Do you need a heating engineer, but are worried about costly call-out charges?
Nobody likes surprise bills, and it’s not always clear whether a call-out is going to be expensive or a quick and easy fix. Due to past experiences, many of my customers over the years have been particularly concerned about how much we’re going to charge before we even get there.
That’s why I thought there was a real call for this blog post. Below, I’m going to tell you how to avoid costly call-out charges and engineers that charge the earth.
Always check before agreeing to a visit
The best advice I can give you is to call a few different Gas Safe registered heating engineers and ask in advance if they charge a call-out fee. If not, ask them what they charge for the first or second hour of a call-out.
You’ll often find some companies charge a fixed repair fee of around £235 no matter how big or small the repair actually is. Sometimes this is to the customer’s benefit, sometimes not.
Once I was called out to a lady who had issues with the pressure in her boiler dropping. It could have been due to the pressure relief valve, a leak, or a faulty expansion vessel. She had been quoted £235 for one call-out with a guaranteed fix.
However, she decided to call us instead, and we found it was actually a faulty pressure relief valve. This meant we could replace, test it and get the boiler up and running again for only £110, saving her quite a bit of money in the process.
Shop around for the best deal
By contacting different companies and checking online, you should be able to find a reputable company that will not charge you a call-out fee. Instead, they should be able to diagnose and then provide you with a fixed price quote for a repair.
Remember, if a heating engineer is going to diagnose the problem for free before quoting you a decent price, they may not give you too many specific details up front. This is because they need to make a profit and may be worried you will take that information and go elsewhere.
However, once you agree to the job, they should be able to fill you in on all of the work they will be carrying out, and how they’re going to do it.
Take out a monthly service contract
If you’re particularly concerned about unexpected costs, and your boiler isn’t currently under guarantee, it may be a good idea to take out a monthly service contract which covers you for all servicing and repairs, parts and labour.
Some reputable heating companies will be able to offer this service, and it can work out cheaper than paying for a service contract via one of the big energy suppliers.
In the winter, heating engineers are always very busy, and it may be more difficult to source one without having to pay a premium.
Conclusion
If for any reason you need to call a heating engineer, but the price is putting you off, there are ways you can avoid paying for costly call-outs. Remember to always call up and check whether your chosen engineer charges a call-out fee, or how much they charge for the first or second hour.
Shop around when possible. I’d recommend finding a reputable Gas Safe registered heating engineer who won’t charge a call-out fee, but will instead diagnose the problem and then provide you with a fixed price quote.
Finally, a monthly service contract could be a good idea, especially if you have an older boiler which isn’t covered under guarantee.
