British Gas rip off!

[NazJ]

I have been quoted £609 from British Gas for a power clean and magna clean filter - is that expensive?

 

[REDSAW]

hi,
is it a hotel?

 

[stevetheplumber]

where are you n?
3 bed house and magna clean 450 max

 

[armourer]

Easy answer yes that is expensive but not for BG.

 

[GQuigley67]

british gas always will be expensive because they charge a fortune same as all big companies, get a local company in to give you a quote

 

[sheff paul]

Dont want to over step the mark cause i am new here,bit too far for me to travel from northern england but i am sure some of the lads from south can pm you,and sort it out... Must say ive been a plumber Gas installer for 20 years,and the guys who post on here are lets say in the premiership,a lot of BG installers are sunday league in my experience.

 

[GrahamM]

There are a lot of good BG lads out there but they are under a lot of pressure to make sales wither they are really required or not. And they get hounded buy their managers if they are not making their quotas. This has been stepped up even more lately as I know a few lads.

As for myself I am more like in the 1st division, but hope to break into the Premiership someday.:smiley2:

 

[jase158]

For british gas this is cheap, my guess is that you only have 5-8 radiators, I have been to houses with 10 radiators and they have been quoted £800 plus for power flush, magna clean would be more.

However your local guy can do power flush for £250 minimum and £500 maximum (10 radiators)

Let me know where you are I may be able to help, I am in bucks.

Normally fit magna clean free as part of the service, but you supply the magna clean.

 

[sheff paul]

Exactly right there are good BG lads but the managers hound em to flog things,BG has massive marketing that us mortals could only dream about which gets em work,Once tried to get a job with em years ago got fobbed off,a week later they took on the firms van driver to train him as a fitter......? could never understand to this day, funny old world

 

[bob the plumber]

If british gas have told you you need a powerflush you probably dont need one, get a decent plumber out to you and get a second opinion.

 

[secret squirrel]

I have been quoted £609 from British Gas for a power clean and magna clean filter - is that expensive?

Title with posts like this 'british gas rip off' 'I've been ripped off' etc tend to wind me up instantly.

I'll explain why, first of all, I'm not defending any company or individual nor having a pop at any company or individual.

We don't know the reason why BG were either asked to do a powerflush or recommended one either.

Secondly, yes, it is a lot of money and we'd all do it cheaper. The price is not a rip off, it is just that a price. The customer can either choose to have it or not.

A rip off would be someone going into the house and quoting £350 then saying at the end, oh the chemicals used were not included nor the VAT, oh, neither was use of the powerflush machine, the £350 was just the labour, here's your bill for £700'

Big difference between a price and a rip off. Trouble is with all these 'MUPPET' programmes about people automatically think 'rip off'

 

[Destroyer2813]

If british gas have told you you need a powerflush you probably dont need one, get a decent plumber out to you and get a second opinion.

Went to one on monday drained down spotless aparnt from very very small amount of black in bottom of rad, cleary no water sample taken

 

[Howsie]

Where are you based NasJ?

 

[jase158]

Went to one on monday drained down spotless aparnt from very very small amount of black in bottom of rad, cleary no water sample taken

Never had this and to be honest, glad that BG are telling people this as gets me more work.

usually find that the house has cold spots, BG have put 2 new pumps, 2 new heat exchange and after everyrthing else has not worked they have realised dirt is causing problems and wont do any more until power flushed.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Wasnt till id drained it down the bloke produced a bottle of sentinel that was put in bout four years ago by his brother

 

[bob the plumber]

rip-off (r

p

ôf

, -

f

) n. Slang
1. A product or service that is overpriced or of poor quality. (dont tell me £600 isnt overpriced for flushing 7 rads in a small size semi? or that all radiators are removed and individually flushed)

2. Something, such as a film or story, that is clearly imitative of or based on something else.
3. A theft.

4. An act of exploitation. (dont tell me that telling someone they need a flush when they clearly dont isnt exploiting the customer and the customers trust of someone who hold the experience to know otherwise.)

lets face it you dont make money offering £11 a month schemes that cover all your entire system, youve got to make it back somewhere.

on another note though, BG do a splendid job replacing boiler and ch components in my mums large house, but she isnt going to get blagged into having un-necessary work being carried out.

 

[bob the plumber]

they didnt replace the boiler by the way, i did that they did though replace £100s if not thousands of pounds of parts over the years in parts and labour

 

[NazJ]

Where are you based NasJ?

In Leicester

 

[NazJ]

In leicester

 

[NazJ]

In Leicester

 

[dontknowitall]

In Leicester x 3...

No need to show off!!!!

:walkman:

 

[secret squirrel]

rip-off (r

p

ôf

, -

f

) n. Slang
1. A product or service that is overpriced or of poor quality. (dont tell me £600 isnt overpriced for flushing 7 rads in a small size semi? or that all radiators are removed and individually flushed)

2. Something, such as a film or story, that is clearly imitative of or based on something else.
3. A theft.

4. An act of exploitation. (dont tell me that telling someone they need a flush when they clearly dont isnt exploiting the customer and the customers trust of someone who hold the experience to know otherwise.)

lets face it you dont make money offering £11 a month schemes that cover all your entire system, youve got to make it back somewhere.

on another note though, BG do a splendid job replacing boiler and ch components in my mums large house, but she isnt going to get blagged into having un-necessary work being carried out.

I disagree with your comments regarding item 1. Whilst I agree that I wouldn't and you wouldn't charge that amount of money, we, well, I haven't got the overheads of BG. I dread to think how much advertising and back office staff costs they have to pay etc.

As we both know this has to be paid for by someone and this is the customer. The customer can choose to pay or not. The problem for me is if the customer pays and the job is then rubbish!

I'd agree with item 4. on your list and BG seem to have a reputation for selling powerflushes etc and I have seen this first hand. However, in there defence we do not know the circumstances behind this particular scenario.

It always worries me (not saying you have) when we all make snap judgements on the forums without knowing all the facts.

Although, when we ask for advice this is what we expect people to do, give advice without being present etc.

 

[NazJ]

Sorry! Having elderly moments tonight! Gosh, I hate it when things go wrong with the plumbing.

 

[dontknowitall]

Sorry! Having elderly moments tonight! Gosh, I hate it when things go wrong with the plumbing.

You're not the only one. I hate getting wet.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

is that a new cheese like double Gloucester but triple leicester?

 

[SimonG]

You're not the only one. I hate getting wet.

I love getting wet! That's why I'm a plumber

 

[tamz]

One of the perks of the job

 

[WaterTight]

what's the other one?

 

[tomkelly]

agreed I did a call out last week BG had said they needed powerflush £800 I flushed it last year they should have checked the magnaclean I fit as it was pretty clean! Graham is right they are under pressure to sell did a contractors course for them last year it diddnt work out!

 

[tomplumb83]

Im in Leicester. I wouldnt be prepared to flush ten rads inc Magnaclean for less than £450 so BG price is what i'd expect.
Your dealing with a blue chip company. I wouldnt expect to take my car into a well known car dealer and expect to pay the same as a back street garage.

 

[jase158]

went to job today, BG said need power flush as no circulation and lots of gurgling noises, Went to attic and float valve was stuck, wonder why they din't look up there?

 

[sbonna1]

yes this is a rip of but its british gas get a local independent plumber bg are robots being programed by managers who have nt got a clue on plumbing or heating

 

[jase158]

On this point, I have noticed that BG are not employing self empoloyed agents as much, maybe they realised that these people are all people who have had so much pressure making sure that their own business has a good reputation that when they work for BG they just dont care how bad they do the job.
Why not train people up who have a passion for plumbing, not just the money?

 

[julesverne]

On this point, I have noticed that BG are not employing self empoloyed agents as much, maybe they realised that these people are all people who have had so much pressure making sure that their own business has a good reputation that when they work for BG they just dont care how bad they do the job.

Now that sounds like a plan to me. maybe we should work for BG in our areas. ruin all work BG give to us and get rich from the fallout. oh well just a thought.