Example Complaint LetterNIBE Fighter Boiler Problems
Take Action!
- Only by formally complaining will make your housing association sit up and listen
- Not complaining means your HA do not have to care
- Not many organisations will step in and support you unless you have attempted the HA's complaints process
- Complain sooner rather than later, it may take months for action
- Get your neighbours involved, to prove you're not alone
- Some neighbours won't know they're paying high bills until you show them
Complaining
You can call your HA, visit their website or write a letter, explaining that you wish to formally complain. Your HA must then explain their complaints procedure and find a solution to the problem. You should get more of a professional and timely response.
If you want to write to your HA, and your a bit stumped on what to say, use our example letter. Remember, your HA should keep in touch, do not let them go silent.
Your HA may invite a representative and their heating engineer to your home. Check the engineer is familiar, or qualified, with NIBE boilers before continuing. A NIBE engineer won't visit until the HA's engineer confirms installation is correct, and it is the product that is failing. What you should be making clear to the rep is lack of winter heating, sacrificing hot water for heating and vice versa, high bills, etc. Do not let them convince you the boiler is working and that you have to live with it. The goal is to have it removed and replaced.
UPDATE - NIBE customer support now exists! Apparently, they aim to visit every boiler to service and/or repair, for FREE. Call 0845 095 1200 and get booked. Make sure your HA are present while NIBE visit. You still need to demand that the boiler, repaired or not, isn't fit for purpose.
No solution
Now it's time to bring in the big boys. The last thing your HA wants deal with is an organisation protecting consumers, because there's a great chance your HA will loose, and possibly punished.
Get some advice from each one of these and start the process:-
What's the problem
You'll obviously know what is causing you the biggest problem. But, to help give an image of how bad this boiler really is, don't forget to mention these facts:-
Also
Also, don't be put off if your defects guarantee has expired, or any other guarantee has run out. You should not have been provided with a property which has inadequate heating.
- Not complaining means your HA do not have to care
- Not many organisations will step in and support you unless you have attempted the HA's complaints process
- Complain sooner rather than later, it may take months for action
- Get your neighbours involved, to prove you're not alone
- Some neighbours won't know they're paying high bills until you show them
Complaining
You can call your HA, visit their website or write a letter, explaining that you wish to formally complain. Your HA must then explain their complaints procedure and find a solution to the problem. You should get more of a professional and timely response.
If you want to write to your HA, and your a bit stumped on what to say, use our example letter. Remember, your HA should keep in touch, do not let them go silent.
Your HA may invite a representative and their heating engineer to your home. Check the engineer is familiar, or qualified, with NIBE boilers before continuing. A NIBE engineer won't visit until the HA's engineer confirms installation is correct, and it is the product that is failing. What you should be making clear to the rep is lack of winter heating, sacrificing hot water for heating and vice versa, high bills, etc. Do not let them convince you the boiler is working and that you have to live with it. The goal is to have it removed and replaced.
UPDATE - NIBE customer support now exists! Apparently, they aim to visit every boiler to service and/or repair, for FREE. Call 0845 095 1200 and get booked. Make sure your HA are present while NIBE visit. You still need to demand that the boiler, repaired or not, isn't fit for purpose.
No solution
Now it's time to bring in the big boys. The last thing your HA wants deal with is an organisation protecting consumers, because there's a great chance your HA will loose, and possibly punished.
Get some advice from each one of these and start the process:-
- Housing Ombudsman (HO)
- Trading Standards (OFT)
- National House Building Council (NHBC)
- Have your Buildmark Policy Number handy
What's the problem
You'll obviously know what is causing you the biggest problem. But, to help give an image of how bad this boiler really is, don't forget to mention these facts:-
- Large bills you've had (Fuel poverty)
- Meter readings
- Temperatures (Hot water and room)
- Noise pollution
- Wall thermostat may not be active
- Does not meet Code Level 3 for Sustainable Homes
- Lack of/No training
- If you have gas, code for sustainable homes says you shouldn't have electric heating
- Heat pump is undersized
- Blowing heat outside when the heat pump is idle (heat loss)
- Drafty/cold wall vents
- Lack of heat loss information (Note: They are not aloud to use a SAP calculation sheet for heat loss)
Also
Also, don't be put off if your defects guarantee has expired, or any other guarantee has run out. You should not have been provided with a property which has inadequate heating.