3bts – My youth, chocolate heaven, satisfaction

1. Reading Clare’s 3BTs entry today and clicking the link to http://aquarterof.co.uk/ reminds me of my youth. I look back with a mix of sadness and happiness…

2. Being reminded that good chocolate really is the remedy to various ailments – but especially those of the heart and those of the mind…Any excuse.

3. Another Christmas cake comes out of the oven and with a sense of satisfaction, I wrap it in foil – inhaling the brandy fumes as I do so… Yum. Which recipe will taste better…? It’s a shame I don’t get to eat them…I would like to do a taste test!

Central heating maintenance…

Bit of a rant…
As with most people these days, I pay for a maintenance contract with the UK’s leading provider of such services (yes, that one). Last year when I bought the house and took out the contract, they came to inspect the heating system before I could “sign up” for services. The system passed the inspection and I had my first system service in December. No problems reported. Shortly after Christmas several of my radiator valves started leaking so I called the company in question and someone came out to help with the issue. He tightened various screws on the rads, and on one rad, he sealed the valve three-quarters shut with a putty which set hard (so you can’t move the valve).

I’ve had quotes from said company for a power flush and it was a stupid price. I did the usual thing and got several quotes – one from a local firm – who on seeing the system recommended a power flush was the wrong course of action….(for various reasons). Yesterday this local chap and his son turned up. They are contractors for the firm I have a maintenance contract with – but they install new systems, not execute on maintenance. When C (the dad) saw the rad valves “repaired” under my contract – he got angry. Under my contract I am supposed to get replacement valves if they leak – something the other engineer didn’t mention. Then N (the son) asked me to look in the airing cupboard with him. Basically, my entire system is failing – because there are blockages in the pipes. While I was there, he cut one pipe and took a section out to show me the blockage.

Under my contract I’ve had the therostat replaced twice – C said this was pointless as the position of the thermostat is completely ineffective. Also, the program box for the heating system has been wired wrongly! There is no end to the mistakes made by the so-called leader in home services.

C was great about the problems. He’s left me a list of the work my contract needs to fulfil including replacement of the pump…

If I had followed the advice from my firm and had a power flush done – I could have caused more damage to the system, including burst radiators, more broken valves and possibly burst pipes.

C believes that a maintenance contract is only as good as the people providing the service. Needless to say, I want to know if he offers a maintenance contract.

In the meantime, I will contact my firm to complain.