21 months to get my boiler serviced

Mrs M.A.L. writes: I have been a British Gas Home Care customer for years and my boiler used to be serviced late every year. Last year, I telephoned in September and was told the first available service appointment was not until January of this year. This was subsequently cancelled by British Gas as was an appointment for March. Then a third appointment that should have been in May. Finally, British Gas kept an appointment in July, but this was the first boiler service since October 2016. I pay £50 a month for Home Care, but British Gas insists it has fulfilled its contract. THIS has been an awkward subject for British Gas. It was hauled over the coals by the Advertising Standards Authority for a TV commercial offering a ‘yearly boiler service’. This was backed up by a contract that promised a ‘check each year’.

In fact, the service visits could be almost two years apart. You were told that the visit in 2016 fulfilled the contract for 2016-17 – and a visit in July this year met the terms of the contract for 2017-18. In British Gas’s eyes, that is a yearly check.

The advertising watchdog ruled that the adverts were misleading and banned them, but it has no powers to change the Home Care contracts themselves – only the way they are advertised.

British Gas told me: ‘We are very sorry for the poor customer service that Mrs L. experienced in arranging to have her boiler serviced as part of her Home Care agreement.’

It has stopped using the misleading claims in its adverts and is making the terms of its scheme clearer. It has contacted you directly to apologise and has sent a goodwill gesture of £100 to make up for the cancelled appointments.