Many people take out boiler insurance for the peace of mind that it brings. In the event that a boiler breaks down, having cover in place can save a lot of time, money and hassle. However, some Scottish Power customers are discovering that their boiler insurance isn’t living up to their expectations, begging the question whether the firm’s policies are at the breaking point.
The lowdown
Several customers have reported that Scottish Power failed to adequately repair their boilers, despite having the appropriate boiler insurance cover in place.
One customer who was paying an annual premium of £190 for boiler cover from Scottish Power was shocked to learn the firm refused to fix a problem on their boiler as its cost exceeded the limit. Scottish Power failed to disclose how much the replacement part would cost or the value of the limits, and subsequently cancelled the customer’s policy.
Although Scottish Power mentions in its terms and conditions that it won’t repair a boiler if it’s beyond economic repair, there’s no reason it couldn’t have disclosed the cost of the repair in this particular case.
Another Scottish Power customer was informed that their leaking boiler was beyond economic repair. Yet a local plumber managed to successfully fix it for just £150. Other customers have suffered similar experiences, with many of them left without hot water for several weeks.
These cases have led many to wonder if Scottish Power’s boiler insurance is at a breaking point. Indeed, it’s easy to understand why some experts think that the £150-plus annual boiler cover policies offered by energy firms should be ditched.
According to The Guardian, the fact that a company can take several years of premiums and then decide it will cost too much to repair a boiler without providing any figures to back this up is a scandal.
What you can do
Experts claim that it’s preferable to use the services of a reputable local plumber, such as http://www.hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-servicing-gloucester/, instead of turning to the big energy companies. A boiler servicing Gloucester company, for example, will understand the intricacies of your boiler, so it makes better long-term financial sense to pay them as and when you need to.
If you do decide to take out boiler cover, no matter who your provider is, always scrutinise the terms and conditions before committing.
