Boiler just doesn't work.

HazeDoll

I bought a wood pellet boiler in June 2019 to heat my house, so this was its sixth winter. My house is very small and easily heated. Usually the boiler runs for about 3 hours a day for less than half the year. The problem is that it has broken down every winter since 2021. I have gone for weeks with no heat in the middle of winter trying to get the company to send somebody to fix it. Last winter it was five and a half weeks. The previous winter it was two and a half weeks. This winter I have had three separate breakdowns, three different issues, and today marks 8 weeks and three days without central heating since early January.

I can't afford to write it off completely and just replace it. The company has gone quiet and hasn't responded to an email in over a week. (It's an Irish company, and I'm happy to name and shame if it's allowed.)

I can show that it has let me down repeatedly, winter after winter, and that I have given the company the opportunity to sort it out. What should I do now? Ideally I'd like a chunk of my money back, including the money spent on the many repairs I don't ever want to deal with the company again. What is the best way to go about this?

endofrainbow

Conor Pope - The Consumer Bureau.

Oscar_Madison

You’re obviously very patient - what comes to my mind is the small claims court under the argument of a reasonable expectation that the product would have an expected lifespan of a number of years.

You have the proof of breakdown every year after 2 years- any idea is it a part that just “goes” or is it something different every year?

I think small claims is worth a try- I’m assuming 1000s were spent originally?

HazeDoll

It cost me €5500 and I'd be reluctant to walk away with just €2000 as that is the upper limit they'll deal with in the SCC.

I emailed Conor Pope but I think that realistically I'm in solicitor territory now.

C3PO

It’s a 6 year old boiler …. Very unlikely that you will receive more than €2k in any court!