Installation error led to boiler failure - attitude to aftersales extremely poor
Had Vertechs in to install a new LPG central heating system. All initially seemed OK, but then we started to get increasingly frequent error codes on boiler until it completely stopped working about 3 months after install. Contacted Vertechs who initially said they would try to get someone out, but then a matter of hours later contacted us to say they thought the issue was fluctuating voltage on the electrical supply and we would have to get an electrician out to check that before they would attend. I checked the boiler manual for the error code and also googled. Neither mentioned an issue with the electrical supply. Went up with a multimeter and checked - no fluctuation. Contacted Vertechs to say I didn't think the electrical supply was the issue - it was a boiler issue. It was clear from his reply the tone had changed, and I had clearly upset him. Next the earth bonding was at fault. When I checked that it was the polarity which needed checking. Eventually I gave in and forked out for an electrician who came in shaking his head saying 'you know this is a waste of time don't you?' No faults found with electrical supply. Contacted Vertechs again to confirm no issue with the electrical supply - it was a boiler issue. Got a one line response along the lines of 'that's a step forward'. Two weeks later Vertechs have completely failed to follow up. No further contact at all. As far they know I am still without heating and hot water.
Fortunately when it became clear Vertechs were going to try and avoid honouring their guarantee, I contacted Baxi (boiler manufacturer) direct. They sent out an engineer the following day.
Turns out the issue was not a problem with the electrical supply and the error code we had should not for one second have implied an electrical issue. In fact the boiler failed because Vertechs failed to remove the transit bung from the bottom of the boiler which they should have done on installation, and the condensate water slowly filled the boiler until the fan and the igniter were under water at which point the boiler failed completely.
According to the Baxi engineer this was a completely avoidable, 'schoolboy error'.
Baxi installed a new fan and igniter, removed the offending bung and all is now well.
I think the Vertechs guy probably knows what he is doing, he clearly has lots of experience and the installation is tidy enough. But when it comes to aftersales he is way too confident, far to busy playing the big 'I am', asserting his superiority and trying to establish himself as the cleverest person in the room to actually listen to his customers, stand by his work and honour the guarantee he gives on his work. A tiny degree of humility and the acceptance that maybe, just maybe he might have made a mistake would go a long way.
In short, boiler failed from installation error. Attitude to aftersales when things went wrong very poor. Completely failed to follow up, and his error had to be fixed by someone else.
Not good enough.