Majority of Boiler Engineers Cut Corners

Nine central heating boiler engineers are under fire for charging customers for a boiler service and then failing to do the job.

When Which? invited ten engineers to service a boiler, the engineers had no idea that Which? had purposely altered the pressure for the gas, as well as loosening a minor part. They also didn’t know that Which? was watching them through a hidden camera.

Of the ten engineers, only one passed the test and it wasn’t the British Gas engineer. The British Gas engineer was one of five engineers who failed to check the gas pressure on the boiler.

Two engineers failed to check if the boiler needed to be cleaned and one didn’t even show up. Two of the ten also lied telling Which? they had done checks that were never performed.

The one engineer who passed the test charged a staggering £120 for his services and another wrongly condemned the boiler a mistake which could have cost the customer £800 for a replacement.

Which? Editor Martyn Hocking said that every engineer who is registered has to be qualified and competent and customers should receive professional service. He also said Which? found that corners were being cut and that some engineers were being dishonest about their work.

Which? reported three of the engineers to the Gas Safe Register where they will be investigated.

You can never be too safe when you have your boiler serviced.

Always check the Gas Safe Register or call 0800 408 5500 before letting an engineer service your boiler.

Call around for quotes from several companies to ensure you are not being overcharged or undercharged and remember to never pay cash for lower costs.  You should always pay with a traceable method and get a receipt. Credit card transactions between £100 and £30,000 are protected by the Consumer Credit Act and you may be able to get your money back if the engineer does not finish the job or causes a bigger problem.

Hocking said that having a broken boiler is miserable and that unsafe boilers can be deadly. He said it is worth the extra time to know that the service you receive and the engineer who performs it are trustworthy.