Further developments -

I received a call from a sales rep from SWALEC at 12.10pm today trying to sell me a new boiler, when i pointed out that i was a sheild customer waiting to hear if and when they would be repairing my boiler, he said he didn't know anything about that, took all my details and assured me he would get the maintenace engineer manager to call me back asap.

3.15pm i called the helpline to chase my call back - the girl on the other end tried the engineer dept and when she couldn't get them on the phone she told me she had left them a message and they would call me back, but that they might have already left for the day

4.15pm - i called the helpline again, explained the situation and that i was concerned that it was heading towards close of business on a friday and i hadn't had a call - the girl on the other end refused to try the engineering dept for me and told me they would call as soon as they got the previous message

5.15pm - called them again - girl on the phone was great this time, she said her pc had crashed so she took my details and said she would go to the engineering dept to see if they had my call back request, when she came back on the phone she said she had tried calling them, they were not answering, but they had my call back request in their tray, when i expressed my concern that it was now 4 days since my boiler broke and that i had 4 children in the house with no heating or hot water, she said she was sympathetic, but there was nothing she could do. I asked for and got the direct number for the engineering dept and have tried to call them 8 times myself - all to no avail.

I am really concerned now - my youngest son has bronchitis and the cold in the house is not helping his breathing.

I mentioned the ombudsman several times all to no avail, now i fear i am looking at a whole weekend with no heating before i can even try to get some help next week.

You're welcome..... Furthermore if Swalec do refuse to do anything then make notes of the date, time and persons name telling them you intend to call out your own private gas engineer in order to restore the heating & hot water as it is an emergency situation i.e. the health of your Children is at stake, of which you will be claiming back all the expenses and associated costs, at a later date through the Ombudsman..... then see what their response is. (keep all receipts if you have to do this and back it up in writing, sent recorded delivery)
??

Thank you for your advice

Tara

Hi --- If the heating protection is an insurance based product, I would tell them that you intend to make a complaint to the Insurance Ombudsman at the FOS below, they regulate insurance policies and can order whatever action they feel is appropriate in the above circumstances.

You could at least threaten Swalec with this first and if they do not take action to resolve your problems, then do write outlining your above post to. http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

Hi,

I joined Southern Electric's Shield Gas central heating protection plan back in November - I received my confirmation letter on the 26th November 2007 and was aware of the 14 day cool off - no problem.

Jan 1st 2008 - my boiler springs a leak and i call Shield - the engineer came out within 2 hours - brilliant.

The engineer then tells us that the heat exchanger is cracked and unfixable and that we are probbaly looking at a new boiler as the parts are hard to come by.

I have checked the internet and i can source the parts myself for around £80 - so no problem i think.

My partner has made several calls to shield today -

1st call - because we haven't had our initial inspection we are not covered at all and besides the parts are hard to come by. I checked the T's and C's and the initial inspection should have been arranged by them within 28 days after the 14 day cooling off period - they have never contacted me.

2nd Call - the engineer is not on call so they can't do anything as they can't get his report and the parts are hard to source so we will probably have to talk to sales for a new boiler

3rd Call - the operative's pc had crashed so we would have to wait for a call back

4th call - (they did call us back) the fault has been ongoing for a while so we are not covered - when queried as the fault is 3 days old - not exactly a long time - we were informed that the leak "could" have been there before so it is our own fault and as the parts are hard to come by we will have to wait for sales to call us as we will have to have a new boiler. When asked when this call might happen we are told that the engineer is no longer on call so he wont be able to have given them his report so they don't know when the call will be.

As you can imagine i am beginning to wonder if this protection is really just a way to push the sale of new boilers on customers.

I have paid my direct debit, i was told i was covered immediatley and that "even if you call on Christmas day we will send someone to fix your boiler immediatley", all their paperwork goes on about how "SWALEC's shield protection ensures you're never left in the cold" well myself and my 4 children have been in the cold for 3 days now, i have no heating and no hot water and there is snow forecast for tonight and my yougest has a chest infection and is supposed to be kept warm.

I am not happy and don't know where to go now??

Can you help??