s4simo:

You are right that heat exchangers are exempt from homecare therefore a charge is levied but, it also states in BG t&Cs that this is only the case when you have not carried out a power flush when advised to do so in a timely fashion. As we have never been told to do this is am trying to see legally where we might stand

Nope. That wasn't what I said, unfortunately. My point was that you are possibly right with respect to "sludge", but the qualification you quote only applies to "sludge", not "hard-water scale".

IMHO, and I stand to be corrected, the heat exchanger is not covered against "hard-water scale" regardless of the qualification.

BTW there are normally two heat exchangers in a (combi) boiler. The primary heat exchanger which converts the flame to hot water and would equally affect radiators and hot water, and the DHW heat exchanger which only affects the hot water.

I will need to ponder on the symptoms.

Hi Jalexa,
When the heating and water is on we hear a high pitched 'squeal' from the airing cupboard. When the pump on the boiler is turned down on the temperature on the controls this seems to reduce although everything is more inefficient i.e. it takes longer to heat water
We have had homecare in this house for 7 years and during all our annual services and repair visits have never been told about needing a power flush or heat exchanger - but we have complained about a noise before.
You are right that heat exchangers are exempt from homecare therefore a charge is levied but, it also states in BG t&Cs that this is only the case when you have not carried out a power flush when advised to do so in a timely fashion. As we have never been told to do this is am trying to see legally where we might stand
Thanks again

s4simo:

Hmm....

Lets deal with the small print first. Regarding "sludge" its not 100% clear to me what is the effect of "sludge" build up on the contract applicability (because of the qualification you have spotted). However it is 100% clear to me that "hard-water scale" is excluded from the coverage regardless of whether or not they have previously informed you of the need for a Powerflush. A heat exchanger is much more likely to be adversely affected by "hard-water scale" than "sludge".

Anyway perhaps you could post more info about the symptoms being experienced instead of what BG has told you is the problem.

As an aside, when I checked today the BG pre-sale web page was very clear about the exclusion. When I recently checked the Southern Electric Shield pre-sale web page that wasn't clear though the small print had a similar exclusion. This is just speculation and may be impossible to prove, but I wonder out loud if the BG pre-sale web page was always as clear, ie before you took out the contract.

Hi,
We have been told we need a new heat exchanger, and although we are on Homecare 200 this will cost £450.
However, in British Gases Terms and Conditions, it states that we will only have to pay for this exchanger if "we have previously been advised that our system requires a power flush". We have never been told this in the 7 years we have lived here. In another part (section 6) of the terms and conditions it says that if you need a repair due to sludge build up and we have not been told we need a power flush and repairs we be carried out without charge.
Why is it then that they are still trying to charge us?Has anyone else had this?
Many thanks