle of winter but the fact that the customer service was so bad is worse as there is no excuse for that whatsoever.

How the hell are you meant to cope till Tuesday? :banghead:
 
I had the very same thing happen to me. My boiler packed in, the guy came out the next day and said he didnt have the part. The part was a blooming valve!!!! I couldnt believe it
 
i used to work for a gas and electric company.. and therefore we knew all the ins and outs of the trade.. not just about our own, but about every other ones.. and i can honestly say.. everytime someone used to tell me they were with british gas.. i used to laugh.. because i cant understand how they still have customers.. they're the most overpriced (insert swear word here).. They lie.. they cheat.. they utterly disgust me.. they've done a lot of terrible things to people over the years.. and got away with it.. as people cant be bothered to change.. or has misconceptions that its difficult.. i would totally shut them down if i could.. urgh.. sorry.. something i feel very strongly about..
x x
 
Well, I was back on the phone to them last night after I posted this, and I said I was not happy to wait 48 hours for a response from a manager regarding my complaint, and I wanted a call LAST NGIHT. I was promised a call back by a manager before 10pm, and they were given both my home and mobile numbers.

10pm came, and 10pm went. No call.

Just in at work and called again, was told they struggled with my phone number. B*ll*cks they did. I have now been promised a call back 'today'. I said I want the call this morning while there is still time to sort something out.

In 2 short days, I have heard nothing but horror stories off of people about their cover. Wish we would have heard that first.

Grrrrrrrr.....I am sorry - but the level of customer services I often have to deal with here sends my head spinning!!! I am in customer service. I KNOW what can be done if you have half a mind to do it, and all I find is some wet behind the ear kid with absolutely no life experience, who is only working to pay for their next ski holiday, who does not give a sh*t about my situation, and just wants to go home. ARGH!!!! It really winds me up!!:mad:

At least if my blood boils it may warm me some?

Well, I am going to my inlaws tonight to pick up a portable space hearter - that will keep my feet wram at least!

GRRRRRRRRRRRR. :eek: I'm normally not that grumpy. I am just cold. :(
 
I never shout - I know that is the last way to get help, believe you me!! ;)

I am firm, and assertive, but polite,.....As you say, I know what it is liked to be shouted down for someone elses error or policy - I am just a messenger, and to be yelled at or even sopken to sarcastically, etc., well, it is soul destroying. Really, it is. I wouldn;t do that to another handler ever.
 
Get the number for the press office, md's office and marketing and call them. I used to work for a couple of different utilities companies, and believe you me, the only way to get a decent response is to shout loudly at those people. Customer service are too overwhelmed and underpaid to care.
Maybe see if you can get the number for a local CORGI registered engineer. You might have to pay more, but hopefully it will only be a one off expense and you'll be supporting a local business rather than the monolith of BG.

Bad luck BL!
 
Well, 24 hours later, after 4 calls, the first a formal complaint and three after asking to speak to a manager, I have heard nothing.

I am however, toasty warm with the use of my inlaws little heater. I have thermal underwear on top and bottom, sweat pants andhoody on over those, two pairs of socks, in the lounge with the door closed, and its actually quite comfy. Phew! And its a darn good thing I have lost some weight having all these layers on!!! :D

Thanks everyone. I really still am very angry, and yes CurlySue - wished we would have gone that rout - but just afraid of a cowboy or rip-off merchant found in the yellow pages. Had enough of both.

We intend to get the boiler repaired Tuesday and then hold two fingers up to them - they can chase us to John O'Groats and back for their money - they won't see one red cent. They can have their first months premium. And thats it....cancelled...a strong letter stating the misrepresentation and rubbish customer service, including their reluctance to follow FSA guidelines, neglecting medical needs for hot water and heat (I have arthritis in my knees and shoulders, and the cold is brutal - particularly in my freshly operated on knees. And my OH has very bad psoriasis which is very painful and irritating on about 30% of his bod, mostly his legs and takes long salt baths to ease it daily.

So, that can dance for our money. :)

Thanks everyone. I am feeling better. Thanks for listening to my moan/rant and my blah blah blah :D

XX
 
Oh BL, bless you, i just logged on to see how it was going and saw that nothing hs really changed, poor you, get on to the papers! Bliddy eejits, Bristish Gas - what a bliddy con! Arhhghghg Now I'm mad!!!!!:mad::mad::mad:
 
Oh BL, bless you, i just logged on to see how it was going and saw that nothing hs really changed, poor you, get on to the papers! Bliddy eejits, Bristish Gas - what a bliddy con! Arhhghghg Now I'm mad!!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

Hey girl! Pretty bad innit.

But its really not so bad, so far.

My OH half gets home soon, he is going to give them a call.

lol They are going to miss talking to the nice, calm policy holder. lol

Thanks hon...but its going OK-the heater is a life saver. The rest of the house is cooooold, but in here its nice and comfy!! :)
 
They should have given you heaters, like Karen said this avvo, her hubby used to be a BG engineer!! Tell them you want paying for all the extra leccy you're using!! Gits!!
 
BL don't forget to tell em that hubby is gonna sue due to lack of conjugal rights ---- by the time his mrs would dare take off those layers in the cold he'd been asleep for an hour and a half!

Seriously though honey it's not on that they can leave you like this in this weather - if they can't come and fix it they should arrange to put you up in a local Travellodge or summat :(
 
Well. Hubby came in last night and had a very pointed conversation with them, reminded the manager (yes, we actually, finally got a mananger on the phone!) (Though my OH suspects he was not really the manager but another advisor posing as one - a common practice in call centres ;)) In any event, after reminding them as an emergency service designed to deal with vital services, by law they were required to deal with this immediately as there are health issues involved.

After his explaining the law to the chap, and how it works, and how BG must have a process in place, etc., and how the part will be at the depot which could easily be picked up, etc., (it was quite a funny conversation - not for the kiddie on the other end though - though OH never shouts...he just is clever with words and knows his stuff...)

Finally, they have agreed to send a tech out today to do a 'temporary repair'. (Why was that not done on day one????)

They are meant to be here between 8am and 1pm.

Shall we place some bets? :D
 
Did yu see the report on the morning bbc news about BG going to a pensioners home to repair the boiler then condemning it cos they said they "detected" a mild gas leak?

It was last weekend when the temps were plummeting to -5c to -9c and BG disconnected all the pipes so that it could not be used and said they needed a new boiler.

they left this old couple with no heating but then quoted them 4K to replace the boiler within 2 days.

the couple took the deal, then their son, worried and disgusted took the full quote from bg that was broken down so that all work done could be quoted on, and got 20 other quotes and the average qoute was 1600 quid. BBC repeated the process. BG said like for like was not being quoted for. BOWLARKS! They have been caught out.

BG said they had the quote in advance and approved it so they did nothing wrong....no, i suppose disconnecting the boiler on a day when it was -5c and leaving this old couple with Hobson's choice was just one of those things.

Swines!!!:mad:
 
I hope they turn up for you - though if they haven't already then they've not long left!
 
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